Reply #7: Btw, welcome to DU

[salin]

I can barely find time these days, except on the weekend to participate. I do hope that we run across each others' paths periodically - as what you are writing, here and on another thread, resonate with me and with how I think.

One of my newer friends (of the past several years, as opposed to life long friends) - has worked on and off with a major (in terms of importance) right leaning think-tank. We intersect on several educational policy issues - and for the longest time avoided pure political discussions as it was easy to fall back into partisan discussions. However, we have come to realize that while our ideology helps shape how we view issues, and view policies to address issues - we also recognize the limitations of our ideologies and the fact that sometimes opposing ideologies introduce important ideas - and critiques that should be incorporated into the policy formulation discussions. I tell you this, due to your brave (on this site) acknowledgement of being of republican roots and the vague familiarity I feel in these first conversations that remind me of the conversations I have with my good friend who once declared that he would have a hard time living it down if any of his friends saw us dining together due the Dean pin on my purse strap. That is my long way of saying - hello, and I hope that we will find many opportunties for discourse.

Per penetrating the public psyche - I think it can happen more quickly than over a period of sixty years - but only if something jars it. Sometimes I think that this particular administration is SO arrogant, so full of contempt for the public, that if it fails in a large way... and in a way (like with Nixon) that the public fully sees some of its actions in the callous light deserved... that there will be a forced point of cognitive dissonance that will allow for the public and self examination that is so sorely needed for our survival. However, I often think that my view is hopelessly naive - given how egregious the actions of this administration has been and the lack of public awareness about the implications of these actions.