Compromise

[BluePriest]

Is it really so easy. Both sides think that the other needs to compromise, but where do you compromise on an issue such as homosexuality?
If 1 side thinks its moral, and the other thinks its immoral then there really isnt a middle group. Abortion is the same way.

[mesaprotector]

Compromise on abortion: Make it legal and don't put restrictions on it, but don't make taxpayers pay for it, either (so, no coverage through Medicaid, etc.).

Compromise on gay marriage: Hmm, this one is tough. The best I can think of is to leave it up to the states, and let states decide whether to recognize marriages from other states as well.

(These compromises don't reflect my actual positions)

On most issues a compromise can be found, the problem is that neither side really likes compromises. One definition of a good compromise is one where both sides are equally dissatisfied

[BluePriest]

Compromise on abortion: Make it legal and don't put restrictions on it, but don't make taxpayers pay for it, either (so, no coverage through Medicaid, etc.).

Compromise on gay marriage: Hmm, this one is tough. The best I can think of is to leave it up to the states, and let states decide whether to recognize marriages from other states as well.

(These compromises don't reflect my actual positions)

On most issues a compromise can be found, the problem is that neither side really likes compromises. One definition of a good compromise is one where both sides are equally dissatisfied

If you believe that life begins at conception, then  abortion is murder. I dont really see that as a compromise since its still allowing murder with no choice to the victim.

As far as homosexuality goes, I agree with you 100% ITs just 2 consenting people. Lifestyle choices are no ones buisness

[Belthus]

What if one side believes in a pluralistic society and the other believes that certain groups (Christians, Whites, males, the wealthy) should dominate the rest? The first side has compromise baked in because it is all about accepting differences as inevitable and sometimes even beneficial. The second side believes that it has THE TRUTH from GOD or the MARKET (hard to tell the difference sometimes, based on their rhetoric), and everyone else has to be strong-armed with guns. If both parties believe in a pluralistic society, then there can be good faith negotiation over the details of implementation. But one side absolutely does not believe in pluralism. What if one side believes in trial by jury and the other side says, "Hey, why bother? Everyone knows that guy is guilty!"

[Daytripper]

This is an obvious point really.

Almost universally, a red traffic light means ''stop'' and the green one means ''go.''

And you never hear any party argueing for it ''red'' should be ''sometimes stop'' and ''sometimes go.''

Regarding abortion some people are always going to be unhappy. Make it illegal instead and people will be forced to carry every pregnancy through.

[OldTrees]

General:
The positions that "the government is obligated to regulate _____" and "the government is prohibited to regulate _____" cannot compromise. The only way for a compromise to be made between the positions of "_____ is immoral" and "_____ is not immoral" is if one or more of the sides does not hold the extreme position (see first pair).

Marriage:
My solution is to prohibit government from regulating for or against marriage. Few religions would try to restrict the freedom of other religions for fear of it inevitably restricting their own. The government could pass a subsidy(tax breaks) for families to replace the subsidy(tax breaks) for marriages.

Abortion:
There is no compromise I can see. I do not know which proposal(ban or permit abortion) is immoral but all moral evidence I have points to at least one being immoral.

[russianspy1234]

compromise on abortion: the prochoice side changes its possition to "forced abortions for all" therefor, legal choice of abortion is the compromise...

in all seriousness though, sure there are some things that cant be compromised on, but most things can be, and we arent even seeing compromise on those issues, with one side sticking to their guns of "no tax raising, ever, for any reason" and various other issues, and refusing to compromise not because of the issue itself, but because of a general stance of being against compromise.  i read an interesting article about how conservatives see the politics as a saturday morning cartoon, with themselves as He-Man and liberals as Skeletor.  with that view, any compromise at all is yielding to evil, and evil must be destroyed.  its a hyperbole, but an interesting one.

[mesaprotector]

Politicians don't like compromise, period, it doesn't matter what side they're on.

Unfortunately, the public doesn't much like compromise either.

A compromise is not something that makes everyone feel good, it's something that makes both sides scream in anger at you, thus temporarily diverting their hatred from each other so something can actually get done.

[russianspy1234]

Politicians don't like compromise, period, it doesn't matter what side they're on.

Unfortunately, the public doesn't much like compromise either.

A compromise is not something that makes everyone feel good, it's something that makes both sides scream in anger at you, thus temporarily diverting their hatred from each other so something can actually get done.

compromise can be something that makes both sides feel good, especially in politics where one side can give up something on one issue in exchange for something on another, which obama has repeatedly tried to do, by offering to cut various things democrats generally hold dear, but the republicans refuse to move even an inch on raising taxes, and in fact reject almost every bill that doesnt include disproportionate tax cuts for the wealthy, including the payroll taxcut which cut taxes for everyone, but favored those making under 200k per year.  without compromise, we really get nowhere, because its impossible for everyone to get everything they want, and without compromise, no one gets anything.

[esran]

no compromise will ever be found on the abortion issue. it is too far based on morals. if your morals are one way, than forcing someone to have a baby that could ruin their life or kill them is a monstrous horrible thing to do. take a step to the right, and abortion is equivelant to baby murder. it all depends on something that truly is an opinion, and undecidable by science. when you think a humans life begins. i dont think anyone would argue that murder is moral, so the issue completely hinges on this. and since when a life beigns is so impossible to define, no compromise can ever be reached. both sides will squabble over it forever.
gay marrige is different. seriously, gays marrying hurts literally nobody aat all. it is ridiculous that people seriously think it should be illegal. i mean cmon, what possible reason is there for prohibiting people from marrying eachother?

[russianspy1234]

no compromise will ever be found on the abortion issue. it is too far based on morals. if your morals are one way, than forcing someone to have a baby that could ruin their life or kill them is a monstrous horrible thing to do. take a step to the right, and abortion is equivelant to baby murder. it all depends on something that truly is an opinion, and undecidable by science. when you think a humans life begins. i dont think anyone would argue that murder is moral, so the issue completely hinges on this. and since when a life beigns is so impossible to define, no compromise can ever be reached. both sides will squabble over it forever.
gay marrige is different. seriously, gays marrying hurts literally nobody aat all. it is ridiculous that people seriously think it should be illegal. i mean cmon, what possible reason is there for prohibiting people from marrying eachother?

the problem comes from the right passing laws that about things that HAVE been decided against by science, like saying that fetuses feel pain at 18 weeks, when science clearly says 24 ( i could be off on the numbers) or how doctors have to say that abortion causes breast cancer, when it clearly doesnt.  dont want to turn this into an abortion argument, so lets say that it is an issue that cant be compromised, fine, we'll cross that bridge later, meanwhile we can compromise on the other issues, like saying government civil unions with all rights for all couples, religious marriage for those who want it.

[Xamuel]

Compromise (noun) :

  A buzzword you can use in order to save face while you renege on your 2008 campaign promises and stab your constituents in the back.