Hey rus, seriously. I want to ask you a question. I’m all for truth and honesty, skepticism and critical thinking, civil exchange of views, good dialog and debate and all that, but what makes you think the partisans (eg. liars) are going to stop lying (spewing bullshit), unless we confront them?
We’re going through another cycle in US history where the middle of the country gets marginalized by ranting partisan wingnuts who have no respect for truth, reason, civility or honesty. Their only loyalty is to party. These corrupt BushJr republicans (not the same GOP) are the main perpetrators right now. Clinton was horrible too, so I’m not singling out. Dems only look better by comparison because they’ve been out of power. On balance, I’m convinced it’s generational, boomers, selfish, deceived, and ideological to a fault.
What makes you think they’ll stop by engaging in polite conversation? These are really damn serious times and for the sake of my generation we urgently need to get back to a more centrist, civil, bi-partisan and pragmatic culture of politics. It’s gone way overboard, as Scott McLellan points out.
Answer (from my POV): The wingnuts won’t stop. They never will. They are liars by nature. But we can diminish their standing and cut them down to size by exposing them for what they are, for all of their failures, ignorance and stupidity.
How does a polite and accomodating approach change things?
