I love my country.

[volbound1700]

I never thought I would see it, but the United States is no longer united.

There’s always been difference, but the designed mechanism that creates division has been over successful.

I blame China ultimately.

Too many ideologies and liberties have led to a lack of focus on our commonalities.
Nationalism died before 2010.

There needs to be a 3rd party and not let someone who can barely speak represent it…

The United States has actually had a difficult time being united throughout its history. Not just today. We had situations in the 1820s, 1860s, 1890s, etc. where we were just as bad.

Also keep in mind that for the first half of our nation's existence, over a quarter of the adult population could not vote or had free speech.

 

[volbound1700]

Blaming China for Americans hating each other?

Hot take. Do tell.

I think he is under the belief that China is paying our media to post inflammatory arguments on both sides to push greater division. I think there is some truth to that and China isn't alone. The fake news continues to increase in our media and is out of control at this point. It is both in the mainstream media and the non-mainstream. It covers both sides of the aisle or belief systems as well.

Still, USA has been divided a lot throughout its history, not just today.

I blame a lot of factors, but social media definitely plays a part today.

 

[utvolpj]

I think he is under the belief that China is paying our media to post inflammatory arguments on both sides to push greater division. I think there is some truth to that and China isn't alone. The fake news continues to increase in our media and is out of control at this point. It is both in the mainstream media and the non-mainstream. It covers both sides of the aisle or belief systems as well.

Still, USA has been divided a lot throughout its history, not just today.

I blame a lot of factors, but social media definitely plays a part today.

Like the usa does around the globe?

 

[Matt2496]

I don't know. What got you there?

You seem to be socially liberal and very pro-freedom/anti big government. You definitely aren't a partisan hack although you get misunderstood as being that way by many right leaning posters.

 

[volbound1700]

Regarding Government, the first political party to move more towards moderate/normal behavior would win elections in a land slide.

 

[Wireless1]

Blaming China for Americans hating each other?

Hot take. Do tell.

Watch any season of the YV show "Survivor"
After they get rid of the annoying contestants, the "strong" become the targets, even within the "strong" groups and it's typically done through twisting of the facts - lying -

 

[DinkinFlicka]

You seem to be socially liberal and very pro-freedom/anti big government. You definitely aren't a partisan hack although you get misunderstood as being that way by many right leaning posters.

What is "socially liberal" to you?

 

[hog88]

Regarding Government, the first political party to move more towards moderate/normal behavior would win elections in a land slide.

The Rs are pretty damn moderate, almost to the left of center these days.

 

[volbound1700]

The Rs are pretty damn moderate, almost to the left of center these days.

Not really. MAGA tends to be pretty heavily "there way or the highway" kind of mentality. Now they are very flexible based on Trump's tweeting (which is all over the place on policy).

It is hard to call MAGA right-wing, they tend to be their own thing but it is very radicalized.

 

[hog88]

Not really. MAGA tends to be pretty heavily "there way or the highway" kind of mentality. Now they are very flexible based on Trump's tweeting (which is all over the place on policy).

It is hard to call MAGA right-wing, they tend to be their own thing but it is very radicalized.

My way or the hwy isn't a sign of being immoderate. I'm strictly talking about policy and for quite awhile the Rs have been extremely moderate in policy almost to the point of 90s liberal.

 

[volbound1700]

My way or the hwy isn't a sign of being immoderate. I'm strictly talking about policy and for quite awhile the Rs have been extremely moderate in policy almost to the point of 90s liberal.

Proposing immediate tariffs on the entire world is moderate/normal?

Threatening to annex Greenland or calling Canada 51st state is moderate/normal?

While I 100% agree with this, the abortion policy of MAGA is not centrist as well...

Setting up Anti-Christian Review taskforce.

I could keep going. Granted, most of it is the rhetoric versus policies of Trump. Trump's policies tend to be more centrist than the rhetoric but people fall for the rhetoric.

A good example of the biased rhetoric is here:

He doesn't say he won't follow the Constitution, he says he will learn on his lawyers and follow based on that. Yet the left ran with the "he won't follow Constitution"

Don't get me wrong, I tend to agree that the other side went off the rocker but it is hard to call Trump or MAGA as "normal." Neither side is centrist. MAGA maybe more centrist than the opposition but that doesn't make them centrist or normal. (I do think that if Trump could get off Twitter, that may help his cause).


