Given any public debate, people on the one side love to vilify those on the other side, and render them not-worth-listening-to. I mentioned this in the last abortion thread but it was roundly ignored (or, worse, disagreed with. I hate that!).

By making all liberals idiots, the conservatives don't have to listen to anything the liberals have to say. This makes them feel more comfortable and secure in their own prejudices and follies.

Contrariwise, by making all conservatives into money-grubbing and/or morality-down-your-throat-shoving fiends make the liberals feel better about their achilles heels.

In reality both sides have good and bad points, and their share of both very smart people, and idiots.

It will be verrrrrrrrrry interesting how our new prez (who I assume will be George Bush, unless the Sore Loser manages to pull off a hat-trick) manages to "consensus build" after all the vitriol that has been flying about in the last month. We'll really see who the consensus-builders are and who the empire-builders and ego-builders are in the next 2 years in this country. Should be verrrrry interesting, indeed!

Charter member, M.I.S.T. (Moderates In Search of Tact),
Alex