Fighting It Out

A MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS and democrats, in and out of congress ,distrust each other, as do more broadly, liberals and conservatives. Each considers the other to be a dire threat to American national health and security. Conservatives, surveys reveal, are of the opinion that liberals, who generally oppose the continued exploitation of fossil fuels, are damaging the American economy, costing jobs, diminishing prosperity. Liberals, who are now called "progressives", accuse conservatives of causing climate change by supporting fossil fuel use , and therefor bringing about the destruction of the Earth's eco system, and thus, the United States. The two groups differ in other ways. Conservatives support lower taxes on the wealthy, asserting that progressive taxation punishes achievers for being successful, and that progressive taxation hinders the production of goods and services by decreasing the ability of producers to produce them with investment capital. Liberals respond that stimulating production by allowing corporations to keep more of their profit does not guarantee that the extra money will be spent on production rather than executive bonuses and salaries, and shareholder dividends. Also, contend the libs, lower corporate taxes do nothing to stimulate demand, which after all, is the only factor which makes increased production profitable. Demand must precede supply, their reasoning goes. Demand, say progressives, can be increased by raising the minimum wage, and by giving tax breaks and credits to America's working poor, thus increasing discretionary income for millions of working people, allowing them to become consumers of commodities. Production, thus stimulated by increased demand, creates jobs, so progressives say. the argument would seem to be sound. Ideological differences are far more far reaching than even this. Conservatives tend to favor requiring transgender citizens to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificate. Progressives point out that transgenders, who are no longer the same sex listed on their birth certificates, and that they all prefer using the restroom corresponding to their current gender, not their former. And so it goes. Conservatives, another matter, tend to describe the United States as a "Christian" nation,; progressives assert that that the U.S. is a nation of religious tolerance, diversity, with no state religion, and a secular government and civic sector. They point to a law, passed unanimously by congress in 1797, which declares that the United States is "no more a Christian nation than an Islamic one." Take your pick.