Reply #39: Agreed. That is why it's so difficult to change minds by using facts alone.

[gtar100]

Belief has a tendency to put blinders up which is always an obstacle to understanding conflicting data. But I would submit that republican ideology (and by extension, their agenda) is more based on belief than the democratic ideology. They believe in little or no government regulation over business, more government regulation over individual liberties, peace with enemies through domination, tax cuts as economic stimulus, pulling oneself up by the bootstraps, etc. But overwhelmingly, history has shown that these ideas just don't work out in the long run. In fact, they create the opposite of what they intend.

I get your point, that both sides have an agenda and a perspective that they believe in. But we don't get anywhere if we are satisfied to leave it at "agree to disagree". Republicans have an agenda that is catastrophically destructive to the planet we share and it contains no reality checkpoints that I'm aware of. Whereas, the Democratic side is open to debate and willing to negotiate for a mutually agreeable outcome. I think we've come to the point where it is harmful to let republican viewpoints stand unchallenged or considered as legitimate alternatives. They've had their chance to prove themselves and have brought us to the brink of destruction. The nonsense they stand by needs to be shown for what it is, a fools dream.