To Be a Democrat Today...

[iatrogenic]

I'm certain you believe that. A good portion of them are invented positions, almost as if that's what conservatives WANT the progressive position to be. It's not worth any progressive's time to respond as they are caricatures of liberal views. This is why this board has lost it's soul. It's wafer thin projections of the opponents arguments with the intention of getting some likes and mocking comments rather than wanting to understand why they think like they do. dukesteer achieved his goal. He got likes here and on Next Door. He's been validated.

I would love to know why you think what you think because I damn sure can’t figure it out. Please, enlighten us.

 

[dukesteer]

Husker, instead of criticizing, again, no one is stopping you from refuting just a few of the assertions.

 

[bystander]

Liberal positions:

1) Immigration: Abolish ICE, Sanctuary cities, benefits for illegals
2) Reparations
3) Critical Race Theory (From the CRT perspective, the white skin that some Americans possess is akin to owning a piece of property, in that it grants privileges to the owner that a renter (in this case, a person of color) would not be afforded; The use of narrative to illuminate and explore experiences of racial oppression)
4) White Privilege campaign - covers a lot of ground but the way it's being pushed is that you will be cancelled if you are not EXTREMELY adept in articulating ANY level of dissent.
5) Destruction of fossil fuel industry
6) Raise taxes
7) Circumvent the Constitution by virtue of Liberal SCOTUS justices (Sotomayor who votes as a Latina first, as a jurist second)
8) Abolish Electoral College
9) More stringent gun control (see Beto being chosen by Biden to lead gun control initiatives)
10) Green Deal - TRILLION DOLLAR wealth redistribution scheme
11) Believe the victim (accusation means guilt) except for Liberal politicians
12) Defund the police
13) Incoherent foreign policy except for esoteric view of being respected by Europe, the birthplace of white supremacy, colonialism and slavery.
14) Cancel Culture

I get some of these things are debatable or a matter of degree (#'s 7 and 9) but the aggression on the remaining list is very obvious to me. The neo-progressives aka totalitarian socialists see Republicans as evil and moderate Democrats (can you believe Feinstein has now achieved moderate status?) as sell-outs to be cancelled. The Totalitarians believe in Marxism if not by name, then by the continental drift of their demands that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SOLVE ALL PROBLEMS WITHOUT A COUNTERWEIGHT OF DISSENT FROM THE OTHER SIDE.

 

[Monahorns]

Centralizing political power and then having that body decide more and more things for the nation is central planning. That is Socialist, Marxists, whatever you want to call it. When the Federal Government has the plan for your life, and you don't want to go along what do they do?

The Democratic Party is pushing the US in this direction and has been for a while. The thing that makes it hard to admit to for some Democrats is that the Party hasn't explicitly attacked the idea of private property yet. BLM, Antifa, Leftist professors all attack the idea. It is just a matter of time until the Party does to.

 

[bystander]

Centralizing political power and then having that body decide more and more things for the nation is central planning. That is Socialist, Marxists, whatever you want to call it. When the Federal Government has the plan for your life, and you don't want to go along what do they do?

The Democratic Party is pushing the US in this direction and has been for a while. The thing that makes it hard to admit to for some Democrats is that the Party hasn't explicitly attacked the idea of private property yet. BLM, Antifa, Leftist professors all attack the idea. It is just a matter of time until the Party does to.

Here is some analysis of Critical Race Theory:

"[T]he theory [is] radical…in the sense that it questions fundamental assumptions.… And unlike some strands of academic and legal thought, critical race theory has an open and activist agenda, with an emphasis on storytelling and personal experience. It's about righting wrongs, not just questing after knowledge.… [M]any of their ideas are not radical today in the sense of being outside the mainstream: Critical race theory is widely taught and studied."

When property ownership is defined as a wrong, then how do you right it? CENTRAL GOVERNMENT POWER.

 

[Monahorns]

Critical Theory covers all aspects of life. CRT just focuses on race. All of life is being attacked in US universities.

When property ownership is defined as a wrong, then how do you right it? CENTRAL GOVERNMENT POWER.

Exactly. Government ownership of all. Slavery of all to government.

 

[Seattle Husker]

Husker, instead of criticizing, again, no one is stopping you from refuting just a few of the assertions.

Surely you can understand why I don't want to spend time refuting your caricature of me, right? You boasted that you posted the same passage on Nextdoor with the explicit expectation of being censored. You aren't interested in a conversation or even debate.

