Sorry about "long time people" thing, couldn't think of anything better.

Anyway, I was wondering to myself this morning whether the politics here have always been so poisonous?

Those of you who have been here for a long tie, what differences have you seen?

While I think that things have gotten slightly worse over the 25 years that I have been here - particularly with regard to the level of animosity between Democrats and Republicans in Congress - it has always been pretty bad

If there was a "golden age" of US politics it was well and truly over by the time that I arrived in 1987 (half way through Regan's last term).

Watergate was in full flood when I arrived -- can't get much grubbier than Tricky Dick and his henchmen!

Actually that was primary republican against republican since the most outspoken critics of Nixon were New England republicans who were part of the judicial committee investing watergate.

I think part of it is that the number and speed of media outlets has increased to such an extent that we expect short instant responses which leads to a more argumentative stance. One would guess previously one candidate would have a piece written about him in the NY Times, then a week later a considered reply would be printed the next week etc. Now we have no attention span for anything more than 140 characters.

Overwhelmed by the websites, tweets, papers etc we stick to our entrenched positions rather than discuss. We are simultaneously more informed and less informed at the same time.

Indeed. I actually think Watergate demonstrated a reasonable degree of cooperation between the two parties.

I'd say politics has got more divisive since I moved here, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the influence of money. The US has always had "the best political system money can buy", but the amounts of lobbyists $$$ floating around the political system has grown exponentially. And the Citizens United decision is only going to make matters worse. And secondly, a combination of gerrymandering of House districts and the influence of the religious right means that there are way fewer "moderates" in either party. Reaching a consensus on almost anything has become increasingly difficult.

Historically speaking, it has been worse. 1861-1865 was particularly bad...

The response to what happened did indeed do that; but the OP asked whether the politics here had always been so poisonous, and I think that breaking into someone's psychiatrist's office to look for dirt to use in the political arena is pretty poisonous behavior!

I got here in the mid 80's and it seems to be getting worse year by year, much more vicious than I remember from years back.

Oh I don't know...

... perhaps the mistake they made was not waiting to get a little therapy themselves while they were there!!

As my dad would say 'they are all out to feather their own nests'. To be honest for the most part I can't be bothered to listen to their drivel, when they come-a-knocking I tell them in my finest british accent that I am not a citizen and cannot vote that is enough to have them piss off and leave me alone.

poisonous politics is universal.
The level of integrity sank faster than the Titanic whilst being directly inverse to the level of hypocrisy.

with all the crap which is going on today, won't be surprised if we head that direction once more.

When Lincoln was in office, one could knock on the WH door to talk to the president. It is also debated that Lincoln's desire to abolish slavery was to weaken the south economically rather than what is traditionally believed.

A lot of skewed thinking arose during and following the War of Northern Aggression.

Ian

Don't fret.

It's always been this way.

US politics is nasty business.

The fundamentalist Christian issue seems to be morre pronounced now?