adam wrote:
I, although I'm English, believe in a decent America, a moderate America that speaks at the ballot box but is generally quiet and modest.

Thanks Adam... Its been noted somewhere that our political parties have become dominated by the fringes.

First, you've got to be a hot shirt to want to get involved in the first place. Most nonlawyers are too focused on their lives to become really involved in politics.

Second, you're not welcome if you're not partisan. You have to work for one team or the other. Its a party system, and people who aren't playing don't go far. (For example, I think given the age of this blog, if it was clearly partisan one way or the other it would be a lot more popular than it is, because partisans who have the attention of a lot of people would promote it because it serves their interests. It doesn't serve interests, and so it isn't useful. Same thing with people in the political system. If you want to get ahead you have to pick a side.)

Third, the candidates are largely chosen by the powerful members of the parties. They hold primaries, but you have to get into the primary, and the primary doesn't have all of the power, in particular with regard to the Presidential election.

There is a hell of a lot of money in the system, and its really directed by two small groups of people. Its even questionable whether access to one of those groups is a meritocracy, as our Congressional positions have become increasingly hereditary. The sons have instant access to the circles that control access to the primaries.

The sources of dialog are mostly controlled by this money. There are a few outliers like MSNBC who clearly serve other interests. But most of the big outlets are either left or right.

I hope you're right, that there is this great, silent, moderate America, but it has no voice, and its hard to beleive that its real when you never hear from it...

RE: Media Matters - Media uncritically reported Bush's false claim