New Hampshire's Virtual Town Hall

Politico.com addresses hyperpartisanship in politics - Looks like it's here to stay for now

Politico.com recently ran an article which spoke about the presence of hyperpartisanship smothering American politics like the plague. Despite numerous Presidential pleas to meet in the middle, Politico.com says it's here to stay.

"...there are two big incentives that drive behavior at the intersection where politics meets media. One is public attention. The other is money. Experience shows there’s lots more of both to be had by engaging in extreme partisan behavior."

Politico goes on to say that recent stories in the media revolve "around indignant claims from people claiming to be victims of bias and the corrupt ideological agendas of their opponents — all the while stoking and profiting from the bias and conspiratorial instincts of partisans on their own side."

As a member of the Live Free or Die Alliance, I thought other members would be intrigued by this article and how closely it hits home regarding our own elections. The LFDA tries to make citizenship easier. "Party politics out, citizenship in!" is their mantra. The organization aims to provide nonpartisan information about NH issues and candidates in a society that is plagued by political hyperpartisanship.

According to Politico.com "Responsible people in power and in the mainstream media are only beginning to grapple with this new environment — in which facts hardly matter except as they can be used as weapon or shield in a nonstop ideological war. Do you dive into the next fact-lite partisan outrage — or do you stay out and risk looking slow, stupid or irrelevant? No one is close to figuring it out."

And so, I encourage you to use the LFDA, Politico.com and other nonpartisan resources for your election information. Listen to both sides of an argument. Consider propaganda for exactly what it is- propaganda. I wish politicians would spend more time talking about what they are for, instead of slinging mud at opponents. Right now, I know a whole lot about what candidates are not. Neither side has proven to have the solve-all solution. When people open their ears and listen to one another, more really does get accomplished.

Read the entire Politico.com article which was published in the Union Leader:

Politico: The Age of Rage - Partisan extremism captivates public, brings in bucks.

Tags: LFDA, Politico.com, hyperpartisanship, political parties

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Comment by Jamila Lasante on July 26, 2010 at 8:19am: This hyperpartisanship by party leaders is exactly what I am talking about and find such a dis-service to the citizens - quoted from Kevin Landrigan's recap in the Keene Sentinel Source;

"Something was in the air this week as 2010 primary candidates all seemed to awaken from their summer slumbers and start aiming with both barrels...The never-shy Republican and Democratic state chairmen have taken notice and are taking names...Raymond Buckley, chairman of the N.H. Democratic Party, gave a pep talk to liberal party activists on the Blue Hampshire blog on Wednesday and most specifically about the Kuster-Swett matchup. Buckley said he’d prefer — of course — that both spend all their time trashing Bass.
'Of course I liked my idea that they each spend $500,000 going after Charlie for the next month and a half and then just hope for the best on Primary Day, saving the rest for the general election,’ Buckley mused. 'Imagine that, a million dollar TV buy exposing Charlie’s sorry record. Hey, I can dream can’t I?’...Buckley tried to enlist the faithful to be his eyes and ears on the campaign trail and not be gentle with the leash if need be...Sorry gentlemen, the stakes are too high and the races too competitive for the rules of good etiquette to apply much longer."
-Keene Sentinel