If we (as a country) continue on the path of totally disrespecting each other, of throwing our hands up in the air and shouting "You're an asshole and don't know nothing ..." how in God/Budda/Wizard-of-Oz's name are we going to lift ourselves out of the muck and start to heal this country of all the damage that's been done these past years?

I think the answer is that we will not.

I saw the Democrats over the years (40 years) impugn the motives and intelligence of every Republican that they could to the point that the job of a gas-bag like Limbaugh was made far easier than it should have been. If the "liberals" are already saying things about you that you know to be untrue; a Limbaugh can slip in so many other things and his crowd believes him. Those ditto-heads really believe that all Democrats are godless satin worshipers. (well, perhaps that is going a bit far)

Then the Republicans returned fire with put-down, innuendo, name-calling, and other propaganda tactics, until we have reached the point that both sides consider any news that looks bad for their team to be propaganda from the other side. If the Democrats think that one unpopular war will destroy the GOP for more than one or two election cycles then they are falling for the error of overconfidence.

Notice that this problem transcends labels --- this is pure party politics and the labels are just part of the propaganda show. We use them to hurt the other side while helping our own.

When will it end? I predict never. (I do hope to be wrong, of course)

I am always glad to discover someone who tries to follow the path of the Friends; may your jouney bring you peace.

I think you missed what the fellow Chekmarks was trying to say; or at least I read something different. I think he is saying that if shooter asks two questions that are legitimate then answer those questions or ignore the post.

You see, Glenn draws a lot of people here with his wonderful writing. There are many who read here that would take a put-down response to indicate that there is no answer to the questions from the "left"; only invective. Now this is incorrect, but the perception is the most important thing if one hopes to beat the Limbaugh effect.

Related; there is a splinter of the the ineffable in all of us, but most are still asleep to this, and hence do things that are commonly called "evil". Cheney will pay, he will reincarnate here in hell. (probably as an Arab)

Cheney is one of Randy Newman's "Short People". :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt3sH5J4cxs

"Democrats are godless satin worshipers." -- bucky1

Bucky, honey, you simply have no idea...but I thank you for thinking of us, despite all our differences. :-)

Hey, no problem. But what typo?

Satin is indeed evil stuff, it makes one want to hold on to this corrupt world of flesh and matter. All the evil women of my youth wore the stuff to boot. ;-)

Bucky: "I think the answer is that we will not."

Obviously I was wrong and didn't fully understand the rules of the house.

Once its members have come to the conclusion that a poster isn't worth spit, then any and all utterances out of said poster's mouth/keyboard is deemed unclean and shall not be answered in a civil manner. No matter what. A digital shunning will take place. Cross the line, and you are dead to the group. If anyone does choose to respond to something you write, it's only done by the grace of the member. A spoonful of mercy, so to speak.

And most importantly, if someone else jumps in and questions this behavior in any way, shape, or form, then they too shall get deemed as no longer acceptable to the group. Insults, exaggeration of the position taken, etc will be hurled forth until said interloper is knocked to the ground.

Well, I've learned my lesson. So if you will now excuse me, being the dirty fucking hippie that I am, I need to go out and do some more ruination of the country.

:-)

I was just a couple of years too young to be a "dirty fucking hippie" in 67; I was a cleanish, thinking-about-fucking hippie that year.

I loved your post, it was spot on and damn funny. I am sure it will irritate all the right folks.

I would like to point out that you missed one little item. This group requires a hated "other" so that bonds may form. It is possible that if shooter were not a real fellow that someone here would make up such a character to fill the part of the enemy. Nations do it, and so do small groups. (think high school behavior or lower)

Hmmmm. Who here has the kind of time to play the shooter part as sock puppet? Who lives here as if paid to post here? Hmmmm. (escapes me at the moment)

Real discussions of issues may not take place --- that would require honest differences of opinion that are not allowed in the group dynamic. Heck, I bet you could not get anyone but me to name a favorite candidate for the 2008 elections.

(Gore and Ron Paul for me; and yes Gore is running)