Rather than build a list based on your perception of others, opponents, why don't you start by defining your own platform. The RNC said their platform is explicitly Trump's platform, whatever that means.

 

[bystander]

Rather than build a list based on your perception of others, opponents, why don't you start by defining your own platform. The RNC said their platform is explicitly Trump's platform, whatever that means.

A Conservative agenda/platform is an interesting question. Start with the Constitution. Live with that. Given, it's an idealistic comment, but if you start with that basic philosophy, it stands to reason that nothing needs to be done EXCEPT GET A GRIP ON THE FEDERAL BUDGET, so it puts Conservatives into the role of saying no.

There is a revolution going on whether or not you wish to acknowledge it's huge impact on the Liberal platform. Conservatives are now in the position of defending themselves. They are being called Nazi's and White Supremacists. This is mainstream now with Liberals. That is my firm belief.

So what platform is left for Conservatives? Ride it out and hope the damage done to stop what needs to be stopped will be minimal.

 

[iatrogenic]

The majority of the Lib's platform is unsustainable/harmful/destructive, and indefensible from both logical and historical perspectives. Big government is for the weak of mind and spirit. That is why they won't even try and defend it as a whole, and often flat out lie about what they are attempting to accomplish. To Biden's credit, at least he admits he wants higher taxes despite the fact that this will hurt the economy and the majority of Americans.

Maybe OUBubba could help SH out here despite the lack of subject matter involving urination, which seems to be Bubba's expertise.

 

[Seattle Husker]

A Conservative agenda/platform is an interesting question. Start with the Constitution. Live with that. Given, it's an idealistic comment, but if you start with that basic philosophy, it stands to reason that nothing needs to be done EXCEPT GET A GRIP ON THE FEDERAL BUDGET, so it puts Conservatives into the role of saying no.

You defined "conservative" not the Republican platform. Clearly fiscal conservatism is NOT part of the current Republican priorities. I can appreciate the "start with the Constitution" approach except that's a 100k feet view whereas dukesteer attempted to jump to the 1k feet view to apply his perception on Democrats. As always, the Devil is in the Details so I'm curious about getting more detail. For example, the Constitution does not define "life" which is why you can't start with the document when determining a position in the pro-life/pro-choice debate.

There is a revolution going on whether or not you wish to acknowledge it's huge impact on the Liberal platform. Conservatives are now in the position of defending themselves. They are being called Nazi's and White Supremacists. This is mainstream now with Liberals. That is my firm belief.

I'm curious if you've ever called progressives "socialists" or "communists"? Is that also part of the revolution? Neither direction is particularly helpful in furthering our political dialogue, IMHO.

So what platform is left for Conservatives? Ride it out and hope the damage done to stop what needs to be stopped will be minimal.

The answer is win elections. We've heard the last 4 years that elections have consequences. Progressives need to win elections so they can implement their vision. I'm hoping for a "blue wave" but time will tell whether that materializes. My only hope is that the centrists (read: adults) in the party rule the day. The extremists and purely partisans from both parties need to have a diminished roles but that's my idealism prevailing.

 

[nashhorn]

I suspect the framers of the constitution never foresaw a need to define life, but I have no link to prove that.

 

[Seattle Husker]

I suspect the framers of the constitution never foresaw a need to define life, but I have no link to prove that.

Nor could they foresee such thorny topics like Bio Ethics with regards to stem cell usage, cloning, genetic modification or neural implants which is why the "start with the Constitution" isn't enough detail to define ones views.

 

[humahuma]

I think Obama first said elections have consequences, conservatives are just using his own words. Mocking him.

 

[nashhorn]

No SH but it is always a good ‘place to start’.

 

[dukesteer]

Surely you can understand why I don't want to spend time refuting your caricature of me, right? You boasted that you posted the same passage on Nextdoor with the explicit expectation of being censored. You aren't interested in a conversation or even debate.

Rather than build a list based on your perception of others, opponents, why don't you start by defining your own platform. The RNC said their platform is explicitly Trump's platform, whatever that means.

Nice dodge, but it won’t work with me.

 

[Horn6721]

Duke
After Husker made a fool of himself by trying to say Trump allowed 400,000 Chinese into our country after Trump issued the ban
when in fact it was 40k American citizens and legal green card holders I expect based on his past MO he will be "busy" for awhile.

 

[HornHuskerDad]

...are willing to have other people pay higher taxes...

