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Off the Cliff?

At best, we will begin 2013 having just narrowly avoided running off a cliff. At worst, we will have gone over this cliff proving that our government is completely dysfunctional. How did we get here?

Usually New Year’s Day is a holiday celebrating new beginnings. An old year is ending and the new one gives us a chance to start with a clean slate. We make  resolutions to improve our lives, fully expecting to succeed despite our past histories of failure.

But 2013 begins on a much different note for our country. At best, we will begin this year having just narrowly avoided running off a cliff. At worst, we will have gone over this cliff proving, once again, that our government is completely dysfunctional. How did we get here?

The easy answer is to blame the politicians. After all, they are the ones we elect to solve these problems. They need to sit down in a room, find a compromise and get a deal done. Unfortunately, in our current political environment, this is easier said than done.

We live in the age of the endless election/reelection cycle. Senator Marco Rubio was planning his first visit to Iowa before the votes from the November election had  been fully counted. Hillary Clinton is reportedly stepping down from her post so that she can rest up for her run for the Presidency. When politicians are always running, they are always looking over their shoulders and this makes compromise difficult.

According to CNN.com, “Conservative activist Grover Norquist has vowed to back primary challenges against Republicans who violate his widely signed pledge not to raise taxes.” (1)  President Obama has reacted to the crisis by quickly going back into campaign mode, including a visit to Meet The Press. Politicians are not going to act unless they know that their constituents are behind them. If the comments section on the Patch are any indication, this is not good news:

  •  June

6:54 am on Thursday, December 20, 2012

Hobie, taxing the rich is not going to fix the problem. You need to pull your head out of your liberal butt.” (2)

  • Shakeyconpanales

12:55 pm on Thursday, December 27, 2012

Carl that is called Libtard moron math.” (3)

  • “popeye

11:18 am on Saturday, December 29, 2012

Ha ha ha. Idiot!!!!” (4)

  • “Jimmy Almond

7:03 am on Thursday, December 27, 2012

LBV, Oh, poor baby! Did I strike a nerve with you? Based on your responses, you're about as sensitive as a person can get. Maybe you and Number III can start your own blog for atheists. In the mean time, Merry effing Christmas! MORON!”

  • “Shane

11:50 am on Friday, December 28, 2012

He's my President and yours......poor sad American Girl June, you lost...is there a huge L tattooed to your forehead?? LOL!!” (5 )

  • “Andromeda

9:15 am on Friday, December 14, 2012

I hope it's a fast growing cancer. Unfortunately most prostate cancers are slow growing. Any idea what Jerry's Gleason Score is??? Now that's news I would like to know. And how many of the biopsied core samples were positive and what percentage of the cores were positive for cancer?

Please dig, you investigative reporters. Don't just wet out lips.” (6)

Debate is healthy and necessary in a democracy. However, in order to succeed each side must be willing to listen to the other and be open to changing their minds, or at least understand where the other side is coming from. Neither liberals or conservatives hold a monopoly on the answers to the questions facing our nation. The only solution is take the best ideas from both sides.

The first step in improving the debate in this country is to recognize that we are all Americans. The Huffington Post reported within weeks of the last election that “Residents In All 50 States File Petitions To Secede From United States.” (7) Is this really what we’ve come to? The President represents us all, regardless of party. As Governor Christie learned, when you are in need, you are not going to care if there is a D or a R after his name. You will just want the President to make sure that the country stands behind you.

We also need to work harder at keeping informed. We cannot watch Fox or MSNBC exclusively and expect to really understand what the other side believes. Just because something appears on the internet, does not make it true. If you are going to become truly informed, you are going to have to do some independent research and analysis.

Finally, we are going to have to relearn the rules of politeness. No one wants to listen to a person who has just called them a “dummy.” I would suggest that if you would not feel comfortable saying something face to face, do not say it online.

(1) http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/30/politics/fiscal-cliff/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 accessed 12/30/12

(2) http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/blog_posts/house-speaker-john-boehner-enough-is-enough-call-obamas-bluff-9c4b0db0 accessed 12/30/12

(3) http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/blog_posts/house-speaker-john-boehner-enough-is-enough-call-obamas-bluff-9c4b0db0 accessed 12/30/12

(4) http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/blog_posts/house-speaker-john-boehner-enough-is-enough-call-obamas-bluff-9c4b0db0 accessed 12/30/12

(5) http://murrieta.patch.com/articles/beware-the-fiscal-cliff-local-democrats-plan-rally-in-temecula-in-support-of-obama

(6) http://lakeelsinore-wildomar.patch.com/articles/gov-jerry-brown-being-treated-for-prostate-cancer

