Why do you guys think the country is so divided?

[zaxx19]

...notice the words next 20 yrs....and the words 100k household income..the job market is hot for accountants right now this will only hasten outsourcing there is no reason we need bean counters here with about avg math skills who know how to use 2 spread sheet programs when there are 40 million Indians with the same skills and who will work for 1/9th as much. Have fun with 40k lol I wouldnt ever work for a corporation in a cubicle for less than say 80k myself.

[gummy d]

In a real general sense: Conservatives are in denial that the U.S. is an imperial power acting in its own self-interest PERIOD. Or they recognize this and think it's only natural. It's what people, nations do.
Liberals are in denial about the nature of reality and think they can change the course of human history into something it has never been, peaceful.
Thus for a conservative, for the U.S. to invade another country it is not only good for the U.S. but also good for the invaded country as well (eventually). For a liberal it is somehow bad for both the U.S. and its "victims". Somehow they can't see or are in denial that even the poorest people in this country are enjoying the spoils of war.
gummy d

[zaxx19]

If the US is an empire it is by far the most benevolent one that has ever graced the globe..I believe "American Hegemony" is a more apt description and one many Conservatives would probably find appropriate.

As for the US acting in it's self interest NOWONE IS IN DENIAL ABOUT THAT. It just is a matter of whether one believes it is a sort off ugly Quid Pro Quo situation(we need oil we invade Iraq) or a kinder gentler stabilizing motivation...nowone with half a brain believes the US or any other country acts contrary to its self interests consciously....how could that Govt sustain itself in the long run...Cuba, N Korea, P.A Iran(not as clear...)....the end is coming for these types of regimes.

[MMMMMM]

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what are the main issues, and why do you think they divide us so much?

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Guppies.

[gummy d]

Zaxx,
When you say the end is coming to these types of regimes (N. Korea, Cuba, Iran, etc..), you are essentially saying the types of regimes that resist U.S. hegemony. They either refuse to cooperate in the U.S. neo-liberal economic bug or worse defend themselves by adopting nuclear arms programs as in the case of N. Korea. Clearly N. Korea's arms program has deterred the U.S.; Iraq's lack of an arms program (which we effectively destroyed) allowed us to make quick work of the takeover. Stabilization may take forever.
We do not pick fights we aren't assured of winning and we do not invade countries such as Iraq for humanitarian reasons. We do it for the oil and the critical leverage it provides in the world economy. Most conservatives would not agree with this.
Do you?
gd

[Cpt Spaulding]

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the country should be divided. the US is big. different areas have different wants and needs.

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Divided into what???? Tolerance is a great thing...People do want and need different things this is where tolerance comes to play...We were divided once and it took almost 500,000 men to die to reunite the nation...Do we need that again?

[zaxx19]

you are essentially saying the types of regimes that resist U.S. hegemony.

No im not. Although in Cuba's case I believe constantly antagonizing the country which potentially could be Cuba's greatest trading partner and supply it with BILLIONS in tourism dollars probably isnt to pragmatic.

North Korea's problems have little to do with resisting American dominance and much to do with suicidal economic policies...a quick study in contrast between North and South and their respective development since the end of the Korean War will illustrate this. The US isnt starving N Korean babies a paranoid and totalitarian and corrupt regime is.

As for Iran the youth have already chosen Affluence, capitalism and social equality for women....if not American dominance per se over mullahs and bonyads. Iran will transform dramatically in the next 25-35 yrs there is virtually no serious scholar on the region who believes otherwse.
Whether it continues to bother the US by supporting Shiia fanaticism in Iraq(THIS BOTHERS/scares MOST OF THE GULF AND SAUDI SUNNIS AS WELL) and by openly and actively bankrolling Hezboallah(Is taking on Israel a necessary part of Iran's foreign policy..perhaps..hard to say) is a really a separate issue. I suspect antagonism will decline when policies are based on market considerations and how policies affect standards of living.

Iran IMHO has a very bright future and will at some point be THE regional superpower in the area with or without Nukes. How they handle their power will decide whether it becomes a full fledged world power in this century.