Both parties are now so entrenched that such a solution is not possible. If the constitutional amendment that placed the drawing of maps with the state demographer would have stayed in place, it is possible we could have seen a lessening of this vitriol between parties. I was pleased when the Gov in his state of the state asked our legislators to move beyond the culture wars and enact legislation to benefit the public.
But this did not happen because culture wars get votes. And these debates are not based on discovery and understanding but rather grandstanding for votes. I want bipartisan politics of the 80's and 90's where they work together.
It has been interesting to observe the Lincoln Project which I thought would be a new party but has turned into an "Anti Republican" club. A state Senator in Arkansas has resigned from the Republican Party and formed a group called Common Ground which seeks to develop legislation base on compromise. I think a number of people are thinking "third party."
Both parties are now so entrenched that such a solution is not possible. If the constitutional amendment that placed the drawing of maps with the state demographer would have stayed in place, it is possible we could have seen a lessening of this vitriol between parties. I was pleased when the Gov in his state of the state asked our legislators to move beyond the culture wars and enact legislation to benefit the public.
But this did not happen because culture wars get votes. And these debates are not based on discovery and understanding but rather grandstanding for votes. I want bipartisan politics of the 80's and 90's where they work together.
It has been interesting to observe the Lincoln Project which I thought would be a new party but has turned into an "Anti Republican" club. A state Senator in Arkansas has resigned from the Republican Party and formed a group called Common Ground which seeks to develop legislation base on compromise. I think a number of people are thinking "third party."
My apologies. After I posted this I realized I misspelled "REPUBLICAN" in the title. Just remember that all my life I've typed with one finger!