Why is American politics so heated?

[Vosem]

Because one of the key fundamentals of American society is the right to have an opinion and tell everyone about it. I personally applaud this, but this is one of its negative effects. People like that exist in Europe too but they're not the majority like in America. (I'm one of those people, too, but my opinions are (I hope) better thought-out).

[Vosem]

times of economic turmoil causes lots of fingerpointing and scapegoating among the populace and can often lead to experimentation with totalitarian ideology.

It seems like you're implying the latter is occurring right now in the US, though...can't we all just admit Obama isn't a tyrant, Bush wasn't, and if the Tea Party comes to power it won't be?

[Vosem]

times of economic turmoil causes lots of fingerpointing and scapegoating among the populace and can often lead to experimentation with totalitarian ideology.

It seems like you're implying the latter is occurring right now in the US, though...can't we all just admit Obama isn't a tyrant, Bush wasn't, and if the Tea Party comes to power it won't be?

it is not an attack on the right or left. As someone with an interest in history, I've found that times of economic distress has lead to experimentation with extremist ideology, left or right, such as Russia in 1917 or Germany in 1933.

Oh, OK. That's true enough. I thought you were implying it was happening in the US now -- all it's causing is rather severe swings between the two established parties.

[Vosem]

 Stones (money)!! – WHO; receives’, earn or give. WHY? … game on, this produces heat. Its bottled, sold, consumed by those WHEN the WANT must be satisfied, depending on ones’ entry point and what expectation is/need(s) taught. In comparing the pass to the present; the stones are bigger, there are no machines big enough to move them, and so, Dynamite (elections) “the heat” is required. It is a good thing recognized by many when considering the political heat of the alternate life (The Masses) – Russia, china, Libya, Egypt, Syria…
  The game just has to be played out, for reasons… well… they do, and, we’re in it, the question is, what position do you want to play?

I agree with you, t_host. Your post only summary of everything (and problem) is so beautiful.