re: #359 Wendell Zurkowitz ((slave to the waffle light))

politics is about maintaining ideological purity and integrity for its own sake.

democratic / representational politics depends upon the recognition of the legitimacy of the opposition.

democratic politics is negotiating agreements between groups having different interests with the object of finding a common way forward.

it is a clash of value systems, each of which is in some way valid; a competition between basically well-intentioned people who see the world differently.

honest disagreements and arguments are good *if* they lead to statesmanship.
Statesmanship *is* compromise.

otherwise it’s all just theater.