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The Price of Blind Partisanship

nota bene said:
Writing for National Review, Jonathan Tobin argues that there is plenty of blame on all sides for the current polarization of politics:

...in a bifurcated society in which both political camps go beyond believing each other capable of grave wrongdoing to treat their foes as guilty of unspecified crimes until proven innocent, it's a given that any hiring or firing in the Justice Department or the FBI will be treated as a rerun of Richard Nixon's 1973 "Saturday Night Massacre." We know that had Clinton won and then fired Comey, many on the right might be connecting some conspiratorial dots of their own. If instead she had kept him on there would have been no shortage of Republicans who would have assumed that it was a reward for his original decision not to indict her or his statement days before the vote that the investigation really was over.

...Like it or not, we live in a society where half the country reads, listens to, and watches news that pushes one reality and the other half consumes a competing reality. It's a country in which the 48 percent who voted for Clinton think the 46 percent who voted for Trump are out to destroy democracy and vice versa. In such a political culture, there's no such thing as an issue that can be discussed in a nonpartisan way. Comey's long overdue firing would have generated conspiracy theories and outrage no matter who did the deed.
James Comey Firing: Democrats? Reactions Show Blind Partisanship | National Review

Or when, in my opinion.
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Blind partisanship is a good way to put the situation in American politics today. The main problem with blind partisanship is that it leads to what is good for the political party has priority over what is good for the nation. It's loyalty to party, not the country. Republicans out to destroy Democrats and vice versa. From my vantage point, it seems the number one enemy of this country for the Democrats is the Republicans, for the Republicans it is the Democrats. North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, AQ, terrorist, all rank way below the other party as his nation's number one enemy.

As for Comey, back in July of last year when he failed to indict or recommend prosecution of Clinton over her classified E-mails on an unclassified server, thus putting this nations classified national security information at risk. The Republicans stated they lost all trust in Comey, that Comey destroyed the integrity of our justice system. They wanted him gone, fired, banished among other things.

The before the election when Comey reopened the Clinton classified e-mail investigation, the Democrats said Comey was a political pawn of the Republicans, he couldn't be trusted, he had no integrity. This time the Democrats wanted Comey gone, fired, hung by the balls.

Well, Trump fired him. Both Republicans and Democrats should be jumping up and down for joy. Comey is gone, that is exactly what both political parties wanted last year. That's what Schumer, Pelosi and other high ranking Democratic leaders wanted and espoused. The Same with the Republicans last July. The firing of Comey was a belated birthday present, Christmas present all wrapped up in one for what the two major parties wanted and howled for last year. Abet at different times, but there can be no doubt both Republicans and Democrats wanted Comey gone.

It seems Comey isn't the only one who according to Republicans and Democrats doesn't have integrity. Those raising heck over his firing don't have it either. Getting rid of him is exactly what they wanted and pushed for last year. Both parties now have got their wish. Acknowledge it and move on.
 
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apdst said:
Well, since the president has full lawful authority to fire the FBI dorector, it kinda sorta is.
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FBI Directors have 10 year terms because they are supposed to be insulated from Presidential politics. Are you saying it is OK for a President to try and thwart an investigation that effects him? I think it kinda sorta was the reason Nixon got the boot.
 
iguanaman said:
FBI Directors have 10 year terms because they are supposed to be insulated from Presidential politics. Are you saying it is OK for a President to try and thwart an investigation that effects him? I think it kinda sorta was the reason Nixon got the boot.
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Nixon fired a special prosecuter, not an FBI director.
 
apdst said:
Nixon fired a special prosecuter, not an FBI director.
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They both were trying to thwart an investigation that implicated them. BTW Since we are on the subject of Nixon, Trump is definitely a "co-conspirator" in any illegal activities involving his campaign or any cover-ups after the fact. He can't use his "corporate umbrella" to shield him this time.
 
Perotista said:
Blind partisanship is a good way to put the situation in American politics today. The main problem with blind partisanship is that it leads to what is good for the political party has priority over what is good for the nation. It's loyalty to party, not the country. Republicans out to destroy Democrats and vice versa. From my vantage point, it seems the number one enemy of this country for the Democrats is the Republicans, for the Republicans it is the Democrats. North Korea, China, Russia, Iran, AQ, terrorist, all rank way below the other party as his nation's number one enemy.

As for Comey, back in July of last year when he failed to indict or recommend prosecution of Clinton over her classified E-mails on an unclassified server, thus putting this nations classified national security information at risk. The Republicans stated they lost all trust in Comey, that Comey destroyed the integrity of our justice system. They wanted him gone, fired, banished among other things.

The before the election when Comey reopened the Clinton classified e-mail investigation, the Democrats said Comey was a political pawn of the Republicans, he couldn't be trusted, he had no integrity. This time the Democrats wanted Comey gone, fired, hung by the balls.

