Can we overcome the divide?

a reply to: TonyS

I think social media is one of the biggest problems.
Too many people get their "news" and "facts" from Facebook and Twitter..

a reply to: Bluntone22

That's a solid and sensible platform that most people in the country could find palatable. It's got plenty of compromise, and I can't really find a flaw in it.

In fact, it's very close to what I would write as my personal opinions.

a reply to: CriticalStinker

I sure dont claim to have all the answers but I'm willing to listen.
I wish I could say the same with others.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: CriticalStinker

I sure dont claim to have all the answers but I'm willing to listen.
I wish I could say the same with others.

Eating one's pride and offering an olive branch of compromise is the only way we'll find the community we once had.

All three sides are going to have to do that though. Left, right, and none of the above. We're all going to have to find some middle ground or demise through stubbornness.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
I will put this in the unrealistic bin.
It sounds good but what politicians will vote for it...

Speaking of unrealistic... maybe what needs to happen to mend the divide is to actually DIVIDE. Split the U.S. into 2 countries. The Dems live on one side and the Gops live on the other, leaving the independents to make up their own minds.

a reply to: Bluntone22

I agree with most of your opinions and assessments, for the most part.

The only ones I disagree with is disagreement only to an extent:

I think solar and wind *are* feasible, and should be invested in in a larger scale. Sure, in some places solar can be limited by season, but if incentives were given to people to individually invest in renewables (such as solar panels on houses/business/etc on a wide scale) it would reduce energy consumption (and also lowers individual costs). Just think if solar panels on roofs were as common as shingles, or made cheaper. Also, large scale solar farms in certain places could help, at least partially.

As far as college, I agree it's overpriced, and while I see your point about, for instance, having an engineer take gender studies, part of the point in education is just that: education. I mean, I took classes that had nothing to do with my major(s), but the point was learning, broadening perspectives, and increasing knowledge and understanding. These help with life in general.

For the above two issues, I don't that what I have said takes away from what you have stated goal-wise. Some people might think it does, however, as in "if you don't agree with me 100% about issue X you're commie/liberal/out of touch conservative, etc."

We NEED common ground to reach common goals that I think we *can* agree on, but we have been poisoned that if it's not our political (or partisan) brand, it's not in our best interest.

a reply to: Liquesence

I need to start a thread about energy production.
Lol

Wind and solar definitely are not realistically going to work.
Germany tried to reduce carbon and went "greener" but ended up making more emissions because they used natural gas to make up the shortfall in wind and solar.

France on the other hand is 75% nuclear...no carbon emissions.

Yeah, I need to start one for sure.

a reply to: Bluntone22

Wind and solar definitely are not realistically going to work.

It would help, on a large enough scale.

Maybe you don't understand what I'm saying.

If, on a large scale, homes and businesses used, for instance, solar panels to provide the majority of their energy consumption (such as all windows being collective, and all roofs fitted with panels, etc), and only relied on traditional means when needed, there would be a reduction of consumption.

I have no problem with nuclear (except for the obvious), but the above would allow sustainability at a greater, and more individual, rate.

It just needs to be cheaper.

what divide? the one between the right wing nut jobs and left wing nut jobs?