Did anyone listen to This American Life this weekend?

[alarimer]

About the Red/Blue divide?

I'm about halfway through and I can't listen at work because it's making me angry. They are presenting the question of why we are so divided politically, why people can't even talk to each other if they have opposing viewpoints. But they are presenting if as if "both sides are equally nasty" when that is demonstrably false.

Both sides are not equally nasty, not by a long shot. I place the bulk of the blame on conservatives or Republicans, especially the Tea Party variety who insist that Democrats are socialists and/or baby killers who are coming to take your guns and make your daughters take the pill. No amount of reasoning is possible with these people. No amount of evidence will ever convince them otherwise. And they elect people who feel the same and then act on those beliefs, when it is detrimental to the country because, to them, compromise is a dirty word. There's been nastiness all long, but it really started with Nixon's Southern Strategy and has only escalated since, with the likes of Lee Atwater and Karl Rove.

Now, I do know it is sometimes hard on a personal level to realize that someone you care about believes really wacky things, and when they plan to vote for the one person who has pledged to do away with Obamacare, the very thing that may help you get insurance when you have a pre-existing condition. That's when politics becomes personal.

I don't care if my Republican dad votes that way because he wants lower taxes (even though this is also a false claim on the part of Republicans). He actually voted for Kerry in 2004, so he's not all bad. He actually told me one time he wants a Canadian-style health care system, because doctors charge too much (??). Anyway, so he's a mixed bag.

I do think that book they discussed sounds interesting and I plan on reading it. "You're not as crazy as I thought, but you're still wrong."

[codjh9]

1. I didn't hear the show, but I couldn't agree more. Both sides are NOT 'equally nasty'. The Repukes

are the ONLY ones who say stuff out loud at work or family gatherings, 'assuming' (or more accurately, not giving a shit) that others agree with them, and if you don't, tough tacos. They also, as you say, don't/won't/can't actually have a discussion on ANY issue; and even there, instead of talking about or defending their position or politician, they immediately attack you, your politician, etc. - and usually with totally baseless b.s.

[FSogol]

2. Yeah, I heard that show. The press pretending both parties are the same is a huge problem.

Not sure how were address/change it.

[alarimer]

3. I don't either

That's why it was so frustrating to listen to.

One side believes things that are factually incorrect and correction with facts, evidence, etc., only seems to entrench that belief further.

And the middle? Don't get me started on the middle. There are some positions for which there is no middle ground. I do believe compromise is essential in politics, but BOTH parties have to give ground some. Nowadays, when one party practices a sort of scorched earth policy ("my way or the highway&quot , well, unless you give in entirely and Democrats sometimes do, how can you compromise?