But in his Farewell Address, George Washington made it clear that he perceived no greater threat to the American experiment than a partisan demagogue who 'agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against the other'

John Avlon

Categorized in : Farewell Community Alarms

First, I think more Americans need to declare their independence from partisan politics on both sides. The more that Americans declare their independence, the more the parties will have to compete for their votes using reason rather than the hateful appeals.

independence party thinking

I'm an independent. I'm a centrist. A new generation is arriving that has grown up with a multiplicity of choice in every aspect of their lives, and yet politics is the last place that they are told that they should be satisfied with a choice between brand A and brand B. It doesn't fit the way they think. It doesn't fit the way they live.

independent choices thinking

A wingnut is someone on the far-right wing or far-left wing of the political spectrum - the professional partisans, the unhinged activists and the paranoid conspiracy theorists. They're the people who always try to divide rather than unite us.

political wings people

Our politics are being hijacked by a comparatively small number of people who seek to dominate the debate by screaming the loudest. They see the world as an urgent struggle between true believers and nonbelievers. They attempt to impose strict litmus tests and insist on conformity. They demonize dissent and consider all political opponents their enemies. Fear is their favourite tactic as they try to divide and conquer

small-numbers struggle people

We cannot hope to change human nature. There will always be cranks and conspiracy theorists among us. But we can try to improve things - we don't have to accept the debasement of civil discourse or civic decline. We can take steps to ensure that the lunatic fringe remains on the fringe and stops bleeding into the base and then poisoning the mainstream

bleeding steps trying

If you only take offense when the president of your party is compared to Hitler, then you're part of the problem.

party problem president

One tell-tale sign of a Wingnut: they always confuse partisanship... by John Avlon

One tell-tale sign of a Wingnut: they always confuse partisanship with patriotism.

partisanship tales patriotism

We need to punch back against the extremes of both the left and the right and define the terms of the debate ourselves.

debate term needs

By pumping up hyper-partisanship, our country (America) is playing with forces that can easily get out of control. We are giving purpose and cover - and sometimes a sense of purpose - to the crazy among us. We are encouraging a culture of extremism

crazy country america

Whats different now is that while political leaders used to give talking points to talk radio, now talk-radio hosts are giving talking points to political leaders. Its all part of the suffocating spin cycle were in. In media, politics and publishing, the conventional wisdom is to play to this base.

media play talking

The far right and the far left can be equally insane. by John Avlon

The far right and the far left can be equally insane.

left insane

Terrorism is always one bad day away from being issue No. 1. by John Avlon

Terrorism is always one bad day away from being issue No. 1.

issues bad-day terrorism

Demagogues always do well in economic downturns. by John Avlon

Demagogues always do well in economic downturns.

economic-downturn economic wells

Politics is history in the present tense. by John Avlon

Politics is history in the present tense.

present-tense tense

I believe that the far-right and the far-left can be equally insane - but there's no question that in the first years of the Obama administration, the far-right has been far crazier. In part, this comes from parties being out of power - without the responsibility of governing to ground them, the activists and the ideologues take over.

party responsibility believe

It's important to remember that Bush Derangement Syndrome on the left - comparing him to Hitler, calling him a terrorist and a tyrant - preceded Obama Derangement Syndrome on the right.

tyrants important calling

Godwin's law states that the longer any online debate goes on, the likelier it is that someone will play the Nazi card. It's the rhetorical equivalent of going nuclear and stupid at the same time.

stupid law play

When people tap into this politics of resentment, it usually ends... by John Avlon

When people tap into this politics of resentment, it usually ends ugly.

ugly resentment people

The American people are smart. They've gotten sick of the predictable hyperpartisan talking points and canned anger.

smart anger talking

The two parties are still more polarized than ever before and the rise of partisan media is an important reason for it.

media party two