FIFY.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

Surely you can understand why I don't want to spend time refuting

I surely do.

 

[Crockett]

I have braced myself.

To be a Democrat today...

You have to believe that Russia manipulated the 2016 election so that Trump could win, even though a massive and almost three year investigation run by individuals not favorable to him failed to identify any connection.

You have to believe that the Obama administration did not spy on Trump, and that the falsification of FISA documents was just an innocent mistake made by well-intended patriots.

You have to believe that most policemen are bad, and out to get minorities.

You have to believe that by eliminating the police or radically cutting budgets we will be safer, and better off.

You have to believe that the rioting, looting, burning and devastation that occurred this summer was isolated and insignificant.

You have to believe that the positions Hunter Biden was given by foreign companies, with no experience, and the money he received is much ado about nothing.

You have to believe that it’s OK to destroy 33,000 government emails and smash devices so that no one can examine them.

You have to believe that the outstanding economy Trump built was really built by Obama.

You have to ignore the fact that for the first time in decades real wages and purchasing power for average Americans has risen over the past four years.

You have to believe that energy independence is no big deal, and that relying on foreign sources is not a cause for concern.

You have to believe that making NATO members pay their fair share is a bad thing.

You have to believe that a dialog with the leader of North Korea is not a good thing.

You have to believe that sending an airplane filled with billions of cash bills to Iran is normal and not a payoff.

You have to believe that giving Iran a path to the bomb is fine, and that there is no reason not to trust them.

You have to believe that anyone who wants to enter our country should be able to do so, and that those who enter — legally or otherwise — should be given unencumbered access to our healthcare system, and voting rights, the same as legal citizens.

You have to believe that Trump is a racist and an anti-Semite, even though he has Jewish grandchildren and is loved by many black Americans.

You have to believe that Make America Great Again is code for a call for White Supremacy.

You have to believe that Trump intentionally mismanaged the Covid response because he doesn’t care, and that every death is his fault.

You have to believe that the economic dip due to Covid was Trump’s fault, even though he “followed the science” and shut the country down as Fauci advised, and then extended the shutdown, per his recommendation.

You have to believe that we should be listening to the WHO, even though, as of mid-January they were claiming that human-to-human transmission was not possible.

You have to believe that all Republicans are bad, and racist.

You have to believe that nothing Trump does and nothing that Republicans do is good, and that virtually everything he and they do is evil.

You have to believe that the policies of the Democrats over the past 50 years has lifted up black communities and has improved their way of life, and also improved the safety and security of our inner cities.

You have to believe that BLM is a noble organization, and that Antifa is simply a group with ideas and methods that are good for this country.

You have to believe that partial birth abortions are just fine, and that killing a living entity just prior to birth is acceptable because “it’s the mother’s choice.”

You have to believe that burdening employers with massive rules and regulations is a good idea for the economy, for businesses, and for workers.

You have to believe that if Trump is successful in reducing drug prices, it is no longer a good thing.

You have to believe that Obamacare is a good program, even though premiums spiked, coverage dropped, plan choices disappeared, deductibles rose and you really couldn’t “keep your doctor or your plan.”

You have to believe that helping black colleges is not a good thing because Trump did it.

You have to believe that offering school choice is a bad thing, even though the schools — especially in the inner cities - are terrible.

You have to believe that moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, promised by Bush, Clinton and Obama, is now a bad idea because Trump made it happen.

You have to believe that it’s OK to destroy a good man’s reputation (Kavanaugh) using any means necessary, including witnesses whose own claims could not be verified by their friends and associates.

You have to believe that it is acceptable to threaten, spit on, and physically attack Republicans in restaurants and in their homes, to dox them, and also to encourage such behavior.

You have to accept that many among you, and not just the fringe elements, actually wish for the death of those on the other side.

You have to believe that America is an inherently racist and flawed country that has to be dramatically reformed.

You have to believe that our founding fathers were so flawed and racist that any reminder of them, be it statues or cities named for them, must be eliminated.

You have to believe that the First Amendment only applies if the content is consistent with your belief system. If not, opposing viewpoints should be censored

No I don't .

 

[Mr. Deez]

I have braced myself.

To be a Democrat today...

You have to believe that Russia manipulated the 2016 election so that Trump could win, even though a massive and almost three year investigation run by individuals not favorable to him failed to identify any connection.

