| A big part of the problem is the limited choice of issues that come up and how they are framed. For instance, "pro-family" organizations oppose abortion, but don't oppose any of the many social changes that destroy families, such as divorce. Organized feminism, such as NOW, sticks to "pro-choice" as the only "pro-women" policy that their members can agree upon. So long as an irreconcilable issue like this exists, politicians don't need to talk about anything else. Republicans back the Keystone XL pipeline because it proves they are "good for business" and the democrats are not. Democrats oppose the Keystone XL pipeline because it prove they are "good for the environment" and the republicans are not. In reality, either having or not having the Keystone XL pipeline is the end of the world. But while politicians are pretending it is, they can appear "legitimate" without having to deliver anything at all in terms of promoting business or protecting the environment. |