I agree we don’t owe them anything. And if being uncivil will make a difference, I am all for it. But if it won’t help, then let’s stay civil. In this specific case, if the floor of the house becomes a circus, people will start voting for clowns intentionally. Because it will become a required skill. I would rather it not. We already have too many clowns in there as is. And someday I hope it can go back a bit toward what it is supposed to be. A place for compromise. Though I do admit that I don’t have a lot of hope.
There’s another path, where we vote in loud angry people that do not compromise with fascists, call them what they are at every opportunity, and who do not extend civility toward people who never intend to extend that in good faith themselves.
I called it a circus, I guess when I think about it more, the circus has been here for a while. Or at least, the “more about appearances/performances than effects” carnival has been running uninterrupted for years.
Like you, I wish for a more reasonable and productive and earnest future for our politics. We won’t get that by being soft with people who do not share any of our values. I still think you’re assuming good faith efforts that are not there, naively, and I still hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
I agree we don’t owe them anything. And if being uncivil will make a difference, I am all for it. But if it won’t help, then let’s stay civil. In this specific case, if the floor of the house becomes a circus, people will start voting for clowns intentionally. Because it will become a required skill. I would rather it not. We already have too many clowns in there as is. And someday I hope it can go back a bit toward what it is supposed to be. A place for compromise. Though I do admit that I don’t have a lot of hope.
There’s another path, where we vote in loud angry people that do not compromise with fascists, call them what they are at every opportunity, and who do not extend civility toward people who never intend to extend that in good faith themselves.
I called it a circus, I guess when I think about it more, the circus has been here for a while. Or at least, the “more about appearances/performances than effects” carnival has been running uninterrupted for years.
Like you, I wish for a more reasonable and productive and earnest future for our politics. We won’t get that by being soft with people who do not share any of our values. I still think you’re assuming good faith efforts that are not there, naively, and I still hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
That’s a consistent and reasonable point of view, and I share your hopes. Cheers.