(7) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/14/secession-50-states-_n_2131447.html

Arthur Spooner March 3, 2013 at 08:21 pm
I only responded because I saw the post on our LEPatch this morning in the feed. He is narcissism at its very best, and you are right along side of him! You love to hear yourself talk, and you think you are so superior to others. It makes all of us sick to our stomachs. And yes, liberals do have a personality disorder. A bad case of the gimme gimmes.
One Voice March 4, 2013 at 02:43 am
Well said Arthur, and I am in total agreement!
One Voice March 4, 2013 at 02:46 am
We read and reply to Carl's blogs because he manages to comment on every post that I make myself that are not even posted on his blogs. Carl has a habit of sticking his nose into everyone's posts and makes sure that when he starts a new blog he posts the invitation of it being live on EVERY Patch article. If he wants to be left alone then leave us alone..
Martha L. Bridges March 4, 2013 at 12:30 pm
One Voice you and Arthur are actually funny...in a sick sort of way.
You continue to read and comment on the Patch and usually dish out nasty criticism based purely on your own inane, personal prejudices. You lump millions of people together under some nonsensical label such as “liberals” and then proceed to denigrate and condemn them en mass. Under those circumstances your derogatory, belittling remarks can hardly be taken seriously. Again, if you find what we write to be so repugnant, why not just stop reading it? Heaven knows, no one is holding a gun to your head and forcing you to read our blogs or comments! If you don't like our responses or our remarks why don't you simply quit commenting? Seems you both have never outgrown the need to get the last ugly word in.
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:35 pm
When one does not have the intellectual capacity to argue one's points, it is easier to resort to hurling insults.
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:38 pm
I am sure that you are as familiar with the meaning of "narcissism" as you were with "oxymoron." Weren't you the one complaining about people breaking down arguments along party lines? Perhaps you should take a look in the mirror.
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:40 pm
One Voice
9:46 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "We read and reply to Carl's blogs because he manages to comment on every post that I make myself that are not even posted on his blogs." . . You now speak for the group? I respond to EVERY post you make? Who does the world revolve around, Diana?
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:42 pm
One Voice
9:46 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "Carl has a habit of sticking his nose into everyone's posts" . . Perhaps your problem is that you fail to realize that the Patch is not your own personal conversation space. It is a public space not subject whatever rules you think you have set for membership.
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:43 pm
One Voice
9:46 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "makes sure that when he starts a new blog he posts the invitation of it being live on EVERY Patch article." . . Once again, you get your facts wrong. These notices are only published on my blog posts, which apparently you subscribe to.
Carl Petersen III March 4, 2013 at 12:44 pm
One Voice
9:46 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "If he wants to be left alone then leave us alone.." . . By all means, keep on driving traffic to my blogs.
One Voice March 4, 2013 at 03:20 pm
Carl said: Perhaps your problem is that you fail to realize that the Patch is not your own personal conversation space. It is a public space not subject whatever rules you think you have set for membership.
It is apparent that some do not see the fault's of their own, but only find fault in others postings to chastise, degrade and find fault. The only thing funny about that is that the Patch continues to allow it without repercussions, while others thanks to those without faults postings are under a microscope. Martha, if you would please check my postings you will see I have never used the word Liberal in anything I have posted.
Shane March 4, 2013 at 04:18 pm
Freedom of choice, to speak your mind. Arthur and conservatives want to speak out but not allow others their right. Again, conservatives are about HATRED, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION, Carl, Joseph, Martha, Linda and I have NEVER suggested anyone to not post. Arthur continues to be a poster boy of conservative......you know the group that says they only believe in the Constitution unless..........some course it weighs on their conservative ideology.
Shane March 4, 2013 at 04:21 pm
Again One Voice you are discriminating against the opinion of one voter to stop him from arguing any of your Right Wing posts.
Martha L. Bridges March 4, 2013 at 04:24 pm
Ah, Arthur, in the immortal words of the Duke "That'll be the day". It just ain’t going to happen.
Haven't you learned yet that we are not going to stand idly by and let people like you get away with kidnapping the Patch, chasing away all the commenters who are willing to stand up to your bullying, and using it as a radical right wing media outlet? You don’t own the Patch or the Internet or the air waves, and you don’t get to make up your own set of rules and compel us to follow them.
Martha L. Bridges March 4, 2013 at 04:34 pm
