How can the U.S. bridge its ultrapartisan divide?

November 23, 2009 12:23 PM
James S. Duluth, MN  

Contrary to some folks beliefs, a strong third party is what it is going to take. The fundamentals already exist with the Libertarian Party, only too many people strongly believe that a two party system is better. Those who know little about the Libertarian Party should google them. People might be surprised that Libertarians and themselves have a lot in common. Think of it in terms of a three legged stool or transit.

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November 20, 2009 11:05 AM
jerry n. Duluth, MN  

Civil war!!!!!!

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November 20, 2009 9:35 AM
Dan A. Hibbing, MN  

Controversy is good for debate. However, when we elevate narrow minded opinionists to the "hero" status and allow them to be spokesmen for one side or the other, we run into problems. When people who have the attitude of "Don't confuse me with facts, my mind is already made up" spout off in opinionated ways and ridicule the other factions ideas and policies it causes problems. This nation was founded on the principles of free speech and the right to have different opinions. Loud and obnoxious bullies make up for the lack of fact and reason with insults and personal attacks.

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November 20, 2009 9:28 AM
Theodore G. Duluth, MN  

Political parties have become too conforming, in that if as a candidate you don't share a certain value or view on policy, you won't be endorsed by the powers of that party. This pretty much eliminates any moderates, which drives the parties to the extreme left and extreme right - and those two sides are so far apart they will never see eye to eye. Get rid of the radicals and replace them with centrists - that is the way a two party system should work.

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November 20, 2009 9:05 AM
My Opinion .. Duluth, MN  

The one party system was very successful in Communist Rusia for many years. It appears that the Socialists in this country will not be happy until they win the Revolution.

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November 19, 2009 11:29 AM
Pat N. Minneapolis, MN  

Scott S: Partisanship has the capability of solving problems - I don't think the Editor was putting forth a question of how to solve partisanship, but how to solve ULTRApartisanship. Radical ideas have been around for thousands of years and only in a few cases has radicalism resulted in a better life for people. The radicals have the great ability of grabing the nation's attention more than moderates can. What I think needs to be discussed is how to pull some of the nation's attention away from the radicals and put it back into the mainstream, where it belongs. Only the mainstream factions can compromise, which leads to solutions beneficial to all. Radicalism is poison to an honest debate of substansitive issues.

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November 19, 2009 8:03 AM
bob w. Duluth, MN  

Study history to our founding fathers and one can see we have had a divide from the beginning. Today the powers of BOTH sides use different and all forms of rapid media like venomous snakes. As for a fairness doctrine, this would be out of the Marxist Doctrine and not a platform I could support. There are good journalist out there, one must have the sense to know who has the best interest for the country as a whole in their hearts and those just trying to make news. Just look here to Duluth at the DNTand see how many articles tell little news yet just stir up public divide.

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November 18, 2009 11:04 PM
scott s. Duluth, MN  

As long as people have different opinions you'll have partisanship. The only way to " bridge it ", is to silence the opposition. Lets hope we never see that day.

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November 18, 2009 9:05 PM
Steve W.

rbdave h., you've got to be kidding!

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November 18, 2009 10:42 AM
rbdave h. Duluth, MN  

It would inaccurate to think that both parties, right and left, are responsible for the partisan divide.

In a voice filled with contempt, George Will told us that liberals think tolerance is the most important public virtue. Many conservatives, on the other hand, believe that God has called upon them to persecute their neighbors.

Democrats, broadly speaking, dominated Washington from 1932 to 1980. In retrospect this was an era of good feeling in American politics. The “partisan bickering” normal to representative government became a crisis only when Ronald Reagan was elected president.

Barack Obama has borrowed a theme from Franklin Roosevelt and made it the centerpiece of his campaign. We’re all in this together. In contrast, conservatives have governed for the last 28 years with a philosophy of "every man for himself". Rugged individualism may a quintessential American virtue, but it is not a Christian value.

The “us vs them” attitude so common among conservatives easily leads to bigotry, torture and killing.


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