Democracy, Debate, Delusions

Even as Thomas Jefferson was writing the phrase "we the people" in 1776, there were fractures among the founders. Eventually, and against the advice of no less an authority than George Washington, they became political parties.

So although the current manifestation of political partisanship seems particularly divisive and rancorous, it's far from unprecedented. And according to NY Times columnist Ross Douthat, the battle lines of outrage in the ongoing trench warfare are subject to change with the wind, or whose latest win has shifted power.

A Partisanship Of State Audio Embed: Weekend Edition Saturday 12/4/10, Host: Scott Simon