NYT: Is Donald Trump a Threat to Democracy?

[Maven]

49. Your "both sides are the problem" characterization is exactly wrong.

There are plenty of moderates in the Democratic Party. They haven't been pushed out. In fact, a common complaint from the base is essentially that the party is too moderate, that we compromise our principles too often and don't fight for bold policies that favor the many rather than the wealthy few. I happen to agree with that viewpoint in many respects. But I don't think you can say the Democratic Party has pushed out moderates; on the contrary, too often we've championed tepid middle-of-the-road solutions that don't inspire. We've also frequently gone along with Republican initiatives in the spirit of compromise, which only ties our hands later when those initiatives blow up and Republicans avoid taking the blame.

The Republicans, on the other hand, have excised all proponents of moderation and compromise from their party. They have let their far-right fringe completely take over, and ostracized any dissenting voices from positions of power. They are now consolidating that power and have no intention whatsoever of giving Democrats a seat at the table. If they can shut us out, they will, by any means necessary.

Go high? Build bridges? I have to laugh. You can't build bridges when the people on the other side are waiting with sticks of dynamite.

I think you should question why it is you believe that both parties are to blame for our current state of extreme polarization, when that is so patently not the case. Because Republicans love it when people believe that government and leaders generally are the problem. It gives them cover to avoid culpability for their bad acts while justifying further assaults on the benefits and protections good government provides. The media has abetted them by being lazy and trafficking in false equivalencies.

I also think you should question why you think that working with Trump equals taking the high road. It isn't. Nothing he plans to do will be good for our country. The only high road is resisting him. Hard.

Oh, and, welcome to DU.