Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After the election divisiveness, the bitterness, the partisanship displayed so often among posters, among blogs and among the media, I think it's important to reflect on something. That the vast majority of this country are actually pretty "moderate". We are not on the extremes as portrayed by some on the far left or far right. Many Democrats and Republicans have the same concerns. We may disagree a bit on solutions, but sadly we seem to be too divided to even have a rational conversation on any issue.
It's important for those on the right to recognize that the people planning to protest tomorrow, those that have been rioting after the election, those whining "not my president" or congresscritters "boycotting" the election do NOT represent most Democrats. Most Dems I know are embarrassed by these fools.
Flip side, many Republicans really aren't big fans of Trump as a person. While the media has told many lies and taken many things out of context, there is no question he made the "p*ssy grabbing" comments, rather they were followed with actions or not. Sorry, that isn't "locker room" talk among most adults I know. And libs, have the intellectual honesty to realize that most Trump voters aren't racist or misogynistic. The vast majority of us don't go around wearing pointy white hats. And many are concerned about the role religion play in politics.
Most Ds and Rs I know are concerned about job losses, particularly in manufacturing. Most Ds are actually bright enough to realize that without successful businesses (and business owners), there ARE no jobs. Most realize that economics dictate that an employer can not pay a wage that puts the company out of business. Most on both sides are concerned that so much of our industry has been offshored.
Most Dems, and beyond that, self proclaimed liberals, admit in conversation that they have issues with illegal immigration. That they recognize that illegals are depressing wages, especially for minorities. And many recognize that all too often they are financial drain on the American taxpayer. Yet in conversation we both agree that as a nation we will not expel those that were brought here as babies and are now adults and know no other country. Most Republicans admit the same. But we have become so polarized that we can't even talk about solutions.
Same on education and health care. We all agree that it's too expensive. Most are honest enough to agree that the government paying for either is not a viable solution unless you fix the underlying problem-the actual COST of those services. Yet we can rarely even ask why a university charges $20k, 30k or even more a year for a simple college education. Or why a US senator gets paid $400,000 to teach ONE class. Or why dozens of tests have to be done by a doctor to treat a bout of the flu, or why a 5 minute office visit costs $200.
Most feel sympathy for the plight of those in war-torn countries, and those living under oppressive regimes. Yet we can rarely discuss how many American lives we will risk or money we are willing to spend to try to "improve" things.
Etc, etc. Trump, like him or hate him, really is pretty "centrist" on many things. He isn't a religious extremist. Yet he doesn't (appear to) believe in handouts or participation prizes either. I'm willing to give him a chance, simply because he isn't "establishment" and doesn't represent the establishment of either party (which differ so little that the difference is pretty meaningless to the average person). I HOPE he can implement his ideas and put a business-focused approach to problem solving into our government. It's obvious that what we have been doing isn't working.
More importantly, I hope this can bring both parties to look inward, and realize that pandering to the fringe, either on the far left, or far right, is a very good way to lose an election. In particular, I hope that moderate Dems can take their party back from the loons. And that Republicans will learn, respond to the "Trump movement" with some centrists with a high intellect. Someone like Cruz say, but without the extreme religious baggage.
You make excellent points. Trump is pulling the Republican Party into a more centrist/populist position (not moderate, but centrist), which may bode well in future elections. Because the Democratic Party has always been seen as the more populist party, Trump has the potential to take the wind out of their sails for many elections to come.
You make excellent points. Trump is pulling the Republican Party into a more centrist/populist position (not moderate, but centrist), which may bode well in future elections. Because the Democratic Party has always been seen as the more populist party, Trump has the potential to take the wind out of their sails for many elections to come.
Yes, but only if the party is willing to follow his lead towards the middle. Or if his supporters have sufficient influence to save it from the religious right and neo-cons. Honestly-I'm as concerned that the Dems go "centrist" as well. If they stay far-left they will remain irrelevant. And one-party power, without viable competition, isn't a good thing.
Yes, but only if the party is willing to follow his lead towards the middle. Or if his supporters have sufficient influence to save it from the religious right and neo-cons. Honestly-I'm as concerned that the Dems go "centrist" as well. If they stay far-left they will remain irrelevant. And one-party power, without viable competition, isn't a good thing.
The religious right and neo-cons will never go away, but Republican politicians will seem to be more "Trump populists" if they vote similarly on Trump-supported initiatives.
Yes, but only if the party is willing to follow his lead towards the middle. Or if his supporters have sufficient influence to save it from the religious right and neo-cons. Honestly-I'm as concerned that the Dems go "centrist" as well. If they stay far-left they will remain irrelevant. And one-party power, without viable competition, isn't a good thing.
I hope you're right that the Rs are turning away from their "theocrats". I've said several times that is the one bright spot of Trump's win. No one could possibly mistake him for a "christian soldier" of the kind that Rs have been nominating for the past three decades.
The problem is that he's filling his cabinet with them, and he has said more than once that he will delegate as much as he can.
There is nothing centrist at all about Trump. Trump and his supporters just don't like seeing half the country very visibly in opposition.
I think you overstate the "opposition". The whiners, rioters, looters and those protesting tomorrow make up a VERY small part of the Democratic party. I think you'll find the adults in the party are about as disgusted with the idiots as the conservatives are.
I'll bet a full half those rioters have criminal records beyond simple moving violations or they're just there to get their 15 minutes of fame on social media. People love attention.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
