So I've spent a great deal of time thinking about my next post. Since then, I've done other things and have now forgotten my thoughts. As such, I've determined to post a lament.

Perhaps worse than anything else, Bush's presidency has created an even greater polarization in the nation. I spend a great deal of time chatting on another blog. I represent the moderately liberal voice in the discussion, yet my ideas regularly get attacked by the other side. Often I find myself attacking the opinions of those same members of the other side. It's sometimes painful to realize the extent to which we all get angry at each other over the politics of this nation. It's as if we can no longer think and may only express ourselves through emotion.

Many people suggest that this polarization was caused by Bush's policies. They say he acts like a president who won in a landslide, yet he technically lost the popular vote. While the supports to this argument stand, I think the overriding theory is based upon a mere correlation.

Polarity and a rush to judge based upon gut decisions doesn't come out of a president acting too strongly in one direction. When an entire nation operates under a theory directed decision process, they do so for myriad reasons. My personal theory lies in the direction of fear. The twin towers fell. For months we were afraid and acted as a team. We were the good guys, everyone else was the bad guy. Then things changed.

More aptly, things didn't change. The war in Afghanistan was winding down. The fear had a chance to recede. But it didn't. Why didn't it? Because we were still under heightened (color-coded) terror warnings. We began a war with Iraq. We failed to get Osama.

Remember how I called Bush a magician? Here is yet another example of his magic at work. He personally speaks of daisies and sunshine. The world is good! We are winning the war on terror! But he's gotten everyone else to sing a different tune. His people continue to issue warnings. They talk about the threat of Kerry being elected. They beef up security in NY for the RNC to three times that of the DNC in Boston. Threat of attack is imminent.

And the liberal side does much the same. Draft! Iraq will never end! The world hates us! For every terrorist Bush kills, three more pop up!

Is any of it true? Who knows? Who cares? The point isn't validity. The point is terror. America's terrorists aren't Islamic. They are the media. They are the government. They are the democratic and republican parties. Why are we afraid? Because they tell us to be. Why do they tell us to be? Because it strengthens their "base."

There are a good dozen studies that show we stop using a data-driven approach in decision making when mortality is salient. We don't look at all the facts. We look at the facts that confirm what we already believe.

Does that sound familiar?