My political ideology continues to evolve.
While I have always looked at the big picture and recognized that individual policy differences are not our country’s main problem. Rather, the problem is our leaders' inability or unwillingness to solve problems. They prefer to create problems.
In the beginning, I naively believed honesty and clarity might break the ice. Later I pushed for truth and civility as a means to build trust. I am beginning to see things from a new perspective.
I always understood there is a fundamental flaw in our basic human nature that causes us to follow the leader and hang onto tradition and superstition even in the face of contradicting truths. Telling someone they are wrong only serves to strengthen their resolve against the truth. Showing someone, they are wrong only serves to turn them against you.
Now I know that truth holds no power because truth is what is in a person's head, not what is in the facts, data, studies, research, logic, or reason. I can see that an honest person is perceived as a liar when that honesty contradicts an established belief. And civility and cooperation are seen as weakness in goats and asses.