I think we are living in selfish times. I'm the first one to say that I'm the most selfish. We live in the so-called 'first world ' and we may be first in a lot of things like technology but we are behind in empathy.
'Yes' is a far more potent word than 'no' in American politics. By adopting the positions which animate the political agenda for the other side one can disarm them and leave them sputtering with nothing to say.