Evil(enter political party here) are Trying to Destroy America!

I am neither republican or democrat, hell I'm not even American. So I'd like to give you an objective look at how the American political parties treat each other. I'm not talking about the politicians like Hillary calling Trump voters a basket of deplorables or Trump calling for the arrest of his political rival. I'm more interested in the voters and the registered republicans and democrats.

There seems to be a fundamental difference in how the average voters see the other side. You need only click on any political thread on this website and you'll notice the vitriol the right has for the left and the indignant contempt the left has for the right. However, aside from socialist fringe groups on the left, democratic voters don't usually voice their concern for republicans with such hyperbolic statements like unamerican,traitor, evil and etc. Republican voters on the other hand do often use such colorful language to drive the point home that the other side doesn't have America's best interests at heart. Which is fine, politics is politics we can't all agree with each other.

However, there are a lot more republicans that honestly believe democrats are evil and that they are trying to DESTROY America. While on the other side Democrats for the most part simply believe the republican party is wrong but they don't believe republicans are evil or that their interests don't lie with Americans. There seems to be a fundamental difference in how the voters see the other side, one side is more realistic or pragmatic then the other which poses a problem. How can you have civil discourse with a political opponent if you think they're trying to bring down America. That's a rather big hurdle to overcome if you want to unite America.

My point is, no matter what your political opinions are, thinking the other side is out to get you or that they're going to destroy everything you hold dear is irrational. Years of leftist watching MSNBC and right wingers watching FOX has polarized you're country like never before, however when one side starts treating the other like the enemy when you're all Americans. That's when sh*t starts hitting the fan.

Around the globe you have actual enemies threatening you and here you all are threatening yourselves.

originally posted by: GokuVsSuperman0
I am neither republican or democrat, hell I'm not even American. So I'd like to give you an objective look at how the American political parties treat each other.

I very much appreciate the intentions of your efforts. But in some ways you are just continuing the problem. Please understand the difference between objectivity and subjectivity. The reasons people on the left like myself simply do not get along with people on the right is this. The people on the right think their "opinions" are objective facts. People on the right have no distinction between what is an "opinion" and what is a "fact". You can't begin a thread saying you are going to be objective and then follow by your subjective opinion.

"Opinions" can never be lies. And as long as one side thinks their own "opinions" are facts there's really not much to talk about because we will never have agreement. With the right, compromise means letting the right get their way.

Take the ACA for example. Democrats wanted a single payer system. The compromise was the ACA. And now the Republicans are going to get rid of the ACA. That IS Republican politics.

a reply to: GokuVsSuperman0

That's a very good point!

"How can you have civil discourse with a political opponent if you think they're trying to bring down America."

You can't and to my knowledge, few if any attempt "civil discourse". No one has ever changed anyone's mind about certain core beliefs. Its a waste of time.

"That's a rather big hurdle to overcome if you want to unite America."

I'm presently unaware of any effort whatsoever being launched by anyone of any political stripe to "unite" America. As for the general population, my experience indicates that at best, most seek to be left entirely alone by their political opposite, and at worst, those occupying the polar opposites don't believe anything other than total destruction of their political opposite will effect any meaningful change.

In short, what I posit you're witnessing is the "Cold" stage of a Civil War that could go hot at any moment. And then.....there's this long, hot summer approaching!

How do you think this is going to work out?

a reply to: GokuVsSuperman0

democratic voters don't usually voice their concern for republicans with such hyperbolic statements like unamerican,traitor, evil and etc. 

Racist
Bigot
[Insert buzzword]-phobe
Evil
Cold-hearted
Deplorable

a reply to: GokuVsSuperman0

I guess that would depend on your definition of "enemy".

I wish nobody physical harm, or oppress anyone's peaceful free speech, or their freedom of assembly, or voicing their ideas in the public sphere.

Those who want to force people to behave in a way that conforms to their worldview using threat of violence and the power of government to pass laws and levy fines for "bad think", censor opposing opinions, and outlaw facts as "illegal speech" I find to be quite dangerous no matter what they call themselves.

a reply to: rockintitz
At best you're talking about fringe socialist, while those same hyperbolic statements are made by the AVERAGE republican voter. So yea, not very comparable.

a reply to: dfnj2015
I can give my objective opinion lol. Mostly because I don't have a horse in this race.

a reply to: GokuVsSuperman0

Elected democrats say that stuff all the time.

You know, the ones average democrats vote to represent them.

a reply to: rockintitz
I was talking about voters not politicians...but whatever, you read what you wanna see

The first litmus test, before country or anything, is abortion. Especially for republicans running for office. I can't vote like that. My first litmus test is the economy. The anti abortionists, end time believers, white separatists make the GOP hard headed and mean and unpalatable to democrats and independents like Bernie.

a reply to: GokuVsSuperman0

This is true both sides have a equal prejudice towards one another.

It would be more beneficial for someone to outline the acts of both sides that destroy or benefit America. If equal which defiantly not now but averaging over the last 15 years maybe it is pretty equal.

It is hard to understand why some of my good friends on the left feel the way they do because they will not engage in that conversation. They will knock opinions and revert to name calling but never can I get a conversation to understand how they feel.

I am conservative and would like to compromise but I can't understand enough to even try to compromise and the left seems to not even chance compromising.

One of my early lessons in life was the song meet in the middle.

If we can't see eye to eye then you start walking my way and I'll start walking yours. We meet in the middle. We gain a lot of ground because we both give a little. There is no right or wrong if we both meet in the middle.

Americans are their own worst enemies.

These are people who have never been able to get along and meet in the middle for the sake of the common good... ever.