Well, Trump fired him. Both Republicans and Democrats should be jumping up and down for joy. Comey is gone, that is exactly what both political parties wanted last year. That's what Schumer, Pelosi and other high ranking Democratic leaders wanted and espoused. The Same with the Republicans last July. The firing of Comey was a belated birthday present, Christmas present all wrapped up in one for what the two major parties wanted and howled for last year. Abet at different times, but there can be no doubt both Republicans and Democrats wanted Comey gone.

It seems Comey isn't the only one who according to Republicans and Democrats doesn't have integrity. Those raising heck over his firing don't have it either. Getting rid of him is exactly what they wanted and pushed for last year. Both parties now have got their wish. Acknowledge it and move on.
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You are the one thinking in black and white. Sure it was hard to like a man who did what he did 11 days before the election and yes that made Democrats mad. But as time went by Comey showed himself to be non-partisan by continuing to investigate the Russian influences in the election. A man hated by both parties is just what is needed at the FBI and his colleges agree. It proves his aim is where it should be. protecting our laws and the Constitution. I don't expect you to understand this because it makes Trump look like a 1st grader he is. He thinks that taking his ball and going home is going to save him. His cowardly firing of someone he was throwing kisses to a few weeks ago because he would not fail in his duty will go down in history as one of the greatest mistakes ever made.
 
iguanaman said:
They both were trying to thwart an investigation that implicated them. BTW Since we are on the subject of Nixon, Trump is definitely a "co-conspirator" in any illegal activities involving his campaign or any cover-ups after the fact. He can't use his "corporate umbrella" to shield him this time.
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trump/Bannon admins will be fleeing this listing ship .
 
apdst said:
Nixon fired a special prosecuter, not an FBI director.
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trump is Trickie Dickie on super steroids with cover ups and obstruction of justice .
 
nota bene said:
The right is worse! No, the left is worse!

Thanks for demonstrating the point of the OP, sigh.
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The truth is not always in the middle. Some people think Stalin was a horrible dictator who murdered millions and ran one of the most evil regimes in all of history. Some people think Stalin was a paradigm of political virtue, a virtual savior of the world.

Is the truth that Stalin was an OK guy? No, of course not.

There is no question the left has contributed to our current state of polarization. But the right is far more responsible, which anyone looking at the evidence without emotion can see. However, despite this being so, this does not mean that all conservatives, or conservative ideas in general, should be attacked, blamed, or eschewed. It's been a comparatively few conservative politicians driving things, and the "in group" effect defending them. And that's something the left is equally guilty of doing.
 
NIMBY said:
Kasich assured himself of re-election in 2014 early on by taking Medicaid expansion, gaining many INDYs and DEMs.

Numerous GOP governors did this in purple states. Not so much in red states. Kasich is now term-limited .
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So you're saying he's a Republican only by name. Oh gosh.
 
ashurbanipal said:
The truth is not always in the middle. Some people think Stalin was a horrible dictator who murdered millions and ran one of the most evil regimes in all of history. Some people think Stalin was a paradigm of political virtue, a virtual savior of the world.

Is the truth that Stalin was an OK guy? No, of course not.

There is no question the left has contributed to our current state of polarization. But the right is far more responsible, which anyone looking at the evidence without emotion can see. However, despite this being so, this does not mean that all conservatives, or conservative ideas in general, should be attacked, blamed, or eschewed. It's been a comparatively few conservative politicians driving things, and the "in group" effect defending them. And that's something the left is equally guilty of doing.
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I think ultimately the key difference is in world views. Both see the world through a completely different lense and can't understand why the other can't see what is obvious to them, this in my opinion is what leads to the polarization. I wouldn't really say either side is more at fault than the other.
 
Nap said:
I think ultimately the key difference is in world views. Both see the world through a completely different lense and can't understand why the other can't see what is obvious to them, this in my opinion is what leads to the polarization. I wouldn't really say either side is more at fault than the other.
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It's certainly true that both sides see the world very differently. However, that does not mean that both pictures are equally as distorted as the other. There is a reality, and one side's picture is less distorted than the other side's. That was my point with the Stalin example. So, sure, each side sees the world through its own lens. That doesn't mean that one lens distorts reality the same as the other.
 
calamity said:
I definitely stand by mine saying the Right is far worse then the Left, and much more divisive. To that we can add dishonest, criminal, hateful, racist, homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, and brainwashed.
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Well that sounds just like a Hillary rant, except you forgot misogynist. Don't forget islamophobic.
 
calamity said:
I'm not even a Democrat. I just call it like I see it. The fr Right is the problem.
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Give me a freaking break, if your posts aren't about Trump, they are about trashing and ridiculing anyone and everyone that has a lean to the right.
 
