How To Preserve Individual Freedom? Best of Both Worlds? Political question…gentle thoughtful, no rage please.

I am told that my posts are confrontational on subjects like this one, so here is an elephant with a dog on its head:

It ain't gonna happen.  US politics, far more than the political scrapping observed in other countries' news stories, contains an element of the implacable that often turns to hatred. 

You could try the Australian solution. Our conservatives call themselves the Liberal Party, which they most definitely are not. Their extremists would be welcomed with open arms by the Tea Party. Our liberals call themselves the  Australian Labor Party (yes, with American spelling) but haven't been truly a labour party for more than 40 years. So all you need to do is change the names to confuse the issue.

There is also a phenomenon called "the donkey vote". We have compulsory voting so too many people  with no interest in politics just number their candidates down the page in the order they're printed and with no consideration of who they are or what they represent. I imagine that a donkey vote in the US would be a blue vote. :)

I was once told by a leading senator who visited our company that both parties agreed on the same things about 95% of the time -- "but on the other 5% we fight tooth and nail". Republicans and Democrats are such entrenched enemies that I doubt if America could come close to that 95% agreement. It's more like a family picnic for the Hatfields and McCoys.

not sure how

Personally  I can't see how anyone could turn to antagonism over this post... it's a gentle post and likely to cause gentle answers... We all value freedom on this list.. we go about it in different ways and have different ideas... but we all value it.

Ok to make this a bit controversial... cant see how anyone can work with Duck... because he doesn't want to work with people.. he wants them to capitulate and do what he wishes.. that's not working together.. sadly one of my problems with the man is that he is practically impossible to either ignore or work with... but your sentiment that it's ideal to work together is spot on

I wanted to reply to your answer to the question (whose link is below), but it required more time than I had to make my reply understandable.

What you have brought up in this question makes it much easier.

You mention that even someone named Donald (Duck) could have been elected.  ("local liberals became conservative and life-long Democrats turned Republican; they would have voted red in this election had his last name been Duck.") 

I think in the recent USA presidential election, people wanted no more "Obamarism" and voted red. 

Unfortunately, I think no one considered sufficiently whether a relatively uneducated person who has by virtue of his money has always had the final say in most areas of his life, and who thinks small cats (pussies) are his for the taking might on balance turn out to be worse for our democracy than a candidate less personally compromised but of a possibly less desired philosophical position. 

Which points out that the unfortunate reality that the members of a democracy do not always engage in behavior which is guaranteed to preserve the democracy.

And isn't the general difference between red and blue the how to achieve what the majority of us see as good, rather than the what?

I don't know how things are going to play out during his term---but I am pleased that our government also includes a Congress and a Judiciary.

Perhaps we will only be able to treat water until a rescue becomes possible in 2020.

And here's the link to that question I mentioned:

http://answermug.com/forums/topic/25595/stupid-president/view/post_id/219505

I'm going to take the opposite view... The answer is really rather simple... It's called thinking... Thinking rather than reacting.
Rather than accept the party line you probably inherited, think about the issues, research them... Come to your own conclusions... Once you've done that decide if what is best for you is really the best thing for others also, the country and the world as they are not always the same!
Getting the people to think thought, aye, there's the rub!

Hi Virginia~ I'm smiling at myself because I'm about to enter dangerous territory.  This is why.
My Grandparents were hosting an elaborate cocktail party one afternoon.  I was 14 years old which is just the right age to put your foot in your mouth.  Knowing, as grandmas normally do, I might just do such a thing, she pulled me aside and shared these words of wisdom:
"At any kind of social gathering, there are three things that are taboo to you.  Sex.  Religion.  Politics.  If you find yourself in a conversation with these topics, simply excuse yourself and gracefully walk away.  If you do choose to engage in such topics, you may find your dearest friends not to be so friendly."

I've been pretty good at adhering to 3/4 of those words of wisdom. But because you are you and asked so kindly, I feel pretty safe to throw my small token of thought in the basket. 

I would like to suggest we simply Stop.  Stop being "the problem."  We are the problem we have created.  We created the parties.  We created the anger, name throwing, and finger pointing.  We, don't seem to be happy unless we are fighting with each other.  Stop. We are all here at the same time, breathing the same air,  drinking the water, polluting, and conserving, breeding and dying.  The planet will continue to spin on her axis with or without us bickering.   Why not enjoy our time here together? It is a truly magical place to be.
Stop being the problem and be the solution.
Thank you Virginia and everyone who took the time to read.  It can happen.  Be the solution. 

There is no best of both worlds.

Compromise won't save us. That's what western society has been doing and this is where it has led. The U.S. is 20 trillion in debt and has 100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. Collapse is probably inevitable at this point.

Liberalism is just orwellian double think. Liberals need to stop fence sitting and decide whether they believe in Marxism or liberty.