RE: Reasoned discourse

• Even if we don't completely agree on all points (though I can't stand Glenn Beck), that's the whole idea. Reasoned discourse.
  
  There are certainly brighter folks than I in this regard, but to me, the issue is that National Issues and International Issues and Social Issues and Financial Issues are not strictly Red vs. Blue or GOP vs. Dems or (showing my age) Elephants vs. Donkeys. Maybe, issue-by-issue they are, but taken as a whole Party Platform, it's hard to vote "Us or Them." We've got to do more across-the-aisle compromise. We've got to elect candidates who are open to compromise.
  
  I'm a middle-class, relatively-conservative, white guy living in New England. I like some of Romney's plans; I like some of Obama's plans; I like some of the Republican ideas; I like some of the Democrat ideas. There are some far-right ideas that could be explored; there are some far-left ideas that can be explored. I can live with this if you can live with that. It's the all-or-nothing thing that drives me nuts.
  
  Big Politics has lost sight of trying to solve the Country's problems - or even mitigate them. It's all about getting "our guy" elected or re-elected so "our agenda" can make through Congress. And if it can't, "your agenda" will suffer similarly. It's sad. And so unproductive to our country's interests.
  
  Eliminate PACs, the Electoral College, and Career Politicians; implement term limits and shorter campaigns.
  
  And no Robo-Calls.