You'd think, after years spent writing a blog, that Mr. Reynolds would know about archives and trackbacks and stuff like that.

You'd think that, indeed. But apparently you'd be mistaken. I do love how, now that they find their team in the minority, Republican talking heads across the land suddenly have a newfound appreciation for civility and compromise.

It's a bit late for that, you great detectors of treason and perfidy. I repeat my previous invitation.

ARGH! The stupid! It BURNS!!!

Heh, the funny part about that list is that it has grown quite a bit in two short years.

He's not a hypocrite, he's just on the other side of self-recognition.

Well, that didn't take long.

Honestly, I hadn't seen that clip when I posted the earlier comment.

Whoops, wrong thread!

Apo, yes, this is really too rich, coming from Reynolds, but of course he's right (even when he's shirking his own role in this and even though the right by far carries the greatest responsibility), especially here:

"To the "activist" crowd on the left and right, people who don't share their views 100% are evil, and on the other side. This tends to backfire politically, which I think is why the elections favored centrists this time, but that doesn't stop the polarization. In a way, it tends to make it worse. ... But I also think that Card's right to warn people against too much division, and too little emphasis on our common interests as Americans. While I don't think that we're in danger of a civil war, I do think that our current political system is unhealthy, with polarization serving mostly as a tool for the folks in power to keep their bases in line, while they pursue agendas that are mostly self-serving. I hope that both the people and the press will make some conscious efforts to moderate the tone, and make that approach less effective."

The left may be forgiven for supposing that besides a possible lack of sincerity, the right might simply be setting up the left for another stab in the back.

There are ways past this, which involve paying attention to how easily tribal buttons are pushed, and going after the button-pushers and denying them political advantages from selling division. But maybe that's just the bigot in me talking. In any case, we do need to aggressively target abuse of power in the Administration, and to push for responsible behavior in the Congress that holds the Administration accountable. I remain concerned that Cheney thinks he can go to war anytime he wants to, and to continue to spy domestically without Congressional approval.

We should also pay attention to how the party system has increasingly corrupted politics through gerrymandering and running towards the poles rather than the middle. Locking in votes benefits only the parties and the corporate rent-seekers who are looking for hand-outs. We need to work on restructuring and cleaning up our electoral system.

Another step in the right direction is to take Reynolds at his word, and to insist that he demonstrate his sincereity by condemning bad behavior from the right. Make him play a role in lancing this boil.

Another step in the right direction is to take Reynolds at his word

He is quite possibly the single most disingenuous voice in the blogosphere (they even coined the term disinglennuous, in his honor). No way do I take him at his word ever. The Republican Party is rotten to its core and has been since Nixon. Democrats have done the "sensible, split-the-difference" dance for 25 years now, and it has been disastrous for the country.

I'm in no mood for comity or reconciliation.

insist that he demonstrate his sincereity by condemning bad behavior from the right.

This has been tried repeatedly by many many people of good will in the blogosphere willing to take Glenn at his word, and Glenn has never been interested. He's completely disengenuous and only condemns bad behavior when it's convenient for his side to do so.

But anyway, how do you "insist" that Glenn do anything? What are the consequences to him of not doing what you insist? It's not like he has any shame to play upon.

apo: "I'm in no mood for comity or reconciliation."

Perhaps it`s not time yet, but I wasn`t actually suggesting it anyway.

M/M: "This has been tried repeatedly by many many people of good will in the blogosphere willing to take Glenn at his word"

What I was suggesting was not that people naively take Reynolds at his word, but to reply that we agree that that of which he speaks are steps in the right direction, but that actions speak louder than words. If he wants reconciliation, then he has to act like it, by condemning bad behavior from the right. Otherwise, his words are just an empty attempt to claim an undeserved moral high ground.

I honestly don`t pay much attention to him, but it sounds like you`ve concluded that there is no sincere bone in Reynold`s body.

I respect that, but would observe that giving into division is giving the forces of darkness a victors.

I haven't given in to division, I just think that expecting Reynolds to start acting differently is a waste of time that could better be spent elsewhere with honest and goodfaith actors on the right. If you feel like replying to Glenn in the manner you mention, I'm not against that, but you should prepare to be disappointed.