I like having very different views expressed. Sometimes they are "OVERexpressed", but I am pretty tolerant of that. I do think that, contrary to the past, RR has become more left-leaning, but I think that the echo has been dampened by good acoustics. That allows a variety of expressions to be heard.

One thing that katydid would not be aware of is the numerous times that I have tried to a) recruit reasonable right-leaning participants, and b) provide defenses for conservative views. At points in my life I have been accused of being a conservative (especially by those still to my left), but it really depends on the topic. At the same time, I have become QUITE frustrated by the "only-one-view-is-acceptable" crowd, and that seems, in my experience, to exist predominantly on the right. I think that this is perhaps a result of the predominance of that viewpoint in the political sphere. In my experience, however, the views that I hold are really more prevalent (if various scientific polls and surveys are to be believed) in the population as a whole.

I'd even be willing to bet that many to the right of me would share similar views on many topics (say, tax rates), if they would take the time to listen. That may be something that Donald Trump will end up bringing many people to agreement on - I doubt very many people would support his maintenance of his lifestyle by depriving the rest of us of the resources he has had available.

A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.

Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich