CaughtintheMiddle1990
04-07-2011, 07:03 PM
I think it has. I think even during the days of the Founders--post the ratification of the Constitution--the battle over what size the government should was there. You had people like Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Adams and the like, arguing for what could be termed "big" government, while you had the Anti-Federalists like Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Adams and Monroe, arguing for "smaller" government. Ultimately, IMO, our own Constitution was a compromise between what both groups wanted.
I believe our battle now, and for the last over 100 years, is in some ways a continuation of the same battle we've had since the beginning. I think that outside of the radicals on both sides, both Liberals and Conservatives love America, and respect our nation's principles--our main disagreement is what role the government, both state and federal, should play in our lives; what areas it should be a part of; Where it should regulate, if it at all; And then we have more "recent" issues--the century long struggle over labor vs. business; business vs. regulation; regulation vs. oversight.
I believe a balanced solution can be and should be found for all these issues. Partisans will not like it compromise, neither; Ideological extremists on both side, but a balance can be struck, and should for the good of the country, between the needs of the corporation and the rights of the worker; between total Laissez-Faire government, and the strangling, overregulation of certain industries; A balance can be struck between no welfare state, and an inefficient welfare state; On many other issues, if we just think logically and stop calling each other names--"Nazi", "Communist", "Heartless Conservative", "Anti-American Liberal", etc--we can actually get things done which are good for America, which will ensure that our children grow up in a strong, prosperous, respected and safe America; An America with a strong national defense that also takes care of it's citizenry.
Too often politics is like a bad soap opera, or like wrestling. We have two men of opposite party stand on stage, say bad things about each other, and then go backstage and shake hands on a deal that only benefits themselves and not all of America. That is politics as usual, and has been for the longest time.
But I believe with the virtues of ration and reason, we can change that and throw away the rhetoric and soundbite politics, and we can elect leaders who will speak honestly, plainly and openly to the American people; I believe we can change the system where we're not simply voting against someone, but for someone--Most politicians, too often, simply run a campaign against their opponent, and not a campaign FOR America, and then govern opposite from what they promised once in office, and I believe if we want America to continue as the leader of the world, to continue being the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth, then we must change this.
I believe our battle now, and for the last over 100 years, is in some ways a continuation of the same battle we've had since the beginning. I think that outside of the radicals on both sides, both Liberals and Conservatives love America, and respect our nation's principles--our main disagreement is what role the government, both state and federal, should play in our lives; what areas it should be a part of; Where it should regulate, if it at all; And then we have more "recent" issues--the century long struggle over labor vs. business; business vs. regulation; regulation vs. oversight.
I believe a balanced solution can be and should be found for all these issues. Partisans will not like it compromise, neither; Ideological extremists on both side, but a balance can be struck, and should for the good of the country, between the needs of the corporation and the rights of the worker; between total Laissez-Faire government, and the strangling, overregulation of certain industries; A balance can be struck between no welfare state, and an inefficient welfare state; On many other issues, if we just think logically and stop calling each other names--"Nazi", "Communist", "Heartless Conservative", "Anti-American Liberal", etc--we can actually get things done which are good for America, which will ensure that our children grow up in a strong, prosperous, respected and safe America; An America with a strong national defense that also takes care of it's citizenry.
Too often politics is like a bad soap opera, or like wrestling. We have two men of opposite party stand on stage, say bad things about each other, and then go backstage and shake hands on a deal that only benefits themselves and not all of America. That is politics as usual, and has been for the longest time.
But I believe with the virtues of ration and reason, we can change that and throw away the rhetoric and soundbite politics, and we can elect leaders who will speak honestly, plainly and openly to the American people; I believe we can change the system where we're not simply voting against someone, but for someone--Most politicians, too often, simply run a campaign against their opponent, and not a campaign FOR America, and then govern opposite from what they promised once in office, and I believe if we want America to continue as the leader of the world, to continue being the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth, then we must change this.