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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: JohnM who wrote (12819)	2/20/2006 3:21:01 PM
From: Dale Baker	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 541761

I would break it down into two sides - what the middle wants (to be enticed to join one party for long-term support) and what the politicians are willing to give them. Obviously, if I had my druthers, the middle would demand an end to hate-talk partisanship on both sides, demand responsible spending and foreign policy and insist that the pols actually achieve something with all their spending and policy initiatives. The pols would see this demand and decide that the bad old ways won't get them past 51% occasionally, so they would aim to fit the more responsible image before the other guys beat them to it. More likely, the middle doesn't express itself so the pols treat them as potential partisan voters, and crank up the partisan message (especially bashing the other party) to win them over. They also energize their partisan base at the same time to get the magic 51% a few inches closer every four years. Politicians love to play partisan crash and bash. We now have a polarized, unprincipled media that will play along. And voters may turn away in disgust, but they will elect one of the partisan bashers every time - and reelect their incumbent Congressman - over and over. Which is why I really don't expect anyone to get from here to there. Just look at the hardened partisan attitudes among some on the thread. NOTHING seems to budge them. But miracles can always happen.