Is it just me, or has the political discourse in this country become much more course and strident lately.

People used to believe that Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan could scrap like cats and dogs, then tip a brandy together over a late-night supper.  Lyndon Johnson used to win over congressmen with some good arm twisting and a charm assault.

That’s all been replaced by “in your face” politics. Congressional leaders smack each other like opposing players in an NFL showdown game. Being macho is more important then being right, or for heavens sake, serving the welfare of our country.

I’m an avid KMOX AM Radio listener. I ought to be. I was their prep reporter for some 20 years during the Bob Hyland 1980s and 90s regime.

Now I hear commercials for “conservative owned” companies. Does that mean liberals would be unwelcome to buy services from that company?

KMOX is running an advertisement for a Greek Island tour this summer, owned by a conservative company. I suppose liberals would be un welcomed on a tour of the Aegean Sea?

I’m a social liberal and darn proud of it. I’ve noticed that over the years, I’ve parted company with former conservative friends. We don’t even speak to each other anymore.

A friend painter told me he went vacationing a few years ago in Northern Michigan. Seems half the house guests were liberals, and half conservatives. He said a fist fight almost broke out.

Who’s to blame. That one’s easy. The fans of crude discourse have been fanned by the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity and others. Liberals like Ed “Lets Get to Work” Shultz of MSNBC and Rachel Maddow are just as much to blame.

The major players of all time, however has to be the entire crew over at FOX Noise. They have refined fear mongering and race baiting to a fine art. I couldn’t help but notice their ratings are plunging like the temperature of a winterized thermometer

As the late Rodney King uttered one time, “Can’t we all get along anymore?”

The answer to that is a resounding no. The stakes are too high. The reward seems to out weight the risks of those doing all the shouting. Compromise is simply a dirty word.

Tea Party or Common Cause, Club for Growth or Citizens United, nothing seems to be working anymore. Who loses? We all do. Congress is getting nothing done any more than shouting at each other and now the Sequester seems to be spreading some pain.

I think I’ll pass on that next conservative cruise to the Greek Islands.