Reading various blogs, sites such as Daily Kos, Drudge, Democratic Underground etc. I am now convinced that there is no middle ground anymore. I hold positions on various issues that, depending on the site, blog etc I would be considered the enemy, anathema to society. For example, I am a gun owner and believe that I have the right to own a firearm or sixteen if I so choose. I also believe I have the right to use that firearm in order to protect my family, my neighbor and myself. With that said, I never have been, am not now and never will be an NRA member as the NRA is in my view so far over the top they live in an alternate reality. Their answer to gun violence is insane. I also believe that the Dianne Feinstein answer is also insane. The best answer is the one that pisses of both the NRA and the left, whatever that answer may turn out to be. The point here is that discourse in America has decayed into an "either/or" proposition. The intransigence we see today is counter productive, destructive and will lead to nothing but chaos. People in politics, especially on the right today, scare the bejeezus out of me. That nitwit Lt. Governor candidate in Virginia or Louie Gohmert, Todd Akin, or that Broun guy from Georgia. I am profoundly disappointed in President Obama, with the Verizon/NSA business, spying on Fox reporters (not that I approve of Faux Noise), signing the NDAA, renewing the Patriot Act. I generally hold left leaning views, but I think he has gone too far left. Barry Goldwater once said "extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice", maybe, maybe not. Extremism in any form however is inherently dangerous, be it liberal or conservative. When I refereed youth hockey, I knew I called a good game when both teams were pissed at me. That indicated to me that I walked the line of impartiality very well. It may seem that I have poked sticks at the right more than the left, and probably I did, it just seems to me that for some reason the right, especially the Tea Party types are more vocal and seem to get more press than those on the left. Maybe I am wrong here, maybe I turn a blind eye to left extremist talk, I really don't know if I do. It will be something to look at. I am convinced that the Republican side of the Senate is doing everything possible to be obstructionist. I believe if Obama said "I am going to lower taxes and eliminate the IRS, cut Social Security and Medicare, increase Defense spending and bomb Iran's nuclear program and seal the borders" that McConnell and his sidekicks would find a reason to obstruct those proposals. I don't know what the answer is, I don't know how to muzzle extremists on either side of the aisle, I wish I did