Chatting with the Other Side

I try to keep a wide perspective on the world, and I’m finding that with the current heated political environment, it pays to see what The Other Side is saying. Being honest with myself, I’d categorize myself as a moderate liberal. I don’t fall into the neat categories that most would ascribe to ‘liberal democrat’.
In keeping with my seeming category, one of my favorite folks around is Al Franken. He’s a comedian turned outspoken left wing commentator, whose intelligence and depth astounds me everytime I read his works. He won’t say anything without -really- understanding the issue, and researching it before making the comment. Seriously, read his books, he has a whole team of folks that make sure that if he says Rush Limbaugh ate peas for breakfast – in fact, yes, he did, and here’s the cites!
I wish the right were this well informed. We have people like Anne Coulter “The Democrats want Saddam back.”, Rush Limbaugh “Intellectual Left Pushes Bush Assassination Fantasies”, and Bill O’Reilley “Hillary’s true colors show through”. (note: All these quotes were taken from the respective front pages of each site).
But, it makes sense to see what the right is actually saying or thinking, because in all things, Perspective: Use it or lose it (Richard Bach).
I’ve found that Jay Redings blog is a well written, well spoken, very good indicator of where the right is now. While I rarely agree with anything posted there, I find it important to read, and sometimes comment on things I see. Naturally I expect to get… responses to my comments, and do, but it’s all part of the process. It makes me think harder about my replies and commentary, doing the research before speaking.
By the way. The left is not without it’s own strong left wing voices ” exposes Fox for what it is: partisan spin, not news.”. Where I agree in spirit with much of what these folks are saying, I can’t wholeheartedly support them and their rabid attacks on the right. Just because Karl Rove is a master of spin and takes the phrase “If it ain’t illegal, it must be okay!” to new heights doesn’t mean the other side has to adopt his tactics.
I still disagree with much of the right’s way of thinking. I still stand in my strong disapproval of GW Bush and virtually all him and his administration has done during his presidency. However, I do see where the right is coming from in it’s commentary, though I feel it is based in narrow thinking, selfish viewpoints, and potentially destructive planning, for now and future generations.
Perhaps much of this is backlash against the Clinton years, where many on the right saw the roles reversed. The hatred and viciousness directed at Clinton during that time was unparalleled, though, as in so many other issues, the sense of balance seems to have been lost, no matter who is putting the idea forward.