Once again, One Voice, nobody is compelling you to read any of the posted blogs or comments - let alone comment on them. And the Patch has a "stop following" button you can push to remove yourself from any thread so you won't get automated e-mail notifications of updates or comments on any blog or article.
Martha L. Bridges March 4, 2013 at 04:37 pm
Check all your posts? Good heavens, why would I subject myself to doing that?
Shane March 4, 2013 at 04:41 pm
Martha good job teaching a right winger the lay of the land......you are a very important poster on here, whether you agree with me on issues or not.
Martha L. Bridges March 4, 2013 at 04:41 pm
Hey, it's a free country and we have free speech!
Shane March 4, 2013 at 09:30 pm
Art just asking for an example of a discriminatory quote, phrase, word in every post???? You're right if you can't stand he heat (me asking you to prove a statement) then get out of the kitchen. I'm calling you out. Its just a straight up answer. If you can't you have lost all credibility and are a LIAR. Its normal way conservatives act.
Shane March 4, 2013 at 09:48 pm
You stated again....."Shane discriminates in every single post to anyone who does not agree with him"
If you can't prove that statement, then you are a Fing LIAR. I didn't call her names, nor did I discriminate against her. I told the truth about her.
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:06 am
One Voice
10:20 am on Monday, March 4, 2013 "The only thing funny about that is that the Patch continues to allow it without repercussions, while others thanks to those without faults postings are under a microscope." . . People are only under a microscope because they refuse to abide by the Terms of Service. Perhaps you should read them. There is nothing in there about disagreeing with others' posts. In fact, isn't the whole purpose of a comments section to encourage dialog?
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:07 am
One Voice
10:20 am on Monday, March 4, 2013 "Martha, if you would please check my postings you will see I have never used the word Liberal in anything I have posted." . . Arthur Spooner 8:29 am on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "Every liberal I have ever met is such a narcissist!" . . One Voice 9:43 pm on Sunday, March 3, 2013 "Well said Arthur, and I am in total agreement!"
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:10 am
One Voice
10:22 am on Monday, March 4, 2013 "I do not subscribe to your blog postings, however every time that you write a blog stating that it is live my email is flooded with this information for towns that I do not visit the Patch blog." . . You get those emails because you are subscribed to the e-mail feed.
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:13 am
One Voice
10:24 am on Monday, March 4, 2013 "I will make you a deal Carl, stop following me around and commenting on everything that I post and I will never respond or post on anything that you blog or write........deal???????????" . . Why would I want you to stop? You took a two month old blog and put it back on the Most Popular Blog Posts list: "MOST POPULAR BLOG POSTS Blog: Life at the Betty Ford Center The President's Immigration Plan Blog: What Is It That Republicans Think They Have Won? Off the Cliff? Non-Roster Invitees Are Relevant Now"
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:18 am
Arthur Spooner
5 hours ago "Or if you are a liberals its, "my way or the highway!"" . . Funny, from my side of the ideological spectrum, it seems that it is always the Conservatives that want to force their beliefs on everyone else.
Carl Petersen III March 5, 2013 at 02:18 am
Arthur Spooner
5 hours ago "I will stomp my feet and tell on you!" . . Are you a grown man who is still afraid of being "told on?"
Shane March 5, 2013 at 07:56 pm
The two leaders of conservatism and the Republican Party are headed to CPAC.......Palin and Trump.....ROFLMAO!!!
Shane March 5, 2013 at 08:05 pm
Here's a Bush for you.
In 2005, Jeb and his bro Georgie wanted a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers. Bush penned "Immigration Wars" with Republican lawyer Clint Bolick last year -- long before Republicans and Democrats began work on a comprehensive immigration reform that would allow some undocumented immigrants already in the United States to become citizens. "Immigration Wars" surprised many observers because it explicitly stated that undocumented immigrants should be ineligible for a path to citizenship. THEN- He said this two days ago on Morning Joe- "going forward, if there is a difference, you can craft that in law where you can have a path to citizenship where there isn't an incentive for people to come illegally, I'm for it," he said on MSNBC. "I don't have a problem with that. Thats worse than Mitt!!! Its a flip, flop, flip!!! Republicans have no leaders and no ideas......they only know.....NO!!! And America suffers. Conservatives......where are JOBS JOBS JOBS......remember 2010??? No bills have been passed to create jobs.
DB March 5, 2013 at 08:14 pm
Perhaps he should focus on the drug problems of Bolivia.....
Carl Petersen III June 3, 2013 at 08:01 am
It is in the best interest of students for parents and educators to be on the same team. Therefore, LAUSD’s 82,000 special education students need changes to make the IEP system less adversarial.
___________________________________________________ This week's blog is live at http://northridge.patch.com/groups/carl-petersen-iiis-blog/p/is-my-confidentiality-agreement-confidential_3ebf812f?ncid=newsltuspatc00000010

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