Yes, it does. They ARE human beings, you know. Talking like that about them only entrenches them further as their supporters and fence-sitters decide that they're being persecuted and that you're driven only by personal animosity and don't care about the facts or evaluating ideas on their merits (and apparently, they'd be right about you.)
Well...yes, they are human beings, but human beings with an agenda contrary to what is "right", to use an absolute term. To "humanize" them as you suggest and to play to their supporters is precisely the kind of thing that has led us to where we are in terms of the state of our society. Although it isn't a PC or popular idea, even among the right wing, treating your opponents as you would each other doesn't really get you anywhere except closer to their way of thinking.
"We" (and I use this term loosely) are in the position of the status quo. Chuck and his henchmen want to change the status quo. By treating with them and compromising, WE move closer to their position. Yes, they settle for being closer to our position, but we have still moved whereas they have achieved part of their goal. Our goal in keeping things the same has failed. The next round finds the left wing FARTHER out and we move a little more. To budge at all means failure. To go BACKWARD (and this word has negative connotations but it really isn't bad) and take a stance farther back along the path that we've gone can help a little, but it's a hard position to take and, unless you go back far enough, you end up compromising to the position where society is actually AT, anyway.
As for your snide comment about personal animosity...YES, I dislike on sheer principle anyone whose agenda includes any infringement upon my personal freedom.
As for your OTHER snide comment about not judging based on "the facts" or evaluating ideas based on their own merits, I just have to laugh. You have no idea how amusing that comment really is when applied to me.
Aside from the fact that I bet sometime in the last week you were railing against Democrats "playing politics" or something similar, I find this laughable. It was part of a scary secret agenda to militarize the airlines when two Democrats suggested it, but if we tank them and get a Republican to sponsor it instead then it's OK with you?
Everyone plays politics and you would lose your bet. It is HOW the politics are played that determines the integrity of the politician (hah), not WHETHER politics are played.
A scary secret agenda? Nah...it isn't secret. They have no bones about making their agenda public, anymore. Too many sheep in the flock are on their side. It's just a scary agenda.
Robbing ideas from the other party is part of politics. It IS ok with me if the Republicans advance it. Do you say the same things when the Democrats rob ideas from the Republicans and hold them up as their own? Both sides play politics but the left exploits people more when they do it.
