As the need for money created the “permanent campaign,” with Members of Congress always thinking as candidates, the wedge issue mentality has made both idea-sharing across the aisle and even civility hard to come by.
Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill used to do battle during the day and share a drink and a joke at night. Can you imagine George W. Bush and Nancy Pelosi sharing anything? Can you imagine either wanting to spend any time with each other?
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Bush doesn't drink, and Pelosi would probably talk his ear off about him being sexist for offering to buy.
I'm sure Fred was being facetious, as the point of the blog post is the perpetual campaigning politicians wage these days. There's always another election on the horizon and wedge issues are the only thing our Congressional representatives and Presidential administration seem willing to tackle. This has the effect of crippling our democratic process.
The other point is that its okay to debate. Its okay to disagree. Whether or not consensus is reached at the end of the day, you should still shake hands, have a hug or a drink, and come back the next day. Civility is gone in the incessant and rabid quest for votes, hearts and minds.
Not much chance of the President and the Minority Leader collaborating however... Newt and Hillary have been able to do so on Health Care.
Ronald Reagan never employed a campaign manager whose sole purpose was villifying anyone who opposed his policies and labeled them as unpatriotic.
The new strategy of appealing solely to the GOP base while ignoring and alienating any moderates or conservative Democrats has created a hostile environment in Washington where the other side is viewed as the enemy rather than a partner. This is why Unity08 will be successful - it will reach out to the moderates that have been ignored by both sides who employ extremist policies to attract and expand their respective bases.
I like how Washington Hotlist below rails on the Bush administration for dividing Washington, and then turns around and says that both sides are ignoring moderates.
News flash: it isn't just Bush's fault why Washington DC is divided. The Democratic Party has taken such a sharp turn to the left in the past 3 years and as become such an angry, negative party (causing my defection from them, mind you) that they now oppose Bush on everything, simply because Bush proposes it.
If George Bush was in Washington but the Democrats were replaced by, say, the Libertarian Party or some other party, would it be as divided as it is today? No.
If the Democrats were in Washington but George Bush was replaced by, say, John McCain, would Washington be as divided as it is today? No.
The bottom line is both sides are to blame for this, and attempting to pin it on the Bush administration purely is a bunch of nonsense.
And by the way, it isn't the Bush administration that is alienating conservative Democrats. It is the hard-left base of the Democratic Party, such as Markos Moulitsas, who are actively trying to throw people like Joe Lieberman out of the party.
This is why we are moving toward no judicial and one capitalist party, like China has today... it seems our system is not working and smart Americans from all walks of life know it! So it makes to Unite those in office now with the pissed people under one party called Independent! for more www.appyp.com/fix_main.html
When I first signed up several weeks ago I thought I read: "We are a group of both Republican and Demcrats who no longer feel comfortable with the goals of our chosen parties and began to see comman concerns that we shared."
As difficult as it sounds, we feel that within fundamental goals we have more to share with each other than has ever seemed possible before.
I had hoped to join this discussion but have not found a space in this program to do so. I believe that my sentence above should be thoroughly discussed before turning to the many other and important considerations that are now being discussed. If this is too much of change, and I suspect it is, then I would like to see a separate space for its consideration.
sss33,
I agree with you that both sides are to blame for the polarization that exists today. I was just using the Rove-Bush connection as an example because Reagan was mentioned in the introduction.
How about the Democrats in Texas Legislature leaving the state to avoid redistricting? Divisive and immature.
Cute
"How about the Democrats in Texas Legislature leaving the state to avoid redistricting? Divisive and immature."
How about sending Homeland Security to hunt them Down. Texas had redistricting after the Census like all the other states but Mr. DeLay didn't like them. Now the Supreme Court has the case.
Unfortunately they will likely say its okay because power will change and then the other guys can stick em.
sss333 Clearly states in his / her "Bottom Line" sentence that both parties are to blame.
Yet we get sidetracked with specific examples.
