this is surely the implication of house and senate intransigence in the last presidential term.
compromise means not using the division of the levers of power to prevent much of anything happening. the world economy remains fragile. there is a need for action to get the us economy moving faster.
compromise might also mean compromise within the republican party so that the most extreme wings of the party cease to prevail. neoconservatism needs softening, as does social conservatism, as does the economics of ayn rand and the attitude to government of ronald reagan. lean against large government, but don't assume no government is a sensible idea.
split means a split within the republican party between those who want to pull in different directions. but if no split emerges there, then split means a dissolution of the united states into parts.
the constitution was once a source of unity in the country. but its interpretation is increasingly another source of division.
for myself, i favour a west coast bloc, a north eastern bloc, a deep south bloc and a mid-west bloc. at some point a country no longer feels like a united thing. the united states is gradually coming untied.
but i know this is not a majority view amongst americans.
so in order to stay together, real compromise is required. obama has to be allowed to lead. but he has to permit himself to be guided away from any extreme leftward tilt by the gop.
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