But there aren't two different, mutually exclusive opinions. There are several hundred opinions (speaking just of Congress here) with a decent amount of overlap. But parties (as an organization) feel the need to differentiate themselves from their opposition and as such they end up taking mutually exclusive, opposite positions, and then enforce those positions on party members (see: whip). Parties are the problem, IMO, or at least a big part of it.

[quote][quote]Politics should be about discussing ideas of policy that make society better off as opposed of what side is better.[/quote] When you have two different opinions of how to run then country and both are mutually exclusive, you have to determine which is better in order to proceed.[/quote] Naturally. Someone may not see all long term effects of legislation, or the dangers of it in general. It is vital to have competition and I am not arguing that. But I'm talking about the demonizing both sides have done. It has promoted more everyday citizens to do so towards one another. Politics shouldn't be about citizens fighting one another, right?