The 'polarization' is between two poles that are about 6 inches apart.
I wish that were the case. It isn't. There are lots of social issues the two parties (if not the two sides; but that's a horse of a different color) aren't that far apart on.
There are a lot more where they are worlds apart. The power of the executive, the war in Iraq, the existence of a social safety net (and who should pay for same) the presence of state religion in everyday life (and conformity with same) privacy, equality (of sex, race and expression; be it sexual, political or artistic).
The Right is selling fear. The brown/gay/pagan/athiest/feminist/poor/other are going to steal your women/sons/virtue/jobs/religion/power/etc. and you have to stop them.
Add the traitor/baby-killer/evil meme to it and the folks who are afraid begin to lash out. They have threatened to kill judges, they have killed doctors, and gov't emloyees, and infants and women, and men, and homosexuals, and jews, and blacks, and....
They are afraid, and the people who shape their opinions, people who want power; all to themselves, are fueling those fears, for venal reasons (some after all, only do it because it makes them a lot of money, which is it's own power... the power to be eccentric, and to claim that silly little things like a drug bust only happened because the accused was rich/famous/conservative).
no subject
I wish that were the case. It isn't. There are lots of social issues the two parties (if not the two sides; but that's a horse of a different color) aren't that far apart on.
There are a lot more where they are worlds apart. The power of the executive, the war in Iraq, the existence of a social safety net (and who should pay for same) the presence of state religion in everyday life (and conformity with same) privacy, equality (of sex, race and expression; be it sexual, political or artistic).
The Right is selling fear. The brown/gay/pagan/athiest/feminist/poor/other are going to steal your women/sons/virtue/jobs/religion/power/etc. and you have to stop them.
Add the traitor/baby-killer/evil meme to it and the folks who are afraid begin to lash out. They have threatened to kill judges, they have killed doctors, and gov't emloyees, and infants and women, and men, and homosexuals, and jews, and blacks, and....
They are afraid, and the people who shape their opinions, people who want power; all to themselves, are fueling those fears, for venal reasons (some after all, only do it because it makes them a lot of money, which is it's own power... the power to be eccentric, and to claim that silly little things like a drug bust only happened because the accused was rich/famous/conservative).
TK