Poll Shows Appetite for Third Party

[pghin08]

I didn't take that from your post, but that is the argument made by liberals generally against Reagan. Reagan was able to compromise with Tip O'Neill. He cut taxes with a Democratic Congress. That was one of his many admirable accomplishments.

Remember the thread I had about the Mann and Ornstein article? This is exactly what they're talking about. This stuff used to happen, and I agree with you, I admire Reagan's ability to work with the Dems. Where did this ability go? Why does freaking Grover Norquist try to get people to sign that stupid "I'll never raise taxes and therefore will never compromise with anybody" pledge? People on the right laud Reagan to the point of near-obsession, so why can't they follow his lead?

[AUTaxMan]

Why does freaking Grover Norquist try to get people to sign that stupid "I'll never raise taxes and therefore will never compromise with anybody" pledge? People on the right laud Reagan to the point of near-obsession, so why can't they follow his lead?

I don't understand it at all, except that politicians on both sides are much more concerned with self-preservation than representing their constituents.

[pghin08]

I don't understand it at all, except that politicians on both sides are much more concerned with self-preservation than representing their constituents.

That's definitely the case now, but to a point I think that was always the case. Most politicians care more about keeping their jobs than doing them. I just don't understand that sort of paradigm shift, because there was no catalyst for it. Why would a politician in 2012 care more about their re-election than a politician in 1986? It doesn't make sense.