You have to believe that the Obama administration did not spy on Trump, and that the falsification of FISA documents was just an innocent mistake made by well-intended patriots.

You have to believe that most policemen are bad, and out to get minorities.

You have to believe that by eliminating the police or radically cutting budgets we will be safer, and better off.

You have to believe that the rioting, looting, burning and devastation that occurred this summer was isolated and insignificant.

You have to believe that the positions Hunter Biden was given by foreign companies, with no experience, and the money he received is much ado about nothing.

You have to believe that it’s OK to destroy 33,000 government emails and smash devices so that no one can examine them.

You have to believe that the outstanding economy Trump built was really built by Obama.

You have to ignore the fact that for the first time in decades real wages and purchasing power for average Americans has risen over the past four years.

You have to believe that energy independence is no big deal, and that relying on foreign sources is not a cause for concern.

You have to believe that making NATO members pay their fair share is a bad thing.

You have to believe that a dialog with the leader of North Korea is not a good thing.

You have to believe that sending an airplane filled with billions of cash bills to Iran is normal and not a payoff.

You have to believe that giving Iran a path to the bomb is fine, and that there is no reason not to trust them.

You have to believe that anyone who wants to enter our country should be able to do so, and that those who enter — legally or otherwise — should be given unencumbered access to our healthcare system, and voting rights, the same as legal citizens.

You have to believe that Trump is a racist and an anti-Semite, even though he has Jewish grandchildren and is loved by many black Americans.

You have to believe that Make America Great Again is code for a call for White Supremacy.

You have to believe that Trump intentionally mismanaged the Covid response because he doesn’t care, and that every death is his fault.

You have to believe that the economic dip due to Covid was Trump’s fault, even though he “followed the science” and shut the country down as Fauci advised, and then extended the shutdown, per his recommendation.

You have to believe that we should be listening to the WHO, even though, as of mid-January they were claiming that human-to-human transmission was not possible.

You have to believe that all Republicans are bad, and racist.

You have to believe that nothing Trump does and nothing that Republicans do is good, and that virtually everything he and they do is evil.

You have to believe that the policies of the Democrats over the past 50 years has lifted up black communities and has improved their way of life, and also improved the safety and security of our inner cities.

You have to believe that BLM is a noble organization, and that Antifa is simply a group with ideas and methods that are good for this country.

You have to believe that partial birth abortions are just fine, and that killing a living entity just prior to birth is acceptable because “it’s the mother’s choice.”

You have to believe that burdening employers with massive rules and regulations is a good idea for the economy, for businesses, and for workers.

You have to believe that if Trump is successful in reducing drug prices, it is no longer a good thing.

You have to believe that Obamacare is a good program, even though premiums spiked, coverage dropped, plan choices disappeared, deductibles rose and you really couldn’t “keep your doctor or your plan.”

You have to believe that helping black colleges is not a good thing because Trump did it.

You have to believe that offering school choice is a bad thing, even though the schools — especially in the inner cities - are terrible.

You have to believe that moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, promised by Bush, Clinton and Obama, is now a bad idea because Trump made it happen.

You have to believe that it’s OK to destroy a good man’s reputation (Kavanaugh) using any means necessary, including witnesses whose own claims could not be verified by their friends and associates.

You have to believe that it is acceptable to threaten, spit on, and physically attack Republicans in restaurants and in their homes, to dox them, and also to encourage such behavior.

You have to accept that many among you, and not just the fringe elements, actually wish for the death of those on the other side.

You have to believe that America is an inherently racist and flawed country that has to be dramatically reformed.

You have to believe that our founding fathers were so flawed and racist that any reminder of them, be it statues or cities named for them, must be eliminated.

You have to believe that the First Amendment only applies if the content is consistent with your belief system. If not, opposing viewpoints should be censored

No offense, but these lists are dumb and Husker is pretty much right. They are a self-serving caricature of the Democratic position - sorta like a Democrat saying, "to be a Republican today, you have to believe the federal government should be controlling women's bodies, that it's ok for the President to bang porn stars, etc. . .". And of course, I've seen plenty of Democratic-authored lists that present caricatures of Republican lists that way, and they're just as dumb.