EDIT: I have been at local Republican meetings where I bring up points that you and I would agree on but conflict with MAGA and you feel like you don't belong and get that "RHINO" name calling. Granted, I think a lot of people in quiet may agree with you.

 

[lawgator1]

Proposing immediate tariffs on the entire world is moderate/normal?

Threatening to annex Greenland or calling Canada 51st state is moderate/normal?

While I 100% agree with this, the abortion policy of MAGA is not centrist as well...

Setting up Anti-Christian Review taskforce.

I could keep going. Granted, most of it is the rhetoric versus policies of Trump. Trump's policies tend to be more centrist than the rhetoric but people fall for the rhetoric.

A good example of the biased rhetoric is here:

He doesn't say he won't follow the Constitution, he says he will learn on his lawyers and follow based on that. Yet the left ran with the "he won't follow Constitution"

Don't get me wrong, I tend to agree that the other side went off the rocker but it is hard to call Trump or MAGA as "normal." Neither side is centrist. MAGA maybe more centrist than the opposition but that doesn't make them centrist or normal. (I do think that if Trump could get off Twitter, that may help his cause).


EDIT: I have been at local Republican meetings where I bring up points that you and I would agree on but conflict with MAGA and you feel like you don't belong and get that "RHINO" name calling. Granted, I think a lot of people in quiet may agree with you.

This is a very good post, and accurate in my view, even as someone who is left of center on many things (not all, but many).

My biggest complaint is lack of quality discourse. Seems like leaders of both right and left have become followers to their bases, rather than act as leaders to those bases.

They ought to spend more time telling their respective bases that they need to reconsider something, and less time just cheerleading the extremes.

 

[volbound1700]

This is a very good post, and accurate in my view, even as someone who is left of center on many things (not all, but many).

My biggest complaint is lack of quality discourse. Seems like leaders of both right and left have become followers to their bases, rather than act as leaders to those bases.

They ought to spend more time telling their respective bases that they need to reconsider something, and less time just cheerleading the extremes.

To defend Trump, his base tends to even take more radicalized positions than Trump. Trump makes a lot of sarcastic posts on Twitter and both people in his camp as well as the left read it as if Trump is being serious.

Then again, he is so chaotic at times, it is hard to tell. People with Ph.Ds. are literally talking about Trump invading Canada like it is really going to happen. I pointed out how stupid this take can be and asked about where are the troop build-ups or war plans?

A great example of a time where I ran afoul with MAGA was when I pointed out that Trump did very bad in his first debate against Biden in 2020. You thought that I betrayed the entire camp. I also favored other Republican Presidential Candidates like Marco Rubio or Ben Carson over Trump during the campaigns.

 

[lawgator1]

To defend Trump, his base tends to even take more radicalized positions than Trump. Trump makes a lot of sarcastic posts on Twitter and both people in his camp as well as the left read it as if Trump is being serious.

Then again, he is so chaotic at times, it is hard to tell. People with Ph.Ds. are literally talking about Trump invading Canada like it is really going to happen. I pointed out how stupid this take can be and asked about where are the troop build-ups or war plans?

A great example of a time where I ran afoul with MAGA was when I pointed out that Trump did very bad in his first debate against Biden in 2020. You thought that I betrayed the entire camp. I also favored other Republican Presidential Candidates like Marco Rubio or Ben Carson over Trump during the campaigns.

Trump is a vehicle for a lot of very dark, anti-democratic, prejudiced views of MAGA. He has a way of giving license to it, walking right up to or one step over the line, but then backing off.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Not really. MAGA tends to be pretty heavily "there way or the highway" kind of mentality. Now they are very flexible based on Trump's tweeting (which is all over the place on policy).

It is hard to call MAGA right-wing, they tend to be their own thing but it is very radicalized.

It's because we had Soetoro ram the same philosophy down our throats for his and Puddinhead's term. There was no negotiation then either. Turnabout and all...

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Trump is a vehicle for a lot of very dark, anti-democratic, prejudiced views of MAGA. He has a way of giving license to it, walking right up to or one step over the line, but then backing off.