Run In With Mr. Edwards

"Jay Honeck" writes:

Or, of course, something bizarre could occur. It used to be called
"compromise" -- although I haven't seen it in quite a while,

Hey Jay, what is this "compromise" you're talking about?

Repeal of all taxes?

Only Repubs and Libertarians in office?

Our military in every 3rd world country imposing "democracy" on them?

Just wondering what "compromise" means to a mid-westerner.

Just wondering what "compromise" means to a mid-westerner.

Compromise can't really happen until we return to a time before political
correctness made it wrong to call someone "crippled" but made it okay to
vocally and publicly insult someone for what they believe.

Compromise won't happen until we return to the days when public officials
had a sense of decorum, and were discreet about their personal lives.

Compromise won't ever happen until both sides of the aisle stop calling the
other side names, and until they refrain from viewing the other side as less
intelligent.

No one communicates anymore. No one listens anymore. Even here, in this
most casual of forums, participants resort to the basest language and vilest
implications, simple because the other side won't bend to their way of
viewing the world.

It's really just two camps, hunkered down in trenches, lobbing hand grenades
over the wire. Occasionally blood is drawn, but nothing more takes place.
No peace is declared, no retreat sounded.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to change soon, as the moral issues
dividing the two parties are so stark.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:nARXc.246074$eM2.18242@attbi_s51...
Compromise can't really happen until we return to a time before political
correctness made it wrong to call someone "crippled" but made it okay to
vocally and publicly insult someone for what they believe.

Fortunately, most "political correctness" is a silly diversion and is doomed
to the annals of history. I hope. You are right about the insulting - that
pretty much closes the door on understanding and compromise.

Compromise won't happen until we return to the days when public officials
had a sense of decorum, and were discreet about their personal lives.

I think they are discreet as they ever were, it's just that now the other
side blows it out of proportion (ok, maybe bad choice of words). I actually
really don't care if some politician has an affair. But I do care when
those on the other side of the political fence make enough of it to disrupt
the workings of government. Many people we vote into power, on both sides,
have had all sorts of trysts while in office, for hundreds of years. Maybe
it has something to do with the power, but let's try not to let something
like that interfere with their job!

Compromise won't ever happen until both sides of the aisle stop calling
the
other side names, and until they refrain from viewing the other side as
less
intelligent.

Very true. The reason that longstanding disputes have been around so long
is that both sides have valid arguments.

No one communicates anymore. No one listens anymore. Even here, in this
most casual of forums, participants resort to the basest language and
vilest
implications, simple because the other side won't bend to their way of
viewing the world.

Oh, some get crazy and some don't. Usual mix, different strokes for
different folks. Debating and arguing points takes a lot of thought and
energy and sometimes there is some resentment when the other side doesn't
just cave right in (yeah, like that's realistic).

It's really just two camps, hunkered down in trenches, lobbing hand
grenades
over the wire. Occasionally blood is drawn, but nothing more takes place.
No peace is declared, no retreat sounded.

Well, you're trying to do a little bit.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to change soon, as the moral issues
dividing the two parties are so stark.

I don't agree. I see a lot of willingness of certain people to try, and to
try to find common ground, of which there is plenty. We all have much more
in common than not. To begin with, we all share a common love so we're like
some sort of family. And, like most families, we are unfortunately somewhat
disfunctional, but still a family...

Peter

Sadly, I don't think this is going to change soon, as the moral issues
dividing the two parties are so stark.

I don't agree. I see a lot of willingness of certain people to try, and
to
try to find common ground, of which there is plenty. We all have much
more
in common than not. To begin with, we all share a common love so we're
like
some sort of family. And, like most families, we are unfortunately
somewhat
disfunctional, but still a family...

Peter, I wasn't talking about *here* -- I was talking about in the real
world.

Here, we're ALL insane, inextricably bound by our passion for flying.

