Move to the center [Without an end to the Republicans' politics of ideology, America will ...]

Newsday ^ | November 4 2006 | Newsday Editors

[Mr_Moonlight]

If only one thing comes out of the midterm elections this coming Tuesday, it ought to be this: The nation is tired of polemics and ideological politics. It's time for politicians on both the right and the left to move back toward the center, and come up with practical solutions to the serious problems the nation faces:

How to get out of the mess in Iraq.

How to pay for the baby-boomers' medical care and Social Security costs.

How to meet the undeniable challenge of global warming.

How to bring the budget back into balance without shredding the safety net for the poor and needy.

And that's just the beginning of a list filled with issues that don't have any easy solutions.

Since the 1994 election of the Newt Gingrich Republicans, the nation's politics have been defined by ideology and partisanship. The divide became even nastier and more partisan with the election of George W. Bush, arguably the most ideological president in modern U.S. history.

This newspaper believed that Bush's 2000 victory over Democrat Al Gore was so close and so controversial that Bush should have moved toward the center

[Mr_Moonlight]

It's astonishing that an ideologically hard left challenged newspaper such as Newsday would lament that its only the right who are 'ideological' and 'partisan', and only since 1994!

Feast on this, fellow FReepers ...

[farlander]

There's nothing astonishing about that, it's par for the course.

[johna61]

Snoozeday just a part of the Demented party machine.

[MNJohnnie]

If that were the case the Democrats would lose totally Nov 7th. They have NO plan. ALL they offer IS "polemics and ideological politics"

[MNJohnnie]

Here is a challenge for the Democrat noise machine.

Tell us three things since 2004 the Democrat Leadership has acted bipartisanly or even moderately? -

That right. There ARE none.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The nation is tired of polemics and ideological politics.

Somebody has been doing too much meth and smokin' too much happy smoke. If this is a true statement, why the hell would "the nation" elect a bunch of leftist Commies? Sorry boys. This crap just doesn't make sense to a person using a logical thought process.

[Mr_Moonlight]

Par for the course, yes ... but I just find it astonishing that Newsday would have the gumption to publish this outright fantasy of theirs as their lead editorial today

[digger48]

"Since we can't win

you guys gotta change"

[EQAndyBuzz]

"Tell us three things since 2004 the Democrat Leadership has acted bipartisanly or even moderately?"

NCLB - Then they bitched about not enough funding for it.
Going to Iraq in 2003 - Then they bitched about it.

Well, I got 2 of the 3.

[gb63]

Why would we ever want to elect a centerist government? Moderates can't make up their minds about anything important. That's why they are moderates.

[digger48]

George W. Bush, arguably the most ideological president in modern U.S. history.

How can you argue with someone whose hatred defies reality?

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Talk to the hand.

We will reign in the idiots AFTER the election. Something about throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

[Mr_Moonlight]

3 - passed the McCain-Feingold CFR bill

There, I've filled in the third one

[tomnbeverly]

I loved the Ownership society.. too bad the Liberals blocked any chance of it taking shape under Bush's presidency.

[Polonius]

I seem to recall that Bush had a social security reform plan before the Democrats demagogued it to death ... damn him for forcing them to be so partisan! Those Republicans ruin everything, I tells ya!

[Rurudyne]

"Since the 1994 election of the Newt Gingrich Republicans, the nation's politics have been defined by ideology and partisanship. The divide became even nastier and more partisan with the election of George W. Bush, arguably the most ideological president in modern U.S. history."

Fancy that: politics based on what people actually believe rather than what Government can get away with.

[pierrem15]

It's amazing how "moving back to the center" means embracing defeat in Iraq and learning to love a Federal government with unlimited powers at home engaged in widespread income redistribution.

In brief: defeat abroad, and socialism at home-- the Dem's 1975 platform all over again.

[Radix]

Unfortunately, the "center" has been moved very far left in our lifetimes.

The incompetence of the "conservative party" is actually overshadowed by the intense unceasing bias of the media.

[Bahbah]

The nation is tired of polemics and ideological politics.

Unfortunately, we continue to be unable to get the dems to shut up.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil."

AYN RAND