The secret word is "purple"....

[kentuck]

Not red.
Not blue.
But a cross
Between the two.

This nation is politically divided beyond normal repair. Partisans from both sides are distancing themselves from anything the other Party might say. Their minds are closed. It is a very dangerous and unhealthy situation. Thank you , George Bush.

But there was a reason that Barack Obama's speech rang so loudly at the Democratic Convention. His message was uniting. It was not partisan. It said we were all in this boat together. That is the message that will win for the next candidate, whether we like it or not.

Both sides are aware of the division but so far no one, but Obama, has approached the subject. The secret word is "purple".

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. like in Alice Walker's The Color Purple?

[China_cat]

4. Looks more like marooned to me.

[seabeyond]

2. secret world "purple"/ tele tubby and falwell

color purple more than you can realize. oh the funniesst. i love the universe. purple, means gay to the fundamentalist, i know this cause falwell told them that

lets go around promoting we are all purple. lol lol

[stray cat]

3. You are absolutely right

Purple is the rally cry that can defeat Bush and the radical fundamentalists. The color purple: what unites us can be stronger than what divides us.

[wtmusic]

5. United on what?

On gay marriage? On right to choose? On the war in Iraq? On Social Security? On the environment? On the budget deficit?

The message will win for the next candidate is any alternative to the last message, which by that time will have fucked things up so bad that even the media can't make it look good.

Adversity works. Appeasement doesn't.

[stray cat]

7. The opposite of Bush is unity. Bush is disunity incarnate.

The majority of Americans believe in civil unions that would give gay partners the rights of marriage without using the term. They want abortion kept legal but an emphasis on reducing the numbers. There were fewer abortions under Clinton because of the economics than under Bush. Most Americans want some form of social security although the debate is what to do with it. Most Americans believe in a strong defence but also want international cooperation. Most Americans are worried about pollution and want some level of control over corporations. Most Americans want a responsible fiscal policy and are concerned about the deficit. Bush used the term "compassionate conservatism" (I know a lie) because he knew most Americans wanted some safety net for struggling individuals. Most Americans disagree with invading Iraq although we disagree on what to do with it now.

[wtmusic]

9. Do you have *any* stats to back *any* of that up?

I think you're way off. Most Americans want civil unions? Most Americans want international cooperation? Most Americans would prefer a responsible fiscal policy instead of their tax refund check? Most Americans disagree with invading Iraq?

Says who? :shrug:

[Warren Stupidity]

8. yes lets reach out and ...

compromise:

we will only kill 50,000 Iraqis next year, instead of the 100,000 we killed this year.

we will only deny some basic rights to homosexuals, people who look like they might be muslims, and other groups targeted by the right for abuse.

on social security, rather than fighting tooth and nail to preserve pensions for our aged, we will discuss the economically insane proposals from the right, intended simply to wreck social security forever, as if they were rational and sensible, and we will agree to 'lite' versions of these policies.

on the environment, see the way we should handle social security. Rather than actually protecting the environment, rather than fighting tooth and nail to prevent the dismantling of the current regulations, we will agree to rethuglican-lite versions of insane and pernicious greed-motivated programs that are thiny veiled efforts at dismantling the current system.

As we move towards a theocratic one-party republic, why fight? Better to reach out and meet the fascist bastards half way. Maybe then they won't kill us, huh? Just our friends who didn't compromise, those who stood up and said no to the bastards, will feel the steel-gloved hand of the state. We will be safe.

Sorry. I'm feeling in a particularly uncompromising mood today.

[Tsiyu]

6. Purple is the color of Advent

I thought about purple ribbons for my garland this year.

Ah, but Blue is the color of my true love's eyes...

[MissBrooks]

10. Terrific

Terrific sentiment.
Let's hope the world listens to the uniting theme.

The nation has been politically divided since I was a tiny little baby. It wasn't George Bush who did it.

But.. what we need to do is see a united country for the future.

Let's say - blue and red should work together to become the perfect purple.

BB

[donheld]

11. Looks like a nasty bruise

The US has turned into one big ugly bruise on the side of the planet.

[murray hill farm]

12. Purple is also the color or royalty....

and it seems we presently do have a royal ass ruling our land.

[nostamj]

13. purple....

well, as long as it's not even close to lavender...

that said, I have little hope right now that the reds are interested in any compromise. they believe (OH, do they BELIEVE) that they hold the moral mandate to force the country further and further RIGHT (of course, the RIGHT is WRONG...