The Rise of Extremism on Both Sides Doesn't Help Us Compete

The problem is that each party has swing to the extreme left and right - and the sensible moderates in the middle have lost out. Both Democrats and Republicans seem to foam at the mouth at the mention of "moderate."

That is what we have to get back because neither extreme has the answer. In fact each extreme is the problem. If neither Nancy Pelosi or John Boehner can talk to one another or hash things out over a dinner after work like Tip O'Neil and Reagan did, then how do we solve the problems that 80% of Americans want the two parties working on to solve?

I see the same extreme trend expanding beyond Islam and into Christian and Jewish (even Hindu) sects also - the unwillingness to talk to others different from them.

This extremism is nothing but trouble for all of us and our future. Our ship of state is in serious trouble and the refusal of both sides to work towards common ground bodes ill for America - we are playing in our own fishbowl.

We have to compete with a global, high tech world after digging ourselves into the deepest financial hole of our nation's history. We can't do it with politicians refusing to give an inch on either side.

How does refusing to enact an arms agreement with Russia help Americans? How do tax cuts that add to the deficit help bring it down, when the same cuts have only doubled our national debt in the last decade?

We need to find solutions and they will only be found by moderates on both sides working together to shut out the extremists who only want to throw Molotov cocktails, verbal or otherwise.