Rec.Aviation is like a world-wide Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, except that
we're all reveling in our drunkenness. And nothing as silly as politics can
separate us in that regard.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Peter Gottlieb" wrote

I actually
really don't care if some politician has an affair. But I do care when
those on the other side of the political fence make enough of it to disrupt
the workings of government.

How about those that committed rape, in the literal sense of the word,
while they were governor?

And why is having the workings of government disrupted necessarily a
bad thing?

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q

Jay,

Compromise won't happen until we return to the days when public officials
had a sense of decorum,


And when, pray, tell, was that? When slavery was still the big thing?

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

"Jay Honeck" wrote

Just wondering what "compromise" means to a mid-westerner.

Compromise can't really happen until we return to a time before political
correctness made it wrong to call someone "crippled" but made it okay to
vocally and publicly insult someone for what they believe.

Compromise won't happen until we return to the days when public officials
had a sense of decorum, and were discreet about their personal lives.

Compromise won't ever happen until both sides of the aisle stop calling the

other side names, and until they refrain from viewing the other side as less
intelligent.

No one communicates anymore. No one listens anymore. Even here, in this
most casual of forums, participants resort to the basest language and vilest
implications, simple because the other side won't bend to their way of
viewing the world.

It's really just two camps, hunkered down in trenches, lobbing hand grenades
over the wire. Occasionally blood is drawn, but nothing more takes place.
No peace is declared, no retreat sounded.

Sadly, I don't think this is going to change soon, as the moral issues
dividing the two parties are so stark.

Six paragraphs of blather, but no answer to the actual question asked.
And why exactly does "compromise" represent some sort of holy grail
you seem to imply?

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q

Six paragraphs of blather, but no answer to the actual question asked.
And why exactly does "compromise" represent some sort of holy grail
you seem to imply?

Because if the people of the United States don't re-learn what "compromise"
means, we're headed down a one-way path to Balkanization.

In some ways, and in some locales, it's already happened.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote

Six paragraphs of blather, but no answer to the actual question asked.
And why exactly does "compromise" represent some sort of holy grail
you seem to imply?

Because if the people of the United States don't re-learn what "compromise"
means, we're headed down a one-way path to Balkanization.

In some ways, and in some locales, it's already happened.

In this and other posts, you seem to equate compromise with listening
to opposing positions and giving them due consideration. I disagree.
These are manifestly different behaviors. I'll listen to someone who
says for example "Taxes should be raised for ...". But if I think it's
a waste I sure as hell won't respond "OK let's compromise and only
raise taxes half as much as you want".

Jim Rosinski
N3825Q

In this and other posts, you seem to equate compromise with listening
to opposing positions and giving them due consideration. I disagree.
These are manifestly different behaviors. I'll listen to someone who
says for example "Taxes should be raised for ...". But if I think it's
a waste I sure as hell won't respond "OK let's compromise and only
raise taxes half as much as you want".

Well, that's EXACTLY what compromise is -- and it's been going on in America
for generations.

If fact, it is this almost unique feature of American political life that
has enabled our democracy to survive while so many others have perished.
Our ability to come to terms with our opponents -- as opposed to crushing
them -- is what makes our democracy work.

At the moment, however, I see very little of this sentiment at the national
level. It's "my way, or the highway" on a myriad of issues -- and the
rhetoric is reaching a dangerous volume.

Trouble is, the real "meaty" issues that divide Republicans from Democrats
(i.e.: Abortion; marriage; stem cell research; the purpose of government;
taxes; the right to bear arms; religion; etc.) are "black and white" issues,
with little room for compromise.

I don't think that any of this is new. However, our parents and
grand-parents were able to keep a lid on these kinds of disagreements by
maintaining a higher level of courtesy and decorum that has been all but
lost in America. Today, no one bats an eye at calling someone else "stupid"
or "immoral" because of what they believe -- and this is a radical change
that is harming our political system.

This naturally creates hard feelings, making any compromise MUCH more
difficult to achieve. The end result is political grid-lock, followed by
increasing frustration amongst the electorate, followed by revolution or
civil war, if carried to its ultimate conclusion.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"