Why did America become so partisan?

[Caliga]

Like what? I was a kid in the 80s, and I don't remember anything like that. I mean, Oscar the Grouch is clearly GOP, but he's not exactly propaganda. And Alex Keaton was a strawman brought to life, not a role model.

I would imagine he's talking about shows like GI Joe, the A-Team, Airwolf, and so on.  However, I don't see that as being especially relevant since I doubt children were polled for this at that point and I'm quite certain they didn't have the right to vote.

[Ed Anger]

Like what? I was a kid in the 80s, and I don't remember anything like that. I mean, Oscar the Grouch is clearly GOP, but he's not exactly propaganda. And Alex Keaton was a strawman brought to life, not a role model.

I would imagine he's talking about shows like GI Joe, the A-Team, Airwolf, and so on.  However, I don't see that as being especially relevant since I doubt children were polled for this at that point and I'm quite certain they didn't have the right to vote.

A-Team, right wing? WHAT KIND OF SHIT IS THAT? They helped migrants in one episode for christ sakes.

[Caliga]

A-Team, right wing? WHAT KIND OF SHIT IS THAT? They helped migrants in one episode for christ sakes.

I didn't say he was RIGHT, just that I think those sorts of Stephen J. Cannell-esque shows are what he's got to be referring to.

In fact, I don't really think he's right (aside from my earlier objections to the relevance).  They glorified violence, sure, but that doesn't make them conservative vehicles.  I mean, the A-Team featured a NEGRO in a starring role for Chrissakes.

[Stonewall]

Additionally, nobody ever died in the A-Team or GI Joe.

[Caliga]

Additionally, nobody ever died in the A-Team or GI Joe.

That's kinda how they glorified the violence, in fact.  Cartoonish violence with no real consequences.

[Valmy]

That's kinda how they glorified the violence, in fact.  Cartoonish violence with no real consequences.

I thought it was bizarre how GI Joe's weapons were all lasers in the cartoon.  I mean even their M-16s shot laser beams.

[Viking]

That's kinda how they glorified the violence, in fact.  Cartoonish violence with no real consequences.

I thought it was bizarre how GI Joe's weapons were all lasers in the cartoon.  I mean even their M-16s shot laser beams.

meh, the Muskets in Empire Total War shoot laser bolts

[derspiess]

I thought it was bizarre how GI Joe's weapons were all lasers in the cartoon.  I mean even their M-16s shot laser beams.

That annoyed the crap out of me, along with pilots always safely parachuting out of their planes when they got shot down. 

At least the comic book (the few issues I read, anyway) had real, honest to God violence in it.

[Caliga]

Remember when Hawk (I think it was) got stabbed by some snake spear thrown by Serpentor in the GI Joe movie?  I was like "OMGWTFBBQ actual blood!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111"

[Ed Anger]

Serpentor sucks.

[crazy canuck]

Doesnt look too different from the Clinton numbers.  Its just that more Dems are still in honeymoon mode with Obama.

[Vince]

Serpentor sucks.

I remember being very pleased when the show brought back Cobra Commander and turned Serpentor into an iguana. 

[Sheilbh]

Doesnt look too different from the Clinton numbers.  Its just that more Dems are still in honeymoon mode with Obama.

I'm not saying it's worse for Obama than Clinton, but that at this stage, compared with earlier Presidents, the opposition seems less tolerant of Clinton, Obama and, to a lesser extent, Bush II.  And I was wondering what the possible reasons were for that.

[crazy canuck]

The Americans will set me straight but my impression is that Clinton was a polarizing force  in American politics and that polarization remains to this day.

[Admiral Yi]

The Americans will set me straight but my impression is that Clinton was a polarizing force  in American politics and that polarization remains to this day.

I think that's a valid thesis.  Clinton opened the old Vietnam era wounds and the following administrations can be seen as revenge cycles.