Originally Posted by Greger
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What I want to see is both major parties working together for the good of the country

That right there. And it's something I'm hearing more and more of.

But neither side wants to go first. The nation is right now on its knees and congress is having to act...

Republicans are concerned that giving help to workers will make them lazy and greedy so the Democrats have compromised.

Then some abortion rider was tacked onto it by the Senate...

Republicans have tried to capitalize on the opportunity this virus presented to further some unpopular goals...

See...?

But then trump wants to send everyone a check...In a mass attempt to buy votes and put the bill on the national debt.

Perhaps, as things continue to deteriorate, they will be forced to actually come together for the good of the nation.

...in the fullness of time...

Yeah, I think in today's era of polarization, ultra high partisanship, party first politics is one reason both major parties are shrinking, independents, swing voter increasing. In 2006 independents, swing voters made up 30% of the electorate, today if one goes by Gallup, they're at 41%. Most do want the two parties to work together, whenever possible. There are some issues that there can never be compromise on. But I would say 90% of them could be if the willingness was there.

The problem may be two fold. When the two parties worked together, each party had their liberal and conservative wings. The old Rockefeller liberal Republicans of the northeast and the conservative democrats of the south. Both parties shed their unwanted wings since then and are in the process of shedding their more moderate members. Only pure ideologues need now apply for membership in the two parties.

It use to be that each party and their leaders respected each other, they both recognized that both parties wanted a secure, free and prosperous America, only the paths differed somewhat. There wasn't the hate between parties or each party branding the other party this nation's number one enemy. If Reagan and Tip O'Neal could work together, so too could the parties leaders of today. But they don't want to. If you go back pre-2000 you would discover party line voting was very rare. Today it's the normal thing.

Oh well..if the two parties can't come together to tackle this corona virus without political rancor, they never will. Each is too busy blaming the other. Life goes on the best it can.

It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.