Many people will say "Democrats and Republicans need to work together to get things done". But that's not the issue. Look what happens when they do work together. We get more wars, more debt, and more erosion of civil liberties. No rather than bipartisan, we should be anti-partisan. Does that mean less will get done? Quite possible, but when we see what does get done, getting less done is preferable.
Once upon a time, we had a tradition of "loyal opposition"; people on the losing side of the aisle would still work to advance their Party's agendas, but took their oaths of office seriously, and recognised a duty to serve the American people. Compromise was possible. That all came to a screeching halt with Newt Gingrich. Bipartisanship has been rotting in an unmarked shallow grave for the past 25 years. Some "Centrist" Democrats (and a couple of flat-out DINOS) still think we can hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya' with the same people who tried to hang them from a home-made gibbet on January 6th, and who would clearly welcome the opportunity to try again. I think those "Centrists" who aren't co-opted are delusional.
The real issue is what George Washington warned about in his farewell address. That political parties will inevitable become corrupt. So now our system says vote for dog turd so the cat turd doesn't win.
You've been around for a few years, haven't you Piobaire??? Things USED TO BE easier to accomplish. And you nailed it with that P.O.S. Gingrich. He sold the "contract with America" to a bunch of folks who though it would bring a return to the days of Ozzie & Harriet, Leave it to Beaver, and Mayberry RFD. Happy, wonderful, butterflies and apple pie under the maple tree in the yard. It was - in reality - an all-out assault on the post WW II "new deal" era, where everyone pretty much had an equal shot at bettering themselves if they were willing to work. After Gingrich and the "new" REPUBLICAN posture - it's happy days for the wealthiest and big corporations - with their "our way or the highway" mentality. No compromise AT ALL. The REPUBLICAN version of compromise post Gingrich is, "you guys cave to everything we want - we don't budge." This has left avg. Republican Americans to be steamrolled by the very party they KEEP VOTING FOR. Today, no matter how much you "work hard" or how many hours of overtime you work - or if you work several jobs (to the detriment of your health) - you WILL NOT GET AHEAD. Pay is kept LOW by the most powerful union in the U.S. - the Chamber of Commerce. Their unspoken - but implied message - is, "if you won't work for 'x' dollars ........ we'll move overseas." Or they'll tell an employee, "You're free to go work elsewhere." Isn't it strange that in most communities, the pay is within a very narrow range - no matter if you have a multi-technical skill set or are just a simple laborer??? I know people that are working with high-tech machinery that are TODAY - in 2021 - being paid wages that were good for supporting a family of 4 back in 1982!!!! Their buying power / means to retirement security is lagging by 40 years!!! And they don't seem to realize it.
^^^^^ Follow-up to above. Some of the people I referenced above are still driving vehicles from the mid-1990's to early 2000's because they can't afford to buy newer - despite working full-time, technically skilled jobs (for both man & wife) at what are locally know as "pretty-good-paying jobs." These are areas where $10 - $12 per hour are considered "pretty good - not bad." (this is in 2021) I was in a technical school in 1976 (my last year there) and our instructor told us that we could expect to be paid $9 per hour when we graduated, which he said was, "Darn good pay to raise a family on." That was 1976. Compare THAT pay in 1976 to the saaaaad wages still being paid today in 2021 for technical work to people I know. They compare their $10 - $12 / hour pay to minimum wage earners and conclude they're doing pretty well. A no-frills F-150 4 x 4 pick-up truck went for $12,000 in 1987 here. Today ........ a basic F-150 4 x 4 with standard equipment sells for upwards of $50,000. A pick-up truck - that most people use to do actual work with - ......... not a Cadillac or Mercedes or Jag or Bentley or Porsche. I'll do the math for you. Assume both husband & wife are making that "big" $12 per hour. That's $48,000 per year GROSS, allowing for 2 weeks vacation. After taxes, they'll be left with about $36,000 (maybe). Let's assume a modest mortgage or rent payment of $600 per month - that's $7200 right off the top. Then take out the "out of pocket" medical insurance payments that employees must now pay because their employers cut the "company benefit" - another $1200 per year. $150 per week on groceries (good luck at $150!!) - that's another $7,800 gone. All utilities (water, sewer, gas, electricity, phone, internet connection) $300 per month - another $3,600 gone. Car payments - $500 per month - $6000 per year. Car insurance (2 cars) $1200 per year. Homeowners / renters insurance (very modest home) - $1000. Junior needs braces for his teeth - $3,000 is a bargain these days for braces. Older car needs tires - $400. Routine maintenance & auto inspections - $250. Total for the above NECESSITIES = $31,600. Those are ALL NECESSITIES - not luxuries or goodies. That leaves this hard-working pair with a whole $4,350 left for any incidentals, unexpected repairs, saving for their kids' college, AND - their (comfortable???) retirement. If their employer doesn't have medical insurance for their employees - and they have to buy their own ......... scratch off most or ALL of that remaining $4,350. Now ..... the REPUBLICAN PARTY here has for a long time wanted people to "not depend on any government programs" in their retirement years, but to be self-sufficient financially. So NO Social Security, NO Medicare, NO Medicaid (or slashed versions of them at least). You know ........... those much demonized "entitlements" you've paid into from your paychecks for years. For soooo many people making such "outlandishly high" pay as $12 per hour ............. how is financial self-sufficiency and security attainable?????? Now compare that with the CASH PENSIONS of retiring Senators who typically get $300,000 or more once they retire, plus life-long top-notch medical care for them and their families. (I read where former REPUBLICAN SENATOR Bob Dole got $330,000 per year when he retired ....... about 15 years ago or so). Lofty pay for the never-ending REPUBLICAN EFFORTS at slashing or eliminating the Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid for most Americans. ( the workers who make such "outlandishly high pay" ). I'm NOT making this stuff up. Their Congressional voting records are in the public record. They CANNOT HIDE from their votes - or who wrote the proposed legislation.
