Consensus in Politics

[questor]

Freeztar, although I didn't say it plainly in my opening post, the consensus I'm looking for is on major issues like war, education, political correctness, our economic system, welfare, earmarks and other large budget items. Also ,it would be helpful if we could all reach consensus on what makes an optimum society? Wouldn't this pretty well set a template for nearly all issues?
You are correct in saying there will never be 100% agreement, but to live in peace,we must make an attempt.

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by questor

Freeztar, although I didn't say it plainly in my opening post, the consensus I'm looking for is on major issues like war, education, political correctness, our economic system, welfare, earmarks and other large budget items.

That's what I figured you meant.

Also ,it would be helpful if we could all reach consensus on what makes an optimum society?

It might, or it might not. I see it as a separate issue though. Perhaps the thread should be titled "What makes an optimum society?". Or, perhaps starting with that premise in a new thread might build to what I think you are working towards.

Wouldn't this pretty well set a template for nearly all issues?

I guess it would ideally, but is this what we really want, templates?
What about radical imagination that births new paradigms that redefine the templates, or do away with them altogether?

Geocentrism, as well as communism and a number of other idealistic templates, turned out to be either too idealistic, or just impossible.

You are correct in saying there will never be 100% agreement, but to live in peace,we must make an attempt.

I agree with you 100% on this!

Have you seen this thread? I urge you to read the whole thing. It is quite interesting and pertinent.

http://hypography.com/forums/communi...ce-yes-no.html

Even in this small corner of the world we call Hypography, the bright minds that visit this forum can not come to a consensus about living in peace. (worth noting, I believe some people that posted in that thread are just being contrary for the sake of argument, but I also believe that certain posts opposing peace are genuine)

[Buffy]

Newt Gingrich made sure that compromise in politics is dead.

"You're free to have my opinion" is the current definition of "compromise" and I think this thread is an example of that tactic.

To those who it was not obvious to, yes, that's the point of my post above...

A conservative is a man who sits and thinks, mostly sits,
Buffy

[Zythryn]

Originally Posted by questor

You are correct in saying there will never be 100% agreement, but to live in peace,we must make an attempt.

I disagree strongly with that statement. I don't believe everyone has to agree/think the same in order for their to be peace.
I do think everyone needs to be respectful, or at the very least tolerant, of people with differing views.

[Overdog]

Originally Posted by freeztar

....It might, or it might not. I see it as a separate issue though. Perhaps the thread should be titled "What makes an optimum society?". Or, perhaps starting with that premise in a new thread might build to what I think you are working towards.

Or maybe "What would Utopia be like" would be a better title.

In a scientific approach to finding utopia, the Global Scenario Group, an international group of scientists founded by Paul Raskin, used scenario analysis and backcasting to map out a path to an environmentally sustainable and socially equitable future. Its findings suggest that a global citizens' movement is necessary to steer political, economic, and corporate entities toward this new sustainability paradigm.

Utopia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[questor]

Buffy, would you say that compromise is not to be desired? I think Newt did not kill compromise, that was done by his opponents and exists still today. Is this current political climate one to be proud of? I knew you would return to make sure we didn't really think you meant what you said above. I was sincere in asking you to describe the components of your optimum society.

[questor]

Zythryn, do you think we need to agree upon issues like war, terrorism, murder, pedophilia, incest, education, fairness, racism, honesty, crime, and morality, or is everything relative?

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by questor

Buffy, would you say that compromise is not to be desired? I think Newt did not kill compromise, that was done by his opponents and exists still today.

Oh, so you're saying that there WOULD be compromise if his opponents just agreed with him? Isn't that exactly Buffy's point?

[questor]

Infinite, are you arguing this from a position of knowledge? Which articles of the Contract With America do you have problems with? And what would you substitute to make it better?

[Buffy]

Originally Posted by questor

Buffy, would you say that compromise is not to be desired?

Its quite desirable! It was standard operating procedure in US Government prior to about 1994, when Newt took over leadership of the Republicans in the House.

Originally Posted by questor

I think Newt did not kill compromise, that was done by his opponents and exists still today.

Hmmm. Interesting opinion. Do you have any statements or quotes that support it?

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

I think one of the great problems we have in the Republican Party is that we don't encourage you to be nasty. We encourage you to be neat, obedient, loyal and faithful and all those Boy Scout words, which would be great around a campfire but are lousy in politics.

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

(referring to Clinton) If the Soviet empire still existed, I'd be terrified. The fact is, we can afford a fairly ignorant presidency now.

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

Mr. President, we are going to run you out of town.

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

The Left tells you about the Constitution every time they want to restrict your rights. If you want to put up a monument to the Ten Commandments, the Left says that’s against the Constitution. As long as the Left dominates, the only time the Constitution is cited is when they are restricting your rights…

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

Politics and war are remarkably similar situations.

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

the Democratic Party, frankly, kind of admires American terrorists.

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

This is a serious, long-term war, and it will inevitably lead us to want to know what is said in every suspect place in the country....It will lead us to learn how to close down every website that is dangerous...I want to suggest to you that we right now should be impaneling people to look seriously at a level of supervision that we would never dream of it it weren’t for the scale of the threat. (Ironically, a speech to an organization dedicated to supporting the First Amendment)

Originally Posted by Newt Gingrich

Nor did we on our part do anything to mitigate their determination. On the contrary, we spoke and behaved as if there were little ground on which to build any kind of bipartisan cooperation. Sam Rayburn had famously said that to get along you had to go along. But we were in no mood either to get along or to go along. This principle worked only when people agreed on the basic things, but could not apply in the case of real ideological difference.

It goes on and on.

Originally Posted by questor

I knew you would return to make sure we didn't really think you meant what you said above. I was sincere in asking you to describe the components of your optimum society.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt!

So, to just pick one of your points, what compromise do you believe is possible on the topic of "Biblical Morality?" Is there room for tolerance of equal rights for homosexuals? Is adultery a crime? (I know Mr. Gingrich would like to make sure we compromise on that one!) Should the law emphasize "an eye for an eye?" Must people who are not Christian just shut up and be quiet about overt support for Christian symbols in our government because this is a "Christian Nation?"

These questions are hardly rhetorical, because a very large "Moral Majority" insists that there be no compromise on them.

All legislation, all government, all society is founded upon the principle of mutual concession, politeness, comity, courtesy; upon these everything is based...Let him who elevates himself above humanity, above its weaknesses, its infirmities, its wants, its necessities, say, if he pleases, I will never compromise; but let no one who is not above the frailties of our common nature disdain compromises,
Buffy