A broken cycle?

[David Horn]

Eric the Green Wrote:... David, what "consensus" did Lincoln have? The consensus required is enough unity on the Democratic side to at least vote out the Republicans, as in 1860 (the Democrats were the party to vote out then, of course). It occurs if the Democrats can stop the voter suppression going on, and nominate candidates who have a chance to win, not stiff or weak wonkies (for 2020, it appears that\'s Bernie or Biden as nominees who have a chance, since Landrieu, McAuliffe and Brown bowed out; chicken ckicken.....). Even a win by a slight majority will be enough, especially if the Democrats can get the Senate back and revise the filibuster.

We'll have a 4T; that's all but guaranteed. The question is whether it will be a "failed" 4T, like Germany's in the last round. I guess there's another question: can anyone rescue us, like we did for them? But if we fail, then the next 1T will be a "recovery" and a slide into banana republic status, not an "American High." I am predicting success for us, from the solar system indicators.

I think you missed my point.  Political solutions require consensus building.  When that's impossible, only two conditions can arise:

• No solution emerges.  Typically, this means that the issues at hand are not that critical to the two (or more?) sides,  and gridlock is acceptable, or
  
• Violence erupts, possibly leading to outright war.  Resolution though violence is possible, as history has shown many times.