In Search Of Civility

“Search for civility grows in Washington after midterms” - surely this article in USA Today would provide some hope for the future. Wrong! It was almost apologetic for bringing up the subject. It turns out that the only thing growing in the search for civility is rhetoric. One sobering message did come through, "The gloves are off," University of Texas presidential historian Bruce Buchanan says. "Ultimately, politics is a substitute for war. ... Is civility impossible? No. Is it likely? No."

The search for civility will be as fruitful as the search for an honest man by Diogenes. There is no lantern bright enough at the present time to find civility in politics. Case in point - The Tea Party. Any success these people have had certainly was not because of civility.

On the brighter side , a lack of civility does not necessarily equate to stalemate - if used adroitly. David Greenberg's " Give 'Em Hell, Barry" Slate history lesson makes the case for Obama adopting a little of the Truman touch. Truman of course was a master in using his fighting spirit and fierce partisanship to get things done, civility be damned.

A search for civility will go on and certainly should be encouraged, but for now search and destroy reigns. Let the games begin!