NY Times article on political discussions among friends

Parent Cafe
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<p>Saw this and thought it might be of interest to our community at this time of year! ;)</p>

<p>The Elephant in the Room </p>

<p>By ANNE E. KORNBLUT
Published: October 29, 2006
New York Times
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/29/fashion/29rift.html?_r=1&oref=slogin[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/29/fashion/29rift.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Very timely.</p>

<p>Perhaps our parents (grandparents?) had it right when they taught ‘never discuss religon or politics’.</p>

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<p>We used to not discuss politics with my husband’s family, because we definitely had opposing viewpoints, but the Bush administration has radicalized his entire Republican family to switch sides. Now we all agree, so we don’t talk about politics, because what fun is it if everyone agrees?</p>

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<p>Irishmom - same with our family! My folks are conservative to the core, and are disgusted with what Bush & Co have done with their power. I never thought I’d see the day when my mother and mother-in-law agree with my husband and me about the state of the country. Unlike yours, though, we do discuss it a lot. We all want the next two years to be over. We may have differing ideas about how to fix things, but we all agree they need to be fixed.
I think my conservative mother is most upset about Iraq - waste of money, waste of lives.</p>

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<p>Amazing what has happened to so many conservatives. My parents used to be old school staunch Republicans, and they thought their children were just wacky liberals. Now they agree with us…ha!</p>

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<p>Our parents formed their views when Republicans like Eisenhower represented the GOP. It was a very different party.</p>

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<p>Eisenhower would be tossed out of the current Republican Party as a flaming liberal.</p>

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<p>Well, would Truman make it as a Democrat? </p>

<p>Honestly, there are bigger issues than Iraq, GWBush, Clinton and the other popular political flash points.</p>

<p>They are: Medicare and Social Security. The nation will have some very difficult choices if we wait to address the funding of these issues. The downfall of a democracy (yes, I know we are a representatative republic) starts when the public discovers they can vote the treasury dry.</p>

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<p>The drying out of the treasury is occurring without any input from the voters at all.</p>

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<p>It’s bigger than any one administration. It’s bigger than any party. There must be consensus and political will to protect future generations - our kids and beyond.</p>

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<p>Agree with you there P2N.</p>

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<p>As parents of college students - who care enough about our kids to spend time on a college-oriented website - I’d like to think we all share the same ultimate priority: not scewing up the world/country too bad before they take the reins. I’d like to think we can find a common ground over that goal, even if we disagree on the best way to achieve it.</p>

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<p>My dad was active in the local (St. Paul, MN) Republican party three decades ago and I honor his memory and his work, even though I vote liberal. Republicans were different then.</p>

<p>For the first time in my life, I know where all my friends and family stand politically: who they supported for president, whether they were for or against the war, who I can talk with about what, etc. I need to know this so I know who I can vent with, but I am sad that some friendships have suffered because of differing viewpoints. </p>

<p>But I actually think it’s good for us (spoiled, naive) Americans to experience something common to many, many people who live in turbulent countries. Perhaps it will increase our empathy; perhaps we will be able, just a little bit, to imagine what living with governments a lot more malignant than George W. Bush’s must be like.</p>