No Middle Ground?

Question

Do you think that the present division in this country is due to the complex nature of some of the issues facing us - or have we just lost the ability to compromise?

There seems to be a lot of issues that just have no compromise or middle ground - people line up on one side or the other and simply dismiss the other side as lunitics, idiots or worse.

Examples that come to mind are abortion, the death penalty, the war in Iraq, liberalism vs conservatism, illegal immigration, affirmative action laws and so on.

It seems that in the past, we had problems - serious problems such as civil rights - but a little logical and reasonable debate, perhaps a few new laws and the problems were no longer a major hot button issue - not so of late. These problems just seem to keep growing in intensity and the division just keeps widening.

Can we as a country no longer compromise and settle these issues? What do you think?

Answer 1

I believe we have lost the ability to compromise. I think this is in part due to the disappearance of moderates from the political stage, though just now you see them emerging again.

The second cause I think has to do with our ability to read / view just the news we agree with. We have gotten used to not having to put up with opposing views, not having to listen to them, and Never Being Wrong.

And I think we have stopped thinking.

Answer 2

The Republican strategy since the early 90's was to promote divisiveness, both among politicians and the electorate. It won them a lot of elections. Can we still compromise? It's up to the Republicans, they have been the instigators. Interesting opinion article below, but there are more if you search.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucru/20061114/cm_ucru/whenisawinnotawin

Answer 3

You are overlooking a few things. First of all in the past civil rights was a huge issue that lasted year after year, with riots, bloodshed endless debate and astronomical changes in society. The division of people was far worse then than it is now.

On these other issues the divide isn't that great and progress is being made. A huge shift in the elected officials along with lively debate. This is the way it is supposed to be.

Answer 4

Someone, a self-proclaimed Democrat, asked a question similar to this over 3 months ago and my response was, ......

I'd really, really like to work with you and to compromise with you. Working together in brotherhood and in a spirit of compromise is an excellent suggestion. Please, let's try it. But, .............. on one condition. Once our work is done and a compromise has been reached, don't turn into an "ACLU"-type person who then goes to the courts and asks for new-found interpretation of the Constitution because you think your goal is all about "human rights" and that mine isn't. When you trump my views with constitutional law because you didn't want to compromise with me then I feel completely betrayed. And then, remember too, that I might be able to get control of the courts myself and I can then turn the courts against you and trump your laws because I didn't like compromising with you, either.

Rely on majority rule. Compromise. Don't assume that every one of your views are possibly inferred from the U.S. Constitution so that if you can't get what you want from the process of majority rule, then the judges will get it for you instead.

Answer 5

Division is a political tool. If you get people to line up on one side or the other (party lines), you've eliminated half of the competition.

Answer 6

I think the biggest problem today are lobbyists, when Clinton left in 2000 there was 5,000 today there are over 25,000 the interests of these groups have weakened the average Americans' voice in government.

Answer 7

I'm hoping leaving it to the States is a compromise enough.

Answer 8

where was the middle ground for the past 6 years I thought so libs dont believe in middle ground