Reaching Across the Divide

[Geek_Girl]

At some point things are getting to get really rough, even worse than they are now, in our country and the Bush worshipers are going to start waking up. From an economic stand point our country can not sustain the debt and I'm afraid we are going to be in some really rough economic times.

I'm hoping that at some time we can put aside our idealogical differences and reach out to the most rabid of Republican supporters and all work together to rebuild our country. We will have to put aside the name calling and demonizing on both sides.

At some point we will all have to work together, not as republicans and democrats, not as liberals and conservatives but as Americans.

[hatrack]

1. You go first

I'll be reaching out to the "most rabid of Republican supporters" about the same time I join Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church.

I'll believe in the possiblity of constructive engagement, working together and all that happy stuff when I see it from the rabid Republicans.

But given that, in the immortal words of Grover Norquist, "Bipartisanship is just another word for date rape", something tells me I'll be waiting a long, long time.

[GOPFighter]

2. I know this is how I SHOULD feel, but...

...I'm just too damn angry right now. Maybe if I see some real contriteness and/or humility on the part of Republicans, but I'm not holding my breath...

[mmonk]

3. When we have the Constitution and Bill of Rights back.

When we give up on imperialism and look more to international co-operation. I'll think about it ONLY IF there is no economic collapse. Otherwise, no I can't forget or forgive that easily.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

4. Democrats are too nice...

Sorry, but I am an angry moderate Republican who is still feeling the "let them eat cake then thank their God" mode. Do you think the right wing Republicans lose sleep over demonizing the gay community, alienating the US from our former Allies, gutting environmental policy or putting scientific advancement behind religious dogma????

[Geek_Girl]

8. Divide and Conquer the Republican Strategy

The more divisive the Republican tactics are the more power they gain. They've created this very divided America and now they control every branch of government. Democrats should not give in on principles and policy, but at some point we will need, to put aside our anger and reach across the divide in order to heal our nation.


"Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice" --- Thomas Paine

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

10. Divide the Republicans...the splinter is already in place

I am a moderate Republican who feels totally alienated by the right-wing zealot's coup of my party. I am not alone and I know that more moderate Republicans would have rejected Bush if it weren't for 9/11 being too visible in their rear view mirrors...you know, "terror, terror, terror" battlecry during the campaign. As the evangelicals make demands of entitlement for "delivering this election", the Republican party will be forced to either pay-up or anger the zealots. Either way, the Democrats need to exploit this divide. Play your own game of divide and conquer.

[Dora]

5. Nah. We can reach out to each other.

There's no way I'm going to "reach out to the most rabid of Republican supporters."

I'm not sticking my hand out to a dog I don't trust. If the dog's got rabies, I say put the dog down.

[m berst]

6. with you

It is an uphill battle. You will get a lot of angry responses. Too many Democrats can't separate the Republican voters from the Republican leadership in their minds. The Bush administration is very happy about that. Divide and conquer. Just as they so carefully set it up.

[distantearlywarning]

7. When they reach out first. Expressions of repentance will be critical. n/t

[noamnety]

9. hahahaha ... um no

When you say "put aside our idealogical differences" how is that different from putting aside our morals and selling out?

Does me no good to be on the winning side if what I'm winning is poverty and bigotry.

If any of the republicans/conservatives have a change of heart or otherwise wake up, they can reach over here. I'm not going halfway to rebuild our country in a vision of fascism.

[Geek_Girl]

11. By differences I don't mean Principles

I mean rhetoric. The core democratic principles are principles that are in line with the values of every American. The problem is the opposition has demonized the democrats and middle America has a very distorted perspective of what we stand for. But I assure you as long as Americans remind divided we will never progress.

[Squeech]

12. The tricky part

is understanding that the people who will be there for us to reach out to won't include anyone with any actual power. They'll be the ones who drank the kool-aid and thought that if they supported the troops and voted against gay marriage, that the suits in the gated communities would stand by them in their hour of need, instead of slamming the doors and counting the money.

In other words, the suckers.

On the one hand, it'll be pretty hard to convince these people that Democrats don't have cooties and aren't objectively pro-terrorist.

On the other hand, people who hold grudges can be some of the most effective campaigners-- consider David Brock.

That's what I'll want to see, I guess: concerted action. When they come shambling up to me and say You were right, these guys were criminals, and we're all fucked, I think my impulse is going to be to answer, So what are you gonna do about it now?