They're also dumb, because they deny the individuality of people's voting preferences. We vote against someone or some people far more than we vote for something. Some of these caricatures may be accurate of the Democratic activist base, but plenty of Democratic voters are voting against Trump far more than they're voting to endorse a particular policy agenda of Biden's. (Anecdotally, most Biden voters I know were Romney voters 8 years ago.) For example, millions of people in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin will vote for Biden. How many of them actually think we should ban fracking or support the Green New Deal? How many of them think Hunter Biden got his gig with Burisma because he was well-qualified to work in the Ukrainian oil and gas business? Probably damn near none. They're voting against Trump and hoping the crap pitched by the crazy people on Biden's team gets stopped by sanity combined with a little partisan obstruction.

It goes the other way too. I voted for Trump this time (and then took a shower), but that wouldn't make a Democrat's caricature of Trump accurate of me. I wasn't voting to "control women's bodies." I wasn't voting to endorse porn star banging. I wasn't voting "against brown people" or for "white supremacy." I wasn't even voting for fairer presentations of Trump. I wasn't voting for the wall. I wasn't voting for goofing around with Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Putin. I was voting against court packing and those who would threaten that. No more, no less.

 

[Sangre Naranjada]

They're voting against Trump and hoping the crap pitched by the crazy people on Biden's team gets stopped by sanity combined with a little partisan obstruction.

To be honest, I think the majority of them have no idea what kind of crap is pitched by the crazy people on Biden's team. They know the crazy crap pitched against Trump though.

 

[Mr. Deez]

To be honest, I think the majority of them have no idea what kind of crap is pitched by the crazy people on Biden's team. They know the crazy crap pitched against Trump though.

I'm sure plenty of them don't.

 

[dukesteer]

No offense, but these lists are dumb and Husker is pretty much right. They are a self-serving caricature of the Democratic position - sorta like a Democrat saying, "to be a Republican today, you have to believe the federal government should be controlling women's bodies, that it's ok for the President to bang porn stars, etc. . .". And of course, I've seen plenty of Democratic-authored lists that present caricatures of Republican lists that way, and they're just as dumb.

They're also dumb, because they deny the individuality of people's voting preferences. We vote against someone or some people far more than we vote for something. Some of these caricatures may be accurate of the Democratic activist base, but plenty of Democratic voters are voting against Trump far more than they're voting to endorse a particular policy agenda of Biden's. (Anecdotally, most Biden voters I know were Romney voters 8 years ago.) For example, millions of people in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin will vote for Biden. How many of them actually think we should ban fracking or support the Green New Deal? How many of them think Hunter Biden got his gig with Burisma because he was well-qualified to work in the Ukrainian oil and gas business? Probably damn near none. They're voting against Trump and hoping the crap pitched by the crazy people on Biden's team gets stopped by sanity combined with a little partisan obstruction.

It goes the other way too. I voted for Trump this time (and then took a shower), but that wouldn't make a Democrat's caricature of Trump accurate of me. I wasn't voting to "control women's bodies." I wasn't voting to endorse porn star banging. I wasn't voting "against brown people" or for "white supremacy." I wasn't even voting for fairer presentations of Trump. I wasn't voting for the wall. I wasn't voting for goofing around with Kim Jong Il and Vladimir Putin. I was voting against court packing and those who would threaten that. No more, no less.

Deez, good response. However, the assertions I have made are consistent with the rhetoric coming from the Democratic Party, from their surrogates, from the MSM who carries their water, and even from the candidates themselves in many cases.

You are welcome to refute a handful of the assertions but again, if those assertions represent the talking points coming from the sources I have identified above, then my argument, “To Be a Democrat Today,” would seem to be validated.

 

[Crockett]

I think the people in the middle don't decide the primary. Do all Republicans belive global warming is a hoax? Nah, but if you want to win the nomination, you better not sound like you see it as a threat.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Deez, good response. However, the assertions I have made are consistent with the rhetoric coming from the Democratic Party, from their surrogates, from the MSM who carries their water, and even from the candidates themselves in many cases.

You are welcome to refute a handful of the assertions but again, if those assertions represent the talking points coming from the sources I have identified above, then my argument, “To Be a Democrat Today,” would seem to be validated.

I don't disagree that there are facets of the Democratic activist base (which includes party officials, surrogates, and the media) that believe your descriptions to various degrees. However, you can "be a Democrat" (as in generally voting for Democrats) without believing the same things as the activist base or believing them in part but to a lesser degree. You can also be voting Democratic because you believe the caricatures of what it means to "be a Republican" and want to deny power to its leadership. So my point isn't so much that the list is can be refuted about the activist base but that individuals can vote for a lot of reasons that don't have anything to do with the activist base and certainly not every component of the base. That's true of people who vote Democratic and Republican.