With a goal of pushing both parties back to the center, not destroying either party nor establishing a new Party our project will be difficult. Even as moderates we will tend to care about our parties in general.
We are asking potential candidates to work together with a person from the opposing party and should be able to do the same ourselves.
Unity08 is an intriguing movement in American Politics. Let us work together towards that end.
vry,
RET
Unity08 says it all... and what makes it possible today, my older friends is technology, not to be feared as they will try and terrify you of change ... and the system will be preserved because we the people will select leaders that are dedicated to preserving this great system of government and only use a third party to bring both back to the center... Do not fear third party participation for a time being to send a message, for we must exodus the both parties, but must be sure that it is for Unification not destruction.... fear those who will preach change and hatred to command a powerful Independent position, for this must be a plaform of unification, not hatred like existing parties! Unity08 will bring us together, all who try to lead by ranking will fail... be sure of that... www.appyp.com/fix_main.html
God I wish he did, maybe a good hangover would bring him back to this planet.
Pelosi should be the head of the DNC. She is the closest thing the Dems have to Rove and her talents are being wasted in the House.
The Republicans win elections because Rove knows how to apeal to the adolescent anger of grown Americans. I'm afraid the Dems can't start winning again until they become meaner than the Republicans and Pelosi is the meanest mouthed Dem.
Pelosi has the wrong job.
martiniano on June 27, 2024 - 9:39pm
Martin, are you flying your true colors. Why are you here? This is a site avocating a 3rd party if you haven't figured that out yet.
Unity08 is NOT a third party. The founders have been very clear about that. The goal, last time I checked, is to select a President and VP candidate from existing parties.
Here it is directly from the "What We Believe" page on Unity08.
"We are not looking to build a new and permanent party. That might happen, but our objective is to fix the old parties. A Unity Ticket in office for one term or even taking part in just one election can bring new ideas, new integrity and new leaders to the fore."
Read it for yourself at http://unity08.com/believe
One of us isn't paying attention. I think it is you.
It will be impossible to ween off two people from the two major parties. They will be unable to compete financially and forever cast aside should they lose (which is very likely considering the infancy of this movement).
It is too late now but we should be gearing towards 2024 and looking at local races where Congressmen and state lawmakers could begin the movement from the ground up.
Supreme Court rules that redistricting beyond the minimum requirement of once each census IS CONSTITUTIONAL...brilliant decision.
Found a couple of the specific boundaries drawn failed to protect minorities and need to be adjusted. So the Republican legislature can fix that issue and the Democrats can pout in their Oklahoma hotel rooms!
Constitutional Democracy with checks and balances is GREAT!
I already knew they had a mixed decision but I am waiting on the tally and written decisions.
I am ready to agree with those who want to eliminate Anonymous.
I hope they also eliminate the nested URLs on http://unity08.com/node/129#comment-4839
http://unity08.com/node/33#comment-4847
Though I don't know how valid that identifies the Thank you and Nice messages.
I'm starting to believe that having elections every two years is too often, because it does indeed cripple the legislature every other year. How often do you hear "it's an election year" as the rationalization for more Washington silliness. Half the time!
Imagine if the House and Senate each had four-year terms. Yeah, the downside is not being able to throw the bums out if they get out of line at the 2 year mark, but with 95% re-election rates how much are we actually getting out of that potential?
I imagine a quadrennial, tightly programmed election season that would engage most voters, with three or four parties zooming through tightly choreographed primaries two weeks apart, with mandatory televised debates managed by third parties every other week, with votes building but the winners never sure until the final mega-primary night. Take a page out of American Idol and make Democracy exciting!
Ah, fantasy. But trying to imagine America being "the best Democracy on the Planet" is part of the utopian dream of Unity08. Or at least, it is for me.
Well, W is supposedly now a teetotaler and Nancy is not somebody that you would want to be inebrated around. However, I can definitely see your point. Some would claim that the civility of our politicians is a reflection of our general society. I state that we just need some new politicians and there should be a call for more genteel behavior. Some stronger campaign reform legislation would be very welcome as well.