The Muzzled Center

Will Marshall: “Not so long ago, U.S. politicians who robotically toed the party line were considered shameless hacks. And ideologues were seen as wingnuts–self-righteous cranks unable to cope with life’s complexities. Today, such people dominate our national politics.”

“In this Manichean hothouse, the battle lines are clear and everyone knows their place. To break ranks on any major issue is treason, to see merit in the other side’s point of view is heresy, to compromise is to sell out and to engage in political horse-trading is corrupt. Finding common ground? That’s so 20th century. Don’t bore us with intellectual honesty, nuance or shades of grey–just pick a side, slug it out and let the best team win.”