Partisan political discussion can yield agreement for the most part only on the following basic ideas!
Had dinner last night with a group of good friends from very diverse political ideologies that represented a microcosm of the greater political landscape in the United States.
Passions burned from the left and the right as did the certainty of points and positions.
On the one hand we are where we are because of Bush 43.
On the other hand we are where we are because of the policies that started with Clinton and that are being expanded exponentially by Obama.
Both sides, as partisan arguments will be, were for the most part intractable in their positions.
So where is the agreement?
At the end of the day cooler heads prevailed, at least to agreement on the following points:
- Me, me, me: Politicians on both sides of the aisle are in it, for the most part, to pursue a personal agenda. That agenda will typically start the day after swearing in which is campaigning for re-election. Exceptions will always exist which would be those in Congress or the White House possessing the fortitude to focus on real issues and real problems and work towards a REAL solution, REGARDLESS of any political consequences!
- Critical issues exist for the country: Their is basically unanimous agreement that major structural problems exist in the country and that there are serious concerns for the future.
- 2012 presidential election: If I remember correctly there were varying levels of dissatisfaction with the current administration (weak to strong), with both sides agreeing that the Republican Party is currently playing with a weak bench and that a strong viable candidate, given the state of the economy, would have a punchers chance of beating Obama.
- Passion: Regardless of the level of involvement in the political process, passions run very deep!
Bottom-line: If the potential for civil political discourse around a dinner table filled with good friends is any guide...
Subscribe in a reader
0 comments:
Post a Comment