ubertuber

I actually find that I am forced into one party's camp more often in real life than on TFP. I live in NY and have attended (and now work at) an arts school. I'd say Democrats outnumber Republicans by roughly 25:1 here. So last year when I proved willing to criticize and praise both sides, it was only my opposition to the overwhelmingly mainstream dialogue that was heard. Thus, even the Republicans think I'm one of them. At one point, I was asked to start a group for conservatives on campus.

My concern with the larger world is mostly that the two party system is so entrenched that it has grown an immune system to protect itself. The fact that the barrier is so high for a third party entry into the presidential debates is one way of seeing the effects of this. At this point, I'd say that American elections have more to do with luring voters in than courting them. Politicians and parties (yes, BOTH of them) think nothing of making promises that can't be kept, that they know they shouldn't keep, or that they have no intention of even trying to keep.

I also think roachboy is right in his assessment that our two parties are essentially the same. I agree with this - they don't offer significantly different visions of the future, apart from one or two specific issues (like Iraq, and even this split has only emerged AFTER the fact). That this is the case should be obvious - after all, you get elected by mobilizing your base and taking the centrist swing voters. This is also the very reason for the deep partisanship and polarization of the dialogue here. When both parties are substantially similar, they have to resort to increasingly poisonous histrionics to vilify the other side - to deprive their opponents of the center by depicting them as extremists. Since we all think our own guys are perfectly reasonable, we are all also willing to believe that the other side is filled with ideological zealots. And then we show up on TFP and treat each other that way.

Which brings me to TFP. I'm a living refutation of one of Irate's points. I don't come here to TFP with my mind already made up - nor do I come to any specific thread already knowing who will be "my side". I read almost every post of every thread to learn what other people think the issues are. When I see what I think are relevant points, I research them myself. This works because any side is more willing to try to criticize and "tell the truth" about its opponents than about itself. Then it is up to me to separate the wheat from the chaff. I enjoy host's posts - they teach me a lot, though it is nearly impossible to read them and all of their links in time to reply before the discussion has moved on. So, I don't post because I'm here more to learn from people who I might disagree with than to teach them what I think they should believe.

I'll be perfectly honest and blunt: another reason I don't post often in this forum even though I read every thread is that I find many of the ways that people talk to each other to be distasteful and not worthy of engaging in. Why would I want to put myself in the middle of some of this ugliness? Thus, only those extremely invested in a side are vocal. I know, I know, it is easy to impose judgement from the outside... I apologize for not having a more constructive solution to offer along with my criticism.

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Cogito ergo spud -- I think, therefore I yam