RetiredUSN said:
Give me a freaking break, if your posts aren't about Trump, they are about trashing and ridiculing anyone and everyone that has a lean to the right.
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Only the Far Right. I still consider myself a Center-Right lean, it's just that the Center has moved so far Right that Center-Right today is Pat Robertson. :lol:
 
Nap said:
I think ultimately the key difference is in world views. Both see the world through a completely different lense and can't understand why the other can't see what is obvious to them, this in my opinion is what leads to the polarization. I wouldn't really say either side is more at fault than the other.
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I don't think the right knows what the heck it's doing, besides hating. They were ranting against Obamacare. Now that they have a chance to do it, they realize they are the ones being most helped by it. It was just blind hate driving them. They were dressing up in all those fancy 18th century outfits with tricorner hats and buckled shoes and carrying big American flags, telling us how it's unconstitutional for Obama to even dare to propose that the federal government get involved in healthcare. Now they are just trying desperately to come up with a replacement plan. Other than hating "libruls", and blindly just saying no to everything they propose, it's clear they have no clue what they are doing, they are ideologically bankrupt, and they do not know the first thing on how to govern.
 
calamity said:
Only the Far Right. I still consider myself a Center-Right lean, it's just that the Center has moved so far Right that Center-Right today is Pat Robertson. :lol:
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You are about as far to the right as my right nut! ;)

But, I will say your posts are entertaining, and I mean that. A bit on the troll (ish) side, but entertaining.
 
RetiredUSN said:
You are about as far to the right as my right nut! ;)

But, I will say your posts are entertaining, and I mean that. A bit on the troll (ish) side, but entertaining.
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I voted for W in 2000, and against Clinton every year one of them ever ran.
 
iguanaman said:
You are the one thinking in black and white. Sure it was hard to like a man who did what he did 11 days before the election and yes that made Democrats mad. But as time went by Comey showed himself to be non-partisan by continuing to investigate the Russian influences in the election. A man hated by both parties is just what is needed at the FBI and his colleges agree. It proves his aim is where it should be. protecting our laws and the Constitution. I don't expect you to understand this because it makes Trump look like a 1st grader he is. He thinks that taking his ball and going home is going to save him. His cowardly firing of someone he was throwing kisses to a few weeks ago because he would not fail in his duty will go down in history as one of the greatest mistakes ever made.
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You're right, I don't understand how one day a political party can be all for his firing, the next be totally against it. Okay, 6 months. For me it plays right into the partisan part of politics. When Comey does things that benefit your party, keep him as in July of last year and today or yesterday. But then Comey does things against your political party, fire him, get rid of him.

The key as I see it is for or against a political party. That what it boils down to for me. More or less partisan games with the FBI and its director. Let's face it, if this Russian thing wouldn't be going on, Democrats wouldn't be raising a fuss. Now the Director has nothing to do with the actual investigations. That is being done by the field agents so to speak and others. All the director is is a coordinator between the FBI, congress and the president along with handling budget affairs and the like. The Director doesn't investigate. The Russian investigation go one regardless of who is the director or who isn't or if there is no director at all.

The Democrats want Trump gone by any means available. That's fine with me. I didn't vote for him and never liked him. But this reaction to Comey is a political partisan thing where the Democrats wanted him gone also. If Obama had fired him, no problem and I would give a million to one odds it would be the Republicans howling just the the Democrats today. Partisan stuff, the good of the party stuff, not the nation. I would love to see an adult take the reins of the presidency, I'm with you on that. But howling now is trying to give the Democrats a political advantage, not that the Republicans wouldn't have done the same. It's all about Party in D.C. pure and simple.
 
Slingshot Bob said:
The funniest part is to hear them turn around and say, but I'm not liberal...lol then they will do fine until a real one comes along!
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Some day these blind partisans will realize that they were nothing but "soap on a rope" in a warm prison shower.
 
Perotista said:
You're right, I don't understand how one day a political party can be all for his firing, the next be totally against it. Okay, 6 months. For me it plays right into the partisan part of politics. When Comey does things that benefit your party, keep him as in July of last year and today or yesterday. But then Comey does things against your political party, fire him, get rid of him.

The key as I see it is for or against a political party. That what it boils down to for me. More or less partisan games with the FBI and its director. Let's face it, if this Russian thing wouldn't be going on, Democrats wouldn't be raising a fuss. Now the Director has nothing to do with the actual investigations. That is being done by the field agents so to speak and others. All the director is is a coordinator between the FBI, congress and the president along with handling budget affairs and the like. The Director doesn't investigate. The Russian investigation go one regardless of who is the director or who isn't or if there is no director at all.

The Democrats want Trump gone by any means available. That's fine with me. I didn't vote for him and never liked him. But this reaction to Comey is a political partisan thing where the Democrats wanted him gone also. If Obama had fired him, no problem and I would give a million to one odds it would be the Republicans howling just the the Democrats today. Partisan stuff, the good of the party stuff, not the nation. I would love to see an adult take the reins of the presidency, I'm with you on that. But howling now is trying to give the Democrats a political advantage, not that the Republicans wouldn't have done the same. It's all about Party in D.C. pure and simple.
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I really think you are reaching when you call the FBI investigation of Russian involvement in our elections partisan. In fact my point was Comey has shown himself to be above partisan politics. The paranoia you show is just that. Yes the Dems hate Trump but is that a reason to turn a blind eye to possible crimes and even treason? Comey, the FBI and various other intelligence agencies around the world certainly don't think so.
 
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