 

[Mr. Deez]

I think the people in the middle don't decide the primary. Do all Republicans belive global warming is a hoax? Nah, but if you want to win the nomination, you better not sound like you see it as a threat.

You can win a Republican primary and see global warming as a threat. The policy solutions you back are what make the difference. You can think global warming is a threat but disagree on the immediacy of that threat. You can also think it's a threat and think the policy solution should place more emphasis on adaptation or nuclear power than on cutting emissions with no regard for the cost-benefit of doing so.

A huge part of the problem with the climate change debate is how it's framed by the Left. They create a false binary. You either support the Green New Deal (a complete reordering of the economy by the government), or you're a "denier." Well, if that's the case, many will choose denialism based on opposition to the idiotic "solution" rather than a sincere belief in denialism.

Another thing that doesn't help is the Left's own denial of its obvious fallibility. Plenty of predictions made by environmentalists over the last 30 years have been wrong, and all of the really catastrophic predictions have been wrong. However, they never have to answer for that. The media thinks they're doing them a favor by mollycoddling the environmentalists because not doing so would break the "settled science" narrative. However, if you're a skeptic, all that does its foster distrust. I may not think climate change is a hoax, but I do know the climate activists have been bullshitting me for decades to varying degrees.

 

[dukesteer]

I don't disagree that there are facets of the Democratic activist base (which includes party officials, surrogates, and the media) that believe your descriptions to various degrees. However, you can "be a Democrat" (as in generally voting for Democrats) without believing the same things as the activist base or believing them in part but to a lesser degree. You can also be voting Democratic because you believe the caricatures of what it means to "be a Republican" and want to deny power to its leadership. So my point isn't so much that the list is can be refuted about the activist base but that individuals can vote for a lot of reasons that don't have anything to do with the activist base and certainly not every component of the base. That's true of people who vote Democratic and Republican.

Definitely valid points. The issue is that if the reasonable liberal base — not the radial Left — remains silent when behavior they observe is clearly not consistent with their belief systems, by their silence, they are subtly endorsing the behavior.

What we saw from BLM & Antifa in the summer was horrific, and it should concern everyone. Yet the Democrat leadership did nothing. Why?

When Maxine Waters encouraged aggressive behavior against those with whom she disagrees, the Democrat leadership did nothing. Why?

When activists in the streets threatened and attacked innocent citizens, the leadership did nothing. Why?

Such inaction is an endorsement of such behavior. It’s the definition of complicity.

 

[Mr. Deez]

Definitely valid points. The issue is that if the reasonable liberal base — not the radial Left — remains silent when behavior they observe is clearly not consistent with their belief systems, by their silence, they are subtly endorsing the behavior.

What we saw from BLM & Antifa in the summer was horrific, and it should concern everyone. Yet the Democrat leadership did nothing. Why?

When Maxine Waters encouraged aggressive behavior against those with whom she disagrees, the Democrat leadership did nothing. Why?

When activists in the streets threatened and attacked innocent citizens, the leadership did nothing. Why?

Such inaction is an endorsement of such behavior. It’s the definition of complicity.

You're pointing to the "reasonable base" and the "leadership" and blurring them with the typical Democratic voter. In this day and age, there isn't a "reasonable base." Both party bases are pissed off and not in the mood to be reasonable. The party leadership does what the base (which is unreasonable) wants them to do. The voters are a different class of citizens.

 

[dukesteer]

You're pointing to the "reasonable base" and the "leadership" and blurring them with the typical Democratic voter. In this day and age, there isn't a "reasonable base." Both party bases are pissed off and not in the mood to be reasonable. The party leadership does what the base (which is unreasonable) wants them to do. The voters are a different class of citizens.

Have to disagree. Again, when you have members of one party and it’s supporters assaulting individuals from the other party — and instead of criticizing such behavior, members of Congress are encouraging it — you have a big problem. There is no equivalency on the other side. So no, I don’t buy the argument.

One other observation: While I, and many like me are happy to engage with those with whom we don’t agree, I am almost never seeing such willingness coming from the Left. It’s stunning. For the most part (no, I didn’t say always), Republicans are willing to engage. For the most part, Democrats are not. If we don’t agree with them, we are evil, racist, and whatever they can think of to call us.

To your credit, you might be the exception

 

[Joe Fan]