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Points well taken. I guess I was thinking more of the definition of ideology I find in my Oxford Dictionary, the one handiest at the moment:

1 (pl. ideologies) a system of ideas and ideals, especially one that forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy: the ideology of republicanism.
• the ideas and manner of thinking characteristic of a group, social class, or individual: a critique of bourgeois ideology.
• archaic visionary speculation, especially of an unrealistic or idealistic nature.
2 archaic the science of ideas; the study of their origin and nature.

I am not against compromise in the sense of honestly working to a common goal, adjusting method to accommodate the other guy.

When it gets to the point core values are set aside in the name of compromise, it's more surrender and not something I like.

mojo84 wrote:We have compromised ourselves into $19,000,000,000,000 of debt and that is just one of many areas in which we have compromised too much.

Money is an interesting game, full of ways to channel wealth to those who understand the mechanisms.

We owe $19 trillion, a very difficult number to put into perspective. There is only about $1.2 trillion in existence - https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/currency_12773.htm

We owe more than we have. In fact, we owe more than anyone has.

The thing I've never been able to grasp is why every dollar bill in my pocket isn't title to some unit of wealth, it's a note. An interest bearing debt.

dale blanker wrote: My perception, right or not, is that there is too much ideology and unwillingness to compromise, generally, but especially in Congress.

Dale, may I offer something to consider?

Willingness to compromise is what got us where we are. We don't need more of it, we need less of it. Not on trivial things. On things that matter. An unwillingness to compromise might also be called personal ethics. A moral compass, and by "moral" I mean issues of right and wrong, not Bible thumping.

Ideology is a good thing, if the ideology isn't idiocy. Conservatism is an ideology, just like secular humanism, capital-D Democrat thinking, Republican thinking - if you have a belief system, you have an ideology. Where you draw the line on defending it defines your willingness to compromise.

Kim Jung makes-me-ill, whatever his name is, the fat murderous - satanic? - dweeb in North Korea, might be a good example of someone who isn't an ideologue. I don't think whimsical, unlimited self-gratification rises to the noble level of ideology.

Not trying to be a bore, although probably succeeding. It's just always struck me odd that an ideologue is assumed to be a closed minded person.

The worst problem with the casual use of labels like bigot or Hitler is they lose their meaning. Calling Cruz satanic hurts his popularity with middle ground mushminds, so it's an effective slur, but long after Cruz is out of the public eye there will be one thing remaining. Cruz isn't really pulled down so much as Satan got a boost. If Cruz is satanic, Satan ain't so bad. I don't see horns and a tail. Bad judgement, sure, a pitchfork and sulfurous breath, nope.

I'd prefer satanic hyperbole where it belongs. Hitler, Bin Laden, those sorts.

On the other hand, there are things about Cruz that bug me.

For instance, Trump is where he is because Republicans will set aside the voice of the people for secret negotiation in back rooms. They are much less evil than Democrats in all regards, but their long years of politicking behind closed doors has paid off. They finally invented Trump, a little too well, they now protest.

Cruz answers this threat whelped by unholy back room communion with a back room plot with Kasich. Odd thinking. I hope it's not revealing a side of his character.

I would never argue Trump would make a good President. I don't think he would. I also would never argue that Cruz won't be a disappointment if he gets into the White House. He might be.

Trump is a creation of Republican leadership, and that goes all the way down the command chain. When my Rep, Kyle Kacal, helped put Joe Strauss in the Speaker's chair once again he was laboring and risking his district for Trump. He just didn't realize it at the time.

For me, if Trump is the candidate, I'm voting for Trump.

If Cruz is the candidate, it will be the second time I'll vote for a woman on the lower half of the ticket.

Yeah, yeah, I know. She drove HP to rack and ruin. Based on Trump's look-how-much-I-won metric, she's a proven loser. But she's pro Second Amendment, I like that, and I really like what often rides along with respect for the right to keep and bear. Freedom and guns, it's a thing.