aadbrd wrote:Knowledge of history only goes so far. There is a profound empathy-gap in this country, really on both sides.
That's a great insight. Not that (IMO) either side would be likely to admit it, at the possibility of exposing a weakness in their heavily invested political "Our side is right" stance.
However for me, who is squarely in the middle and tries to assess each issue one at a time, and couldn't care LESS how either side whines about his position on any given issue -- I think that hits the nail on the head.
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Kind of reminds me of how one of my more insightful friends asked a question of a weekly (pre-pandemic) trio I've belonged to for about 30 years: "What is the single thing about large social power groups that you fear"? (We're all academically inclined, did very well in school and college, etc, ended up at IBM in high level tech. jobs, etc.)
For one of us (who leans farthest left) it was fear of corporations. For one of us (who leans center left) it was fear of organized religion and their anti-science slant. For one of us (who is solidly centrist and refuses to "belong" to any party), it was the far left anti-property-rights movement.
Though we can all have reasonable conversations / debates on government policy and politics, never coming to anger, much less blows (though getting irritated on occasion -- we ARE human, after all) == look at how DIFFERENT our greatest fears of large group power are. No wonder we can't begin to agree on many policies.
I found that a VERY insightful observation (he had correctly predicted the outcomes, re how we'd answer, in principle, and had written it down in a sealed envelope, and showed us).
He credited it to his tendency to read "WTF is going on NOW?" books, vs. any special insight on his part.
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I think journalists and analysts who claim they can explain "what' is happening" re US politics, without going out and asking such questions hundreds of times, and knowing something about the folks they are asking the questions of -- are just full of BS and clueless (but earning their living, of course).
And yes -- I could be very wrong. But at least I've thought about it for years, and have no huge axe to grind, and CERTAINLY don't owe ANYONE my opinions in any way, re my monthly income.