The extreme partisanship and vicious denunciations constituting current political debate are not only unpleasant and senseless, they border on evil. Today’s political language is a degree of extremism easily leading to the rise of totalitarianism. When a party, in or out of government, claims a monopoly on truth and virtue, the stage is set for the type of governmental upheaval often seen in Europe.
Recently my wife and I spent two weeks in Turkey. I asked our tour director to describe his greatest concern for Turkey. He was uncertain whether Turkey’s economy would permit his two sons to earn a decent living. Then he asked me the same question. I said I was greatly troubled by the rise of extreme partisanship, the inability to compromise and the divisiveness which I have described.
The art of compromise has been lost and replaced with arrogant confrontation. We need dialogue, not diatribes. We have had too much denunciation and not enough mature deliberation. I have had enough of the Teddy Kennedys and Tom DeLays of politics, where civility is as dead as the passenger pigeon. Perhaps Sens. John McCain and Joe Lieberman, men who are both respected by many Republicans, Democrats and Independents, should recruit like-minded members of both parties and form a new party of the center that would represent, I believe, the vast majority of our citizens.
Of one thing I am certain: Both political parties are failing America today. Critical issues are not being addressed, and decisions are based on the latest polls and how action taken will affect raising funds for campaigns.
Whatever happened to the old idea that the best interests of our country should control political decisions?
John L. Naylor Jr.
Pinehurst
