Ken Dollinger: Yearning for safe harbor in sea of political extremes

##Ken Dollinger

It is late at night, or maybe early in the morning, and my eyelids just popped open. My mind has started racing multiple thoughts around its mental track. Sleep is just not happening.

One interesting thought involves the state of nation, present and future.

The present does not really bear thinking about. Ah, but the future…

What political situation would I like to see for the next presidential election?

Of course, this assumes that I — teetering on the brink of age 80 — will still be alive four years from now. It also assumes that fair, free, open elections will again be held as the Constitution provides.

The odds of either assumption being correct seem, at this dismal time of night, highly problematic. To be optimistic, let’s just settle on 50-50.

American politics in the 21st century behave similar to a rubber band — first stretched one way, then responding to the resulting consequences to stretch the other way.

The more force applied by the previous extreme, the further the rubber band is next stretched in the opposite direction.

So the distance between the two extremes gets greater and greater. And those citizens riding the political rubber band eventually lose sight of each other.

It’s odd that something sounding as warm and positive as “polarization” can actually be so disruptive, so negative.

The two major political parties, in the minds and hearts of voters, stand for extremes. Democrats are godless communists (on the left) while Republicans are religious zealots (on the right).

In this confusing atmosphere, right can be right — or wrong. Left can be right — or wrong. My tired brain reels with the contradictions.

The staunch followers of each party have become convinced the other party is evil and must be defeated at all costs. Sadly, this assessment is the only common ground the two extremes share.

Ironically, the assessment is mutually accurate: both extremes are detrimental to the nation’s orderly function and wellbeing. In my opinion, extreme politics should be put out with the garbage.

The core elements of extreme political sound and fury are really quite small, displayed by just a small minority of citizens.

The adherents of extreme politics make a lot of noise, though. It’s comparable to the frantic yipping-yapping of small dogs, where the few can sound like a multitude.

The principle is: Make enough noise, you attract attention. Make enough noise long enough, you generate emotion — and collect a crowd of followers.

I believe that many of these followers, if not most, do not actually embrace extreme politics. They are just joining a crowd because, attracted by the noise, they were sucked into the emotion of the moment.

The best way to deny political extremes their crowds is a third party. Call it the Mid Party, something for the voter in the middle.

As core elements, I propose the Mid Party embrace many of the views and wishes of the two extremes, but none of the methods.

Party platforms would be realistic, actions would be measured. Consequences would be expected, with planned revisiting of earlier actions to address failures.

Broad sweeping actions, simplistic responses to complicated issues and one-and-done attitudes would be avoided. The only claims would be for reasonable results based on rational action.

How boring is that concept? Even if I were not so tired, I would still be yawning from the idea of such a ho-hum political party.

From any angle, a Mid Party would be hard pressed to compete with the yip-yapping of the extremes and thus to attract the mass of voters less committed to the “this is right and everything else is dangerously wrong” message.

And that is the rub: How to make the rational and reasonable appealing, even exciting? How indeed.

About the writer: Ken Dollinger set out to become a journalist, getting his start as a reporter and photographer at a daily in his native Texas. He was working in Beaverton in 1990 when he decided to relocate to McMinnville and open a bookstore with his wife, Linda. Now retired, he enjoys fishing, hunting, traveling and seeking out new experiences. He has a long legacy of active community involvement.