Partisans on Both Sides Fervently Believe the Other Side Is More Devious and Less Constrained by Ethics
I try to read an equal number of blogs from the Left and Right. Now, I am not a masochist so I try to choose the more intelligent folks on both sides (if true dedication to avoiding an echo chamber were to rely on reading both Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Maxine Waters each day, then I just can't do it).
So let me tell all you partisans out there from both the Coke and the Pepsi team something I see every day: Both your sides believe and say the exact same things about the other side. Seriously, almost word for word, I could write a book where we just show side by side quotes. In particular, every partisan fervently believes that their party is too nice and milquetoast and well-behaved to win all the battles it should against the other party, which is devious and bare-knuckles and unconstrained by any ethics.
In the past, the majority of each party seemed willing to accept this lamentable state of affairs and claim the high ground, even when that might amount to a Pyrrhic victory (e.g. Michelle Obama: "The go low, we go high" or many of the Republican never-Trumpers).
The problem is that when this desire for the high ground breaks down, then all that is left is an ugly realpolitik arms race to the bottom. It has taken me a long time to really digest the surprising (at least for me) Trump victory. I have friends that are hard-core partisans for both parties (yes, I know this dates me as failing to pre-screen my friends for political orthodoxy seems a sin nowadays). I see the same attitude in my Republican friends -- yes we find Trump distasteful in a number of ways, but he is the first national Republican we have seen who will fight down and dirty with Democrats and win political victories. You see this same attitude on Twitter with Republicans metaphorically carrying Lindsey Graham (!!) around on their shoulders in celebration this week.
Politics are like the NFL -- people emulate what seems to be winning. Bill Walsh won with the West Coast Offense, and soon there were 30 teams running the West Coast Offense. The Democrats are going to be looking for the Trumps as well. I don't know how it doesn't get ugly.
