What is hurting America more, the far-left, the far-right, or their partisan divide they create?

its very vicious in politics over there and i would not envy anyone going into politics as all you life is open to nasty stuff from the opposition!

Hurting America NO

Worrying to other countries NO

I would hate to live in the non democratic countries of which there are still to many where this site would be banned and we would all be rounded up and disappear for any outspoken views!

What truly bothers me is the whole system. If a Democrat comes up a great idea that would benefit the country the Republicans automatically are against it. The same thing happens if a Republican has a great idea. So the result is gridlock and nothing gets done at all.

We should vote out ALL the professional (rich) politicians and try to elect honest people that would work together, regardless of party, for the benefit of the whole nation.

I would like to think that we could accept a good idea from a Republican or a Democrat based on its merits, instead of rejecting it just because the idea came from someone of the other party.

We should be Americans first, trying to do what is good for the country as a whole, rather than being a member of whatever political party first.

We already have ample evidence that partisanship just results in gridlock to the frustration of the American people.

It is the most excellent question i have heard in a VERY long time.

Once you start thinking about it it becomes apparent that the question is not that easy. The divide it creates is certainly hurting the U.S. from the inside. The democrats are hurt themselves, because the GOP portraits them as weak on defense, which is certainly not the case. The GOP equates not using weapons and bombing the c-r-a-p out of people as being weak on defense. One shortcoming of the democrats certainly is that they didn't come up with a good candidate last time around. That Kerry guy is certainly not presidential material, but so isn't George Worthless Bush either. There is no one with Clinton's gestalt on the horizon other than Hillary. She would make a good president. Maybe not as good as her husband, but certainly better than anything the GOP came up with since Lincoln.

Summarizing i would say that the GOP hurts the country the most, because their failed policies and unnecessary wars. This is harm done that can take decades to repair, if ever. It is easier (and more tempting) for the pigs in power to do damage than for those not in power. Of course it is always easier (and safer) to blame those not in power for the damage done.

I think the ranking of the entities doing harm is:

1) GOP

2) The divide

3) The democrats

I think it's the partisan divide. We will never have a situation where everybody agrees on everything. I just wish they could learn to work together amicably and work on effective compromise rather than being divisive and filibustering or taking an all-or-nothing approach. Neither side has ALL the answers, I think there are nut cases in both parties, and until those nut cases are pushed out by quality people who are willing to work for the people rather than their own personal or party's advancement, things will not get better.

there is an illusion of left and right.. there is no such polarization.. there is the us and the them... and while my "right" sided friends would like to call me a nut for saying so my "left" sided friends will look at me like I am satin if I wear a Nike T-shirt. .. the reality in The United States of Amnesia is that we have lost all control of our leadership and our non stop bickering is just that..bicker. It has no effect on the bigger picture.

The very Rich ( the corporations ) are in full control of our country and they are selling the franchise to anyone else around the world that will play their style of ball... the enemies then become.. North Korea, Venezuela, Iran etc.. it's not coincidence that none of those three places have denied a central bank (google it) Afrika has a monstrous human rights record.. we don't rush in there to "remove" their dictators or how about Chile.. Pinochet operated with full support of our corporate Gov...

so while Mason X and others like him would like nothing more than to kick and punch anyone not in step with his redneck vision... the reality is that he may well be under the same boot as I am ..or anyone else in this country... don't be fooled by the media blitz boys and girls.. this show is just getting started. Bill Clinton, Regan, Bush One.. Carter, Nixon, Johnson.. these guys all worked at this same trajectory through their presidencies... They all had affiliations with various secretive intelligence groups (google it) I don't blame the current administration. sure they are egregious warlords.. but lets not forget Wako or Ruby Ridge, or any of the other many events that have led us to this point...

Left and Right ???? where ? Rich and Poor you mean...

Neither, I think it is all the people who don't pay attention to politics that hurt this country the most. I think they should fine all the people who are eligible to vote and don't. Both the left and the right can at least talk about politics, granted they disagree quite a bit. The people that get to me are the ones who don't have a clue to how this country works and don't appreciate all the freedoms we do have. Sorry, there is no good excuse for not participating in the process.

The divide. Anyone who blames the other party for all the problems is a prime example of the problem. That is just reading the parties talking points and not looking at the issues and what is causing the split. Anyone that thinks Ann Coulter is not too extreme is not being realistic, but also anyone that thinks Michael Moore is anything but a fat, dirty, liar is also not to realistic. David Duke = bigot, Howard Dean = idiot.

Right now it is the repuglicans they are in charge and have the majority as well as the presidentcy. They have created the divide and there is no comprimises going on. When you have a democratic congress and a repuglican president or a repuglican congress and a democratic president you have a system of checks and balances right now there is none. Therefore the repuglicans can just press through their agenda without any comprimise and that is hurting the American people.

The fact that there is a far left and far right is whats hurting amreica, we're yelling at each other and making a bit deal over little things while our "enemies" are having a field day.

Honestly, I think it's the great big fat divide the two extremes have created that hurts us the most. And the terrorists are watching-divide and conquer. If we can't get it together soon, we are sunk.