# We need both parties
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [October 22, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026 "2010-10-22T17:11:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@godix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godix)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2010, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/61 "2010-10-25T18:32:33Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#):
>
> So you’re agreeing with me.
I agree with you on what Republicans today want. I was disagreeing that this is somehow different from what Republicans yesterday wanted.
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### Author:  [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/62 "2010-10-25T19:14:28Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Oh, and could you give a for-instance of this?
I’m not laughing at you but this made me laugh out loud.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/63 "2010-10-25T20:18:17Z")
> [@msmith537](#):
>
> I am in favor what makes sound economic and business sense.
And what happens when the two are in conflict?
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [October 25, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/64 "2010-10-25T20:39:39Z")
At any rate, America doesn’t **need** the GOP. We would have a much healthier two-party system if the two major parties were the Democrats and the Socialists.
Of course, a [multiparty system](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=516797) would be better still.
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### Author:  [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/65 "2010-11-01T12:53:04Z")
> [@Dcypher](#):
>
> Suggesting that the Democratic party is near center while the Republicans are far right is exactly the kind of thing that makes me crazy. Republican-leaning people tend to think that Republicans are center while the Democrats have become insanely left and vice versa for the Dems.
It all depends on your reference. By Scandinavian standards, I’d guess that the Dems would have been characterized as just to the _right_ of center, somewhere close to our moderate conservatives 🆒
But then again, the whole bunch of us are commies, right? 😃
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/66 "2010-11-01T13:38:58Z")
> [@Dcypher](#):
>
> However, when the Democratic party gets control, they too, push aside their moderate elements in favor of more extreme views and the government that results tends to be just as intrusive and abusive albeit for different reasons?
The last two Democratic Presidents have been anything but extremist. The last Republican President… well, I’m sure you remember.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/67 "2010-11-01T14:30:56Z")
Say, where’s **Dcypher?**
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### Author:  [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/68 "2010-11-01T15:13:00Z")
> [@msmith537](#):
>
> Fair enough.
>
> I have to agree with\*\* Inigo Montoya\*\* and a few others. You can’t just distill everything down to “Left” or “Right”. The Republicans have become a little to right wing for my tastes
A little?
> [@](#):
>
> , by **Der Trihs** seems like a left-wing lunatic to me (no offense).
So the Republicans are a "little bit too right wing but Der Trihs is a lunatic? Somethign tells me taht your tolerance for right wing asshattery is much higher than your tolerance for left wing asshattery. This is especially disturbing when the right wing asshattery is based on lies and the left wing asshattery is based on the frustration of seeing those lies treated as truth every day, day in and day out.
> [@](#):
>
> I’m pretty liberal on some issues like gayness, abortion, and a few others. But I’m also pretty Right on others. And when it comes to economics or business, I don’t follow a particular political idealogy. I am in favor what makes sound economic and business sense.
I’m liberal all the way around and I’m also in favor of what makes econmic and business sense but the Republican approach to what makes econmic and business sense si ALWAYS the same goddam thing… Cut taxes for the welath generators (i.e. the rich) or the world will come to an end.
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### Author:  [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/69 "2010-11-01T15:28:15Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#):
>
> > [@Damuri](#):
> >
> > No, its them having no sack. They wanted a larger stimulus but they were afraid of criticism.
>
> Well, they only had 59 votes in the Senate when the stimulus passed - and the Republicans decided that 60 votes were needed to pass _anything_. What’s remarkable is that the Republicans were able to change the rules of the game without debate – the press bought into this state of affairs almost instantly.
Yeah, IOW, Democrats have no sack.
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### Author:  [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/70 "2010-11-01T15:31:54Z")
> [@godix](#):
>
> I agree with you on what Republicans today want. I was disagreeing that this is somehow different from what Republicans yesterday wanted.
The Republican party existed before 1994. And even then they didn’t require 60 votes in the senate for everything. The Republicans have turned the Senate into the House and not because all 41 Republican senators are voting their conscience, but because 41 Republican senators are voting their party.
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### Author:  [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/71 "2010-11-01T15:32:08Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#):
>
> Yeah, IOW, Democrats have no sack.
Unlike the Teabaggers . . . 😉
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### Author:  [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)
#### Post date: [November 1, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-need-both-parties/558026/72 "2010-11-01T15:50:50Z")
A democrat and a republican come across $100 lying in the road
Democrat: Let’s split the money 50/50
Republican: No I get all the money
Democrat (compromising): OK lets spit the difference you get 75 I get 25
Republican: NO!
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