Thread: I Want My Partisanship Back!

Here is a thread inspired by Davo.



The term partisan is thrown around and used as a derogatory word for the most part. I'm guilty of describing someone as a "partisan hack" myself. Can partisanship, or being a partisan, be a good thing though? Is there a positive side to partisanship? Can someone be an honest partisan?



Here's one definition:

Partisan



-noun

1. an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.

2. Military. a member of a party of light or irregular troops engaged in harassing an enemy, esp. a member of a guerrilla band engaged in fighting or sabotage against an occupying army.



–adjective

3. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of partisans; partial to a specific party, person, etc.: partisan politics.

4. of, pertaining to, or carried on by military partisans or guerrillas.

Partisan seems to be used most often to describe someone as blindly loyal, or even dishonestly loyal, to a specific ideology. But whether conservative or liberal, can't someone be honestly partisan? Can they merely be a fervent supporter of an ideology they believe in?

In a representative Republic, it makes perfect sense to be partisan.



Can you be partisan to the point of blind obedience? Of course. But the act of participating in party politics in and of itself is how the system works.



It's like having a report button on posts in a forum, but telling people not to use it.

I think partisanship is a good thing, it provides checks and balance, but in this country we have none except for the rank and file. We have and empire and every few years we get a new emperor.

[quote name='michaelr' date='12 February 2010 - 04:57 PM' timestamp='1266011827' post='114513']

...but in this country we have none except for the rank and file...

[/quote]



Glad to see you're back being a productive member, Mike.



But what does this statement (quoted) mean?

[quote name='Davocrat' date='12 February 2010 - 01:58 PM' timestamp='1266011907' post='114514']

Glad to see you're back being a productive member, Mike.



But what does this statement (quoted) mean?

[/quote]

I see the dems and pubs lock step, there has been very little difference. I do not forget that the fraudulent bailout was a Bush plan, neither do I forget it was endorsed by McFuck and Obama. I see the wars and the creeping police state in the same manner. Everything is the same, and I do not think this is good for America, nor good for you and I.



The people are invested in a two party system. I wish they would take their blinders off and see just for a day or two that they're wrong.

[quote name='Dr.Knuckles' date='12 February 2010 - 05:03 PM' timestamp='1266012223' post='114515']

Being honestly partisan to an idea or an ideology could be a positive thing. Like saying Ghandi was a partisan pacifist or that former slave is only anti-slavery because he's partisan". That would be an honest partisan.



However... and here I reserve my right to use the word on internet chat sites, being Partisan to a political PARTY is not honest. Becasue what that means is that you support Party A when they do something and then when party B does the same thing you act all offended and disgusted with them for being "those kind of people".



In this case, the speaker had no honest position. The blindly supported whatever Party A did, whether it was right or wrong, successfull or disasterous, and attacked Party B, again, totally regardless of any honest idea or belief in what they did or didn;t do.



I think it's honest to say "I support wars that are waged to assist a people that are suffering under oppression, and that's why I supported the ____ war" You can be aprtisan to that ideal. but you cannot honestly say "I support whatever war my country is in, because I support my country" That's dishonest. You're not supporting the war at all, you're pretending you do. It's a lie.





Which leads me to the problem with the justice system.

[/quote]



So you consider "partisan" a negative.

[quote name='Dr.Knuckles' date='12 February 2010 - 05:08 PM' timestamp='1266012529' post='114521']

Voting for whichever political party best reflects your beliefs at the time of the election is good for society. Voting for the same party loyally regardless of whether you agree with them or not is putting the parties interest ahead of your own, and putting the parties interest ahead of your countries.



I think that's a really ignorant thing to do. And the result is predictable. Blood.

[/quote]



A good partisan votes for the party platform. If a member doesn't represent the platform, then you consider them not supporting the party. And if this happens enough, you switch parties.



A party is really no different than an individual in this sense. In fact to suggest that you're voting for an individual in most US elections is naive, since there's at least a small organization behind most candidates.