In what is described by the Los Angeles Times writer, David Lauter, as a “major new study,” Pew Research (Pew Study) suggests that our political divide is deeper and our discourse sharper than in recent memory. (Note: Neither the L. A. Times nor Pew is considered “right-wing” by any sentient being.)

The most important conclusion is that the divide among voters is as intense, perhaps more so, than the divisions on Capitol Hill.  Norman Ornstein of the Americans Enterprise Institute and Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, allegedly “neutral” political scholars and observers, in a new book flogged at The Washington Post, attributed  almost exclusively to Republican intransigence verging on lunacy, the anger manifested by the TEA Party movement and the current impasse in the Congress. Simply, they claim that all would be good in America’s future but for Republicans.  With their attempt to aid the Democrat Party and Mr. Obama, they spent all credibility.   In fact, the Pew study clearly shows that Congress reflects voter sentiment tempered only by the phony rhetorical device: “My honorable friend.”

In several angry discussions with Norm and Thom, they were challenged about the notion that Republicans and Conservatives are simply troglodytes and that if they’d merely be like Democrats, abandoning principles and ideals, all would be copacetic.  In fact, studies consistently show that Republicans and Conservatives are better informed than Democrats and Progressives (who want to “progress” 80 years back to The New Deal) and that this nation is notably more conservative than liberal, determined by self-identification.

It’s compromise that got us into this mess: “I want a billion for my project” “No, you can only have eight hundred million.” “OK, let’s compromise . . . nine hundred million!” “Deal. See you at the Monocle.”

One side or the other must claim outright victory, we can’t afford them suing for peace.