How do we end or at least diminish partisanship?

Question

I think that partisanship is one of America's biggest threats. A divided house cannot stand. I know I personally have been guilty of taking the wrong course of action in improving this situation. I'd like to improve my own actions and I believe others do too.

I'm really interested in a solution that can smash harmful negative labeling and intellectual diminishment in discussion of important issues. I'd love to see the bar of civility being raised, not dropped.

Here's my ideas:

1. You can't always control the actions of others, but you can always control yourself. Change your mindset. Try to eliminate labels from your brain. Forget party affiliation and just look at raw ideas.

2. Look at the intent. Most people are just doing what they believe is right. When we cast negative labels on a group, we tend to forget that.

3. End ad hominem and unproductive generalisations. They accomplish nothing. Discourage them gently in others.

Thoughts? Answers? Ideas?

Sane, I think the greater issue is a sense of responsiblity and this is a ball that has been dropped across the board. No group is innocent or completely guilty. Even if "those people over there" are acting poorly, we still have control of ourselves.

I for one am going to try to do my part and change.

Dr. J

I know exactly what you mean. When 9-11 happened, I had the false hope that we would really be unified again for some period of time.

I think that the problem was that 9-11 didn't affect most Americans. For most people, it was just something they saw on TV.

I'm not looking forward to a mjaor catastrophe. As impossible as it may seem, I believe in stretching towards the horizons and attempting to do my part.

Perhaps this bitter partisan chaos IS the catastrophe we need for unity. In that case, we just might have a chance.

Answer 1

Well put music man. I think we have a long way to go seeing as the second response was the exact sort of unproductive generalization you are talking about getting rid of.

I'd like to see a centrist party formed that excludes to far left and right ideologies. These groups poison the republican and democratic party and turn rational people against each other over insignificant issues. Instead of dividing the country into red and blue states, we form a party of reasonable, thoughtful voters who may disagree with each other on small issues, but come together to look out for the good of the people and the country. We could then let the smaller fringe groups who promote hatred and division fight it out amongst themselves.

Just a crazy dream I have.

Answer 2

The train has left the station so long ago on this issue. It will not be backed up, because human behaviour tends toward the ease of taking the low road. Good luck in stuffing the toothpaste back into the tube.
The way I see it is that civility in actions and discourse will happen ONLY when our nation as a whole once more faces some tragedy that will unite us. To prove my point, one merely needs to review 9/11 and the aftermath. That improvement in civility lasted for about a year or so before it began to come untied. Then the finger-pointing started with the Executive bracnch of our government having to stop the buck...to the extreme degree of delusional hatred by some.

Answer 3

I agree with you wholly. Sadly, some people are stuck in the same old mindset and refuse to see things in any light other than the status quo. I listen to a lot of conservative talk radio (not because I am a conservative-but to keep up with what is being said), and the rhetoric I hear daily speaks of absolute hatred toward the left. There is no room for compromise according to these fanatics. It is very sad and may just lead to the downfall of our country. Most people were moved by 9/11, but it was soon back to business as usual. I'm afraid it will take something far worse to bring the people together.

Answer 4

Do you think that the people who used this question as a platform for divisive, ad hominem, name calling, and partisan attacks really want to see a truly United States? Look at some of these answers and you'll see what's really wrong with this country. People who didn't respect the previously elected president, the current elected Congress, and a vast number of patriotic American citizens expect respect for an appointed President who has lied us into a destructive war. Ignorant names like democraps, dummycrats, and lieberals and the moronic overuse and misuse of labels like Socialists will keep us divided.

Answer 5

America was united and had common values until groups like the ACLU decided to try to divide the people. In the 40's and 50's the democrats were concerned about National Security and upheld moral values, not so anymore. JFK was the last Democrat President who believed in national defense.

Answer 6

i couldnt agree with you more. i'm sick of partisanship crap. i've always said you should just do and say what you believe is right and everything will work itself out. don't agree with something based on your so-called political affiliation. don't agree with something based on what CNN says. don't agree with something until you have done your OWN research. and it's ok to disagree. not everyone is going to have the same thoughts. that's what makes this country great. but, i think there is alot of disagreeing that could be rectified very easily if people would just do what's right. not let outside forces control your thoughts. not let lobbyists, political correctness, money/power, and party lines affect your judgement.. i feel we are more divided than ever, this has got to stop.

Answer 7

I see noting wrong with partisanship, per se. To me the problem is what the democratic party stands for. Socialism is a lethal disease for America and it has found a new home in the modern democratic party. Before this happened, America was headed in the right direction and the debate between the two parties was about how best to get there. Not anymore. The left now wants to take us in the exact wrong direction. And they will destroy anyone who opposes them.

For you young people out there, it wasn't always like this. It began with my generation, the baby-boomers. We arrived on the scene in one massive wave. Many of us were self centered and believed ourselves to be smarter then everyone else. There were so many of us that we soon found that we could impose our will. Unlike our parents who were raised in the depression and WWII we were spoiled and wanted everything now. Our lack of strong basic morals made us sitting ducks for the lies of socialists. Look back at rallies and events that occurred back then. See how many Che, and Mao tee shirts we were wearing. You will even see people waiving the comunist flag of North Vietnam. America is still reeling from the damage we caused.

Now many of those people are your college professors, lawyers and democratic politicians. They still long for the old days. They have embraced socialism to one degree or another. They are dangerous no matter what party they are in but they are predominately democrats. Here is a good way to identify them. When they get into a debate they will make their point then talk over everyone else and keep repeating the same thing over and over. Then they will start calling everyone who disagrees with them some combination of: racist, sexists or homophobic. They will site phony statistics that no one will bother to check. When they want a number to seem large they will quote the number itself out of context. If they want to make it appear lower they won't use the number but rather the percentage.

Example:
3000 soldiers died! (1% of 300,000)
Only 1% of the soldiers died. Sounds like a lot less doesn't it?


Anyway, if the democratic party was like it was before the baby-boomers took it over, partisanship would only lead to progress.

Answer 8

Well we elected Bush TWICE based on his being "conservative" well when he got into office he and many other conservatives decided to cave in to the media pressure instead of doing what we elected them to do. So in essence he changed his spots after he won the election. IF a demon crat wants to be successful as a president he or she will have to do the same thing. Run and win as a commie lib and then when they get into office become a conservative. Clinton did this after the 94 election somewhat, but he just didn't go far enough. The media would NEVER flame a Lib for becoming a conservative after being elected as bad as they do a Conservative for becoming a lib. So for a demoncrat it would be ok.

When you have conservatives praising the policies of a commie lib, you WILL be able to compromise. Tip O'Niell had to bend a lot for Reagan, and it worked out well. However the demon crats are a new breed today. Bush gave them everything when he didn't have to and they didn't appreciate it, they just flamed him even more..show's how much you can trust them.

Bush should have SHUT down the borders in Sept 12 2001 and NO ONE would have argued, but he didn't and now we have the mess of Mexicans and Canadians dragging our country down. The demon crats don't really care as long as every smidgen of bad news can be blamed on Bush. Just look at the ridiculous accusations libs get away with. They say Bush is an idiot and yet he got them to vote to go to war in Iraq. They call him stupid, yet they say he causes hurricanes to attack blacks in New Orleans. Any weather person knows someone who can control weather CAN'T be an idiot, but facts never got in the way of a good lib lie.

You want bi-partisanship? Go to Cuba..they all love Castro as much as the hollywood movie stars..personally I like the divide between commie libs and the rest of the USA

Answer 9

Liberals are the biggest threat and mostly Democraps. I'd abolish the two party system and disallow Liberals from holding office.

Answer 10

respect