I used to be a major conservative. I used to listen to Michael Savage and talk about the evils of affirmative action, etc. Then I become fairly liberal, but not socialist or very far left just a hardcore democrat. Then I swang sort of back towards conservatism. I'm still a registered green party member, still liberal as fuck, but certain things I've grown to dislike.
I am in line with socialist government policies, but I don't believe America or any nation in the world is mentally and epistemologically ready for any form of Communism (or will ever be), or that any form of communism will work unless under the extreme duress of mortal poverty.
I believe legalizing weed will lead to a generation of kids with stunted brain development, content to watch TV for the rest of their lives, working at Taco Bell, while Japan and China surpass us in Science, Math, etc., a feat they are already handily accomplishing.
I am all for improved diplomatic relations, the axe of G Dubb, etc., but there is also a lose-lose element in American diplomacy where America loses simply for being America, and that won't subside no matter how many peace treaties we sign or countries we withdraw our military from.
That said, I don't support the Iraq war, or the Afghanistan war, or Bush's aggressive war on terror, simply because it won't work, and also because the threat we face is not that grave, and even so our force has not been directed at the correct targets.
I believe corporate welfare moms are a huge issue, especially when so many Americans are poor. If we did pull a libby left 90% tax on businesses and corporations, however, and removed all the business incentives from our system, another America would spring up somewhere else....possibly China....causing further poverty and disenfranchisement.
I think many of us have roots in certain forms of idealized change that are largly theorycraft, based on an ethereal world and situation, unachievable in practice.
That said, I see your point on the inability of those on one side to listen to another. However, I don't believe partisanship is the bane of our system or the largest problem we face. The largest problem we face is America's gross stupidity. People always stress listening to and talking to each other instead of drawing divisions, but what is the relevent content of the dialogue? Most americans are simply miseducated, not well read, and not prone to real discovery or challenge of assumptions.
It is to a degree in our country unforseen in many other places in the world. Europeans and Asians involved in politics tend to be a bit more well read, due largely to alot less TV watching. Our greatest enemy in America is not partisanship but reality shows, Britney and Kevin, MTV, CSI, the Fox News Channel, and the other prattling stupidity distribution centers we feed on daily.