They taunt, mock, insult, and hate on one another on a daily basis. Day in, day out. Neighbour against neighbour.

Civil War 2.0 is inevitable in the US... it's only a matter of time.




And there's not a damn thing the rest of us on the outside looking in can do about it except watch it all unfold before our very eyes in horror and disbelief.

I find it almost impossible to have dialogue with a lot of Democrats because they are so invested in the emotion of their positions that it becomes impossible to have a reasoned and logical policy discussion.

When I discuss policy with Democrats, this is usually how things go...

1) Gun Control: Show facts on gun control not being effective. Democrat response, "You are ok with little kids dying like at Sandy Hook."

2) Illegal Immigration: We need to secure our border. Democrat response, "You are a xenophobe"

3) Healthcare: We can fix our healthcare system with free market principles. Democrat response, "You want to see Grandma die" or "you don't care about sick children."

4) Tax Policy: We are taxing people too much. Top 5% pay 80% of taxes. Democrat response, "You are greedy and don't pay your fair share"

originally posted by: MOMof3
The first litmus test, before country or anything, is abortion. Especially for republicans running for office. I can't vote like that. My first litmus test is the economy. The anti abortionists, end time believers, white separatists make the GOP hard headed and mean and unpalatable to democrats and independents like Bernie.

My understanding of the intended 'checks and balances' system that the US purports to 'honor'. Is that a litmus test us not appropriate for any government official. What was (and should be) valued is the oath to 'defend the constitution'. Defending that constitiution requires the ability to (to the best of one's ability) put aside personal opinion and ideology and judge/decide any issue on the Law and it's own merits with an eye - and this is key - to the well-being of the citizens of the United States.

Note - for some reason my spell checker is not working in ATS so forgive my spelling errors.

originally posted by: GokuVsSuperman0
a reply to: rockintitz
I was talking about voters not politicians...but whatever, you read what you wanna see

I read what you wrote.

Your statement I quoted shows you are either ignorant or being purposefully misleading.

a reply to: CranialSponge

I tend to agree with that sentiment. America isn't any longer divided two ways, it's divided at least three different ways, and perhaps four. You have the Republicans and Democrats, who think everything is fine as it is, and then you have those of us who stringently believe both Republicans and Democrats are complicit of actively destroying this country, and that massive reforms are necessary.

Until there's some compromise in the direction of doing that, the political atmosphere in this country is just going to get worse.

originally posted by: Edumakated
I find it almost impossible to have dialogue with a lot of Democrats because they are so invested in the emotion of their positions that it becomes impossible to have a reasoned and logical policy discussion.

When I discuss policy with Democrats, this is usually how things go...

1) Gun Control: Show facts on gun control not being effective. Democrat response, "You are ok with little kids dying like at Sandy Hook."

2) Illegal Immigration: We need to secure our border. Democrat response, "You are a xenophobe"

3) Healthcare: We can fix our healthcare system with free market principles. Democrat response, "You want to see Grandma die" or "you don't care about sick children."

4) Tax Policy: We are taxing people too much. Top 5% pay 80% of taxes. Democrat response, "You are greedy and don't pay your fair share"

Not a Democrat, but can discuss these things with a certain level of intelligence.

1. Gun Control - have no problem with firearms in the hands of responsible gun owners, but think that the definition of responsible could be tightened.

2. Illegal immigration - I have known many immigrants, and I would agree with securing our borders, however along with that, our immigration system needs to be simplified and made less expensive. I have a friend who married a girl from Peru, she had her green card, but her three girls didn't. It cost him between 25 and 30 grand to get her three minor children a bonafide green card. That is not acceptable.

3. Health care - answer is easy for this one, greed and profit need to be taken out of it. I am not smart enough to have the answers, but can see where the problems lie. We need tort reform, among other things, and bad doctors need to be taken out of the system.

4. Tax Policy - I do taxes for a living, and our tax code is screwed, it needs to be simplified. Real Estate is where the biggest loopholes are, and they need to be closed.

I don't have the answers, but am pretty solidly in the middle, but am constantly called a lefty or snowflake on here, think that is what the OP was referring to.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Its the litmus test from voters. A republican could be the best person with the best plan, but if he is pro letting the abortion right law stand, he's done with the GOP voters.

The real problem is that there shouldn't be left and right but American.

I also see that out of countless threads where left is bashing right and right bashing left. It's been a small number of people. But because of these small people who I believe are getting paid to do such a thing. Makes the rest of us look like we are just as bad.

Most if not all. Honest hard working Americans truly don't give a # about none of this left and right crap.

These people who use the Internet for a living are the ones creating this fiction in front of us and has the nerve to claim that the rest of us feel the same way.

This is why you can't outlaw spanking. These millennials need and ass beating.

originally posted by: ConscienceZombie
The real problem is that there shouldn't be left and right but American.

I also see that out of countless threads where left is bashing right and right bashing left. It's been a small number of people. But because of these small people who I believe are getting paid to do such a thing. Makes the rest of us look like we are just as bad.

Most if not all. Honest hard working Americans truly don't give a # about none of this left and right crap.

These people who use the Internet for a living are the ones creating this fiction in front of us and has the nerve to claim that the rest of us feel the same way.

This is why you can't outlaw spanking. These millennials need and ass beating.

The left/right split is definitely there, but the have/have not split is bigger. The media, both the traditional right wing, and the left, have convinced many that all that are on welfare or disability are committing fraud. Those that have made their way in life, middle class, feel that the poor are cheating them. Those above middle class, don't give a crap, all they want are tax breaks.