The "Say something nice about the other party" Thread (1 Viewer)

[brandon]

How divided are we as a country?

It seems many liberals have lost all hope that today's conservatives are capable of being rational, and vice versa.

So here's my thought: let's make a thread where we try to say something you admire or at least respect about the other party, its members, or people on this board of the opposite party. No sarcasm (yea, not even me). No backhanded compliments. Something you truly respect or admire.

In a way, I think this will be something of a litmus test. Can we find any common ground between the parties as we head into 2020, or are we so divided as a country that we are doomed as a republic? Is there any respect for the other half of the country left?

I'll start:

I have great respect for the Republicans' ability to stay on message and to be politically consistent from person to person. In the face of what I view as various topics that should divide the party, they are, at least publicly, willing to work in lock-step for what they believe to be the greater good, even if it means temporarily supporting something they don't necessarily believe as individuals.

I also respect loyalty, and I believe the conservatives have absolutely demonstrated that to President Trump. While I do believe that our founding fathers made it clear that loyalty to the king is not necessarily a good thing, to a certain point, it is important to look past the faults of the leader to show loyalty in the face of adversity. If conservatives have a limit to their loyalty that simply hasn't been reached yet, then I can respect the loyalty that they have at this point.

Finally, living in the south, most of my friends and family are obviously conservatives. We don't really talk politics because they know where I stand. We can still love each other even if we don't agree on much politically. It is my hope that when difficult times, perhaps even times of real civil unrest, come in the future, we can lean on these individual relationships to help get us through as a nation.

 

[samiam5211]

I don't have much good to say about either party. Having the same two parties in control for the past 150 years is making our society bipolar.

I do think that the vast majority of the people in both parties are good people who all basically want the same thing: Opportunity and security for their children.

Even though we want the same thing, most have been convinced that the only way to get the thing we want is to follow the path whichever party we've ascribed ourselves to.

The platforms of both parties are philosophically inconsistent. Just for example, there is no reason that people should have the same point of view on gun control and abortion rights. These are to entirely separate issues, and the reasons to support or oppose each have nothing to do with each other except that a political party has taken ownership of one side of the issue.

This creates an artificial division that becomes part of our operating system. The parties use this division to maintain their power.

 

[The moose]

Well I liked John McCain!

Oh all but the cheating on his wife bit!

Na I got nothing.

 

[Intensesaint]

Party? No thanks.. individuals are one thing, but nobody should really be beholden to one party or the other.

 

[coldseat]

Credit to OP for trying, but this isn't going well.

I don't have anything good to say about the other side right now. There is nothing that I see as redeeming in either their positions or actions, unfortunately.

And the longer Trump keeps a stranglehold on that party, the worse it gets.

 

[BobE]

Does wanting to party with Katie Hill count?

 

[The moose]

Does wanting to party with Katie Hill count?

Ohh that sounds kinda fun and I could definitely do that!

 

[samiam5211]

Does wanting to party with Katie Hill count?

Weed and orgies may be the only way to save our republic.

 

[BobE]

Weed and orgies may be the only way to save our republic.

You get the weed and I'll call the hoes. It's our only hope to save the nation

 

[insidejob]

The Green Party sure has some nice folks in it.

Does that count?

 

[samiam5211]

The Green Party sure has some nice folks in it.

Does that count?

Ralph Nader is a poor man’s Tom Steyer.

 

[Archies Ghost]

Matt Taibbi

 

[MT15]

I have a lot of respect for true conservatives. I don’t agree with them on some things, but they are good people with ethics and such.

people like William Buckley, John McCain. I admire Justin Amash for having the courage of his convictions.

there are a lot of conservatives that I admire, but almost none of them are left in the Republican Party.

 

[wardorican]

I often appreciate the old guard conservatives who appreciate reigning in spending.

 

[Farb]

I have tried to respond to this but I can't quite say it like I want to say it, big surprise! So I will just throw it out there but do know that I am not trying to be snide or snarky.

Liberals think that the world is a good and loving place and everyone that lives in it are wonderful people and you should trust them no matter what. Imagine a world of song, rainbows and everyone holding hands and dancing in flowers. The only evil in the world is created by ourselves and we have to do whatever is necessary to stop us (western civ or USA) from creating more evil.

Conservatives tend to be more practical and pragmatic and understand that evil exists in this world regardless of what we do and sometimes people will hate you just because they want to hate you.

I know that probably doesnt make sense but it is a working theory......lol.

I think both sides/parties want what is best as they see it for the country, I think the main disconnect is how to get there.

 

[MT15]

I appreciate this post, Farb. I was just thinking we wouldn’t get any real responses from your group at all. (I don’t think it counts to mention a journalist who agrees with everything you believe, that’s not in the spirit of the thread.)

I’m glad to hear you acknowledge that both sides want what’s best for the country. I don’t think very many of your compatriots would agree with you on this, sadly.

This is what has gone wrong with Washington recently. It didn’t originate with Trump, but he has amplified it exponentially. It’s disappointing when people think that the left or democrats or whoever actually like crime and homelessness and open borders.

 

[Dadsdream]

I miss Tip O'Neill. He'd go toe-to-toe with Republicans all day then go to the White House for a causal evening of cards and bourbon with President Reagan.

Despite their professional differences “before 6 p.m.,” both men have acknowledged that “after 6pm,” they could share a drink or a card game. In Tip’s memoir, Man of the House, he fondly remembered how the president would call him to ask, “Hello, Tip, is it after 6 o’clock yet?” to which Tip would respond, “Absolutely, Mr. President.” Their “watches must have been in sync,” Tip said, as despite their constant conflicts in Congress, they stayed good friends over the years – a friendship documented in numerous photographs and letters housed in this collection.

Archives Diary: Tip O’Neill and Bipartisan Friendships “After 6 p.m.”

As election day closes in on us and the antagonism of the campaign trail intensifies, it is hard to imagine a time of bipartisan cooperation in either personal or political life. Yet the congressio…

johnjburnslibrary.wordpress.com

I found it comforting and reassuring that two leaders with such polar opposite views could put all that aside and get to know each other personally and share their place in history together. It's difficult imagine socializing of this type these days.

 

[samiam5211]

I miss Tip O'Neill. He'd go toe-to-toe with Republicans all day then go to the White House for a causal evening of cards and bourbon with President Reagan.

Despite their professional differences “before 6 p.m.,” both men have acknowledged that “after 6pm,” they could share a drink or a card game. In Tip’s memoir, Man of the House, he fondly remembered how the president would call him to ask, “Hello, Tip, is it after 6 o’clock yet?” to which Tip would respond, “Absolutely, Mr. President.” Their “watches must have been in sync,” Tip said, as despite their constant conflicts in Congress, they stayed good friends over the years – a friendship documented in numerous photographs and letters housed in this collection.

Archives Diary: Tip O’Neill and Bipartisan Friendships “After 6 p.m.”

As election day closes in on us and the antagonism of the campaign trail intensifies, it is hard to imagine a time of bipartisan cooperation in either personal or political life. Yet the congressio…

johnjburnslibrary.wordpress.com

I found it comforting and reassuring that two leaders with such polar opposite views could put all that aside and get to know each other personally and share their place in history together. It's difficult imagine socializing of this type these days.

I miss Reagan.

He could have drinks with someone from the opposite party without talking about the size of his inauguration crowd, or calling congressional oversight a witchhunt.