Quote:Really?  This is an exclusive to the republicans?  Let me guess....moderates are those who agree with democrats.  Everyone else is an extremist?

 

Sorry, but there needs to be differentiation between the parties, otherwise what's the point of having a 2 party (or more) system?  Right now you've got conservative republicans, RINOs, blue dog democrats, and socialists  The difference is that the socialists can bully the blue dogs into towing the party line.  The RINOs have this incessant need to get along by going along with democrats using the logic that if we concede to them on this issue, they'll return the favor down the road.  The problem is that never happens, and the howls of partisanship arise, usually from the left when they can't get republicans to agree with them. 

 

It's funny how you never hear anyone saying that maybe the democrats should come to the middle and try to work with the other side, but you hear it all the time from them about republicans.  The democrats are miles ahead of republicans in knowing who they are, and not deviating from their tired old playbook.  Unfortunately, there's a country club segment of the GOP that has decided to alienate those who hold more traditional conservative views in favor of retaining their power.

The Dems were a doormat for W for 8 years. When the GOP lost the WH, they declared jihad on Obama and made it their sole purpose to make him a one term president. And they weren't exactly discreet about it. I think he genuinely at one point wanted to work with Republicans. I know he met with a number of GOP economists early on. But Republicans IMO spent so much more effort trying to block or take down anything Obama did, they neglected to help solve a lot of the issues they griped about. Jobs was the #1 thing when Obama took office and the Republicans proposed zero jobs bills. It's easy to point fingers, but harder to come up with a solution. No sane president would refuse a good idea because he didn't come up with it. But it got into a urinating match on Capitol Hill which is why we had unnecessary shut downs. There may be some extreme elements on the left, but it seems (to me) the entire right shifted further to the right. The only notable Republican accomplishments (if you can call them that) was implementing laws that made them the morality police on abortion issues (Which has been a ridiculous political bargaining chip even though it has no right to be). The GOP used to be the party of ideas. What great idea did they try to push through that got blocked.. Before you answer, ask if there was some poison pill tied to the greater bill which invited it to be blocked. The two party system is broken and the only people whose voice counts are those who contribute to campaign funds. The days of politicians voting along the lines of their social conscience are gone. It's all about who is funneling cash to keep them in power. It's political theater. Obama is far from perfect, but he is is also far from the antichrist he has been made out to be. Some Dems will slowly distance themselves from him as some Republicans did W to avoid being associated with someone their rivals can tie them to in campaign ads. But name a president who inherited a worse situation? No. W isn't to blame for all of his shortcomings, but it cannot be ignored. Just as the most hostile and ineffective House in history cannot be overlooked when assigning blame. There is plenty to go around. And we the people should shoulder some blame too for allowing our political leaders to act like enormous children for so long. That is why I seek a more moderate Democrat and GOP party because allowing people in your party to say publicly some of the things that have gone unchecked for so long only promotes a division I am beyond sick of in this country.

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