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The lead up to the Civil War and then the Reconstruction era were the most divisive periods in American political history. If you put the two together and ask how the US got over it, I'd say it was because both politicians and the large majority of American people wanted to forget (some, say "heal" from) these episodes.
I'm not sure how we can heal from the current era of political divisiveness, unless it is simply through the aging of angry people, and I am not sure that will happen. The ideological infrastructure of divisiveness seems to be too pervasive.
I suggest you check our Milton Friedman on Phil Donahue. I suggest you go back to a time when Galbraith and Friedman were selling books instead of Coulter and Franken. I remember a more civil time. A time when Ronald Reagan and Tip O’ Neil could engage with each other usually in a friendly manner in spite of political differences. Yes, the 1800’s were worse.
I was thinking of that, as well.
It seems to me that the prevailing attitude today is to equate "I disagree with you" with "I hate you."
I suggest you check our Milton Friedman on Phil Donahue. I suggest you go back to a time when Galbraith and Friedman were selling books instead of Coulter and Franken. I remember a more civil time. A time when Ronald Reagan and Tip O’ Neil could engage with each other usually in a friendly manner in spite of political differences. Yes, the 1800’s were worse.
We go through times when we debate politics in a more or less civil manner. This is not one of those times. Nor was the Civil War era, or the Civil Rights rights.
Interestingly enough, these times are marked by white people fighting to maintain their supremacy.
I keep reading about support for Trump being based on concerns white people have about losing their status. People worry that those with different skin color, with different religious believes and practices will gain power. Sharia Law will be imposed, etc.
When people believe they are in a fight for their lives, no accusation is too vile.
Interestingly enough, these times are marked by white people fighting to maintain their supremacy.
I think this is a false narrative.
The fight in the US has always been about big government vs small government. Federal power vs state power.
Within that context, various battles have been fought.
People who support Trump or who at least do not resist him are people typically who want to see small government prevail over big government and state power over federal power.
That's stating it very simply, and generally.
I don't care what color a person is, or even to what religion or atheism he/she adheres.
I care only that people adhere to the principles of our founding documents (DOI and Constitution).
I like and support our concept of inalienable individual rights and equality of opportunity and the notion that government is a "necessary evil" created primarily for the purpose of safeguarding (rather than granting) our inalienable individual rights.
These ideas and concepts belong to no single race of people, except the human race.
Yes, European whites established the US and enshrined in our founding documents and organic law our ideals. In two centuries, we have come closer to those ideals of inalienable individual rights equality of opportunity. We still have a ways to go.
But, I firmly believe that the best way to achieve those lofty ideals is to adhere as closely possible to the principles of our founding documents (DOI and Constitution).
How many other nations in history and today have peoples of all ethnic races running corporations and governments at all levels?
The US is a success much more than the failure so many on the left would have us believe.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
I keep reading about support for Trump being based on concerns white people have about losing their status. People worry that those with different skin color, with different religious believes and practices will gain power. Sharia Law will be imposed, etc.
You must be reading Leftist rags.
Try talking to conservatives rather than listening to what lefty-progs say about them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
When people believe they are in a fight for their lives, no accusation is too vile.
Its the Left that believes that the [socialist-communist] end justifies the means.
This is the most "civil" it has ever been. Have you ever read about what went on at party conventions back in the 1800s? And those people were on the same "team".
Sweet Jesus, thank goodness there was no Twitter back then.
Digesting politics as a whole we can see that it's an immoral and illogical social construct therefore don't expect the better angels of our nature to be on display within the paradigm.
We certainly are more civilized than many other eras in our discourse, but I don't think this is the most civil it has ever been.
Look at the 1950s. Attacks on Eisenhower and Stevenson were both pretty mild by today's standards where many think it is acceptable to pose holding the president's chopped off head with blood dripping. I suppose it helps to have a well-liked civil guy at the top.
The fight in the US has always been about big government vs small government. Federal power vs state power.
...
There is no reason to be dishonest here.
The Civil War was not about small government. It was about slavery. Confederates/white supremacists believed that the way to keep black people as slaves was to secede from the U.S.
The Civil Rights fight was not about small government. It was about Jim Crow laws. White supremacists wanted to keep them and defied the SCOTUS to do so.
The fight now is not about small government. White supremacists want to keep their top dog position and they are using big government to do it.
States' rights is nothing more than a smokescreen to cover up what is actually going on.
It is BOTH sides doing it. I kind of doubt it. Both parties are run by their fringes and donors. The fringes are pretty nutty and the donors will destroy anyone to get their way.
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