more on more on Editor's position on IP coverage on the Day After

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Tom Fairlie <tfairlie () frontiernet net>
Date: November 6, 2004 11:33:06 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] more on Editor's position on IP coverage on the Day 
After

Simon,
Sometimes, there's nothing like putting out a fire by
throwing a little gas on it is there? You bemoan our
ineffectual debating tactics (agreed), but then you
say we are worse than junior high students (is that
an insult to those students as well?).

Okay, so here's the intellectual discourse you asked for.

The problem here is actually simple. Like religion, or
the evangelical debate over computer operating systems,
modern American politics can be quite polarizing. If we
allow this to go on much longer, we will certainly do more
harm than good because our national power will become
fractionalized and our citizenry will become even more
disenfranchised than they are now. There's an old saying
that I have about this sort of situation: never allow
yourself to get [too] angry about something you can't fix.

So what do we do? Simple. We do the things that work in
both the religious and computer wars mentioned above--
namely, find a common ground.

As an independent, I have talked to numerous Republicans
who feel that Bush has gone over the cliff in terms of
reckless spending and dangerously misguided foreign
adventures. In fact, the American Conservative magazine--
a magazine I enjoy reading--happened to endorse Kerry
this year. So, there's room to maneuver on the right.

Talking to the Democrats, I find that many are upset with
the party's lack of conviction and a coherent vision for
the future. They constantly have to deal with the fact that
"liberal" is a dirty word (thanks to Rush) and that most
Americans think they are soft on defense and spend-aholics
--despite the fact that Democrats brought the U.S. into
almost every war in the 20th century and that Republicans
have massively outspent Democrats over the last 30 years.

The common ground here should be obvious to any
interested party. There is a lot of room in the middle to
create a vision that is both socially and fiscally sound.
We need to work together to create a party, a platform,
a vision, or whatever, that focuses on the best values
liberalism and conservatism have to offer.

In order to not be the typical, lazy hypocrite, I am already
at work on such a vision. I have a platform and I plan to
shop it around to people across the spectrum in order to
get buy-in from all Americans--not just those I happen to
like or agree with. I don't plan to create the new Reform
or Green Party, but an organization that actively seeks to
close the political gap in our country one small step at a time.

If anyone is honestly interested in helping (Republican or
Democrat or whatever), please feel free to contact me. See,
we don't all have to be cynical--it's just fun sometimes.

Tom Fairlie
www.tomfairlie.com






----- Original Message -----
From: "David Farber" <dave () farber net>
To: "Ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>
Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 7:13 AM
Subject: [IP] more on Editor's position on IP coverage on the Day After




Begin forwarded message:

From: Simon Higgs <simon () higgs com>
Date: November 5, 2004 3:42:43 AM EST
To: dave () farber net
Subject: Re: [IP] Editor's position on IP coverage on the Day After

But Dave,

This is my first Presidential election since becoming a citizen. All I
see is conjecture and opinion based around unreconcilable "facts" by
intellectuals with a grudge.

I still can't get my head around this all consuming hatred for the
"other" party. It just has to go. This type of discourse (which is
worse than the average jr high nonsense) just isn't interesting
anymore.

Simon

> I have been filtering the email from both sides to pick ones that add
> value to seeing how badly this nation is divided over the election.
> The only way to even attempt to heal the wounds are to understand why
> they exist.
>
> Saying "all is now well" will not work. We have to understand each
> others positions and concerns.
>
> Again, the purpose of IP is to make inform the readers and the editor
> and to make them think about the issues -- both technical and policy.
>
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