Bowles: "I am not going to act like I don't like him."

http://dailycaller.com/2012/08/14/exclusive-bowles-on-ryan-im-not-going-to-act-like-i-dont-like-him/

I don't post this to discuss Paul Ryan and I don't necessarily endorse Bowles opinions of Ryan (either the positive or the negative), but what caught my eye was that it was a person of some significance who wasn't afraid to attempt to look at the opposition in a measured way. How rare is that these days?

Both parties feel the need to demonize the other side to such a degree that serious discussion becomes impossible. You do not have to agree with President Obama and his policies, but he is really destroying our country? Really? That is what constitutes political discourse? Or, if you truly wish to demonize Obama (as I have done with Scott Walker for instance), can you at least list a few real policy issues that you have disagree with in a fundamental way? Based on my everyday discussions, I don't think many people can, not because they might not exist, but rather we are buried in this culture of ignorant and blind attacks.  The common American, of either party, makes very little effort at educating themselves on the issues, leaving both parties pandering to the lowest common denominator, while the serious folks of both parties wind up frustrated and feeling helpless blowing in the wind of yet more and more of the same old same old.

(And yes, I do realize that I praised a facebook post that exaggerated the connection between Scott Walker, an evil and pathologically manipulative being, and Paul Ryan, someone I thoroughly disagree with, but believe is no more good or evil than your typical politician. My defense?  I agreed with the jist of the post, if not the word for word interpretation.  Either way, I will admit to some hypocrisy when dealing with a quick facebook post. Hey, nobody's perfect.)

Anyway, the bottom line is that regardless of what you think about Bowles or Ryan, I found Bowles' words to be rare and borderline refreshing. There is a great clip of Stewart ("Daily Show") mocking Palin for saying that the Dems are the only ones who take cheap shots or practice inclusion, before of course playing numerous clips of Republicans and Palin herself doing exactly that. It has to stop (and yes, I am looking at you Fox News, and to a lesser extent, MSNBC).

I wish more people could take the Bowles' approach. I think our country would be better off.