It seems with this election we are close to being like the 1830's and 1840's politically.
Uh, yes. There is nothing new in recognizing that the US has become more polarized recently. It is likely that the postwar period was unusual in the amount of compromise, and things are returning to normal.
I am 60 years old and have seen a lot. What I am seeing now is a deep seated anger boiling over from the RIGHT, and a " how dare you say that " anger from the LEFT.
As a kid, my first dealings with political bullcrap was during the Johnson / Goldwater run. I was told by Johnson supporters, kids like myself, if Goldwater was elected we would have to go to school on Saturdays.
Uh, yeah, that's... insightful? I guess?
I also remember something else. During the televised Democratic Convention in Chicago, someone from outside threw a chair in the hall and was immediately wrestled to the ground and hauled away. That was pretty much it...INSIDE the hall. Outside it was pure bedlam. The 60's had a ton of divisive issues and troubles. Even so one thing remained untouchable. The democratic process.
Yeah, it wasn't actually very democratic then. Daley and Johnson manipulated the vote. Humphrey, who was nominated, hadn't won a single primary. The anti-war platform should have won, and got screwed out of expressing the will of the people. But do go on....
NOW,...those same jerkwads are talking about a march from Philly to DC to disrupt the process of people voting their choice. It is 100% against the Republican frontrunner....
Wow. So much wrong.
First, the "Democracy Spring" march from Philadelphia to DC is an anti-corruption and election reform protest. They are not trying to disrupt any elections, they are trying to ensure that citizens have a genuine voice in the political process, rather than handing the whole thing over to a handful of insanely wealthy elites. The march has nothing to do with any partisan position, and is not affiliated with either party.
Second, most of the people involved in it weren't even alive in 1968. I.e. it is not the same people at all.
Third, there is nothing "thuggish" about a march. In case you missed it, protest is a cornerstone of democracy.
The fact this INTOLERANCE is TOLERATED sets a bad precedence for our mutual future here in the USA.
Meaning what? Organizers of a protest march ought to be arrested, just because? Is this whole marching thing new?
YES, I AM pointing a finger at MOVEON.COM because they are 100 % responsible for what they do, did, and are planning to do.
Moveon is not organizing "Democracy Spring," or many of the protests against Trump.
They aren't doing much of anything, really. They certainly aren't the ones sucker-punching protestors at Trump rallies.
They are not the issue, though and the reason for this thread. It is the deep anger I feel almost all people on the extreme edges of their political leaning that is just waiting for a trigger incident to boil over and burn us all.
If you say so
Agree to DISagree seems to have been pushed aside by PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE, if you do not agree with me.
If you say so
...unless what's really going on is that the short-fingered vulgarian is egging on his supporters to get violent, and the tiniest bit of violence draws tons of media attention, thus blowing things out of proportion.
Both sides can point to examples to be used as excuses, but am I the only one that sees this being a slippery slope leading to more pointing and " ________ made me do it " type excuses? Where they feel perfectly justified in their violence?
Or has the time for talking over, and the time for picking sides upon us.
I think it's mostly you.
I find it very bizarre that you start out apparently tagging polarization as the problem, and end with telling people to pick sides.
You also seem to have the process backwards. What's happening is that people are upset over economic issues, most of which can't be directly fixed by the government, and ultimately can only be addressed by making education and job training affordable to people stranded during the transition from a manufacturing to a service economy, and by saner tax policies that tamp down income inequality. Collectively, Americans want to be rugged individuals, yet want the government to ensure they have jobs, while the government shrinks in size and not interfere in their lives; to provide more services and benefits, while cutting spending, and slashing taxes, without borrowing more.
I.e. they want the impossible, and are outraged that they aren't getting it.
There is no "slippery slope," and very little actual violence. People are just angry and irrational. Welcome to 'Murica.
Well he has encouraged it. :shrug: Starting with his Birther crusade, he's been a big part of trying to get a portion of the Right to toss Reason out of the window in favor of Passion ("But We're Angry!!!" is the inevitable defense of a put-upon Trump supporter or defender). That he joins his opposite numbers on the left does, as you say, make it far more likely that we get a self-feeding downward spiral.
