Or rather they weren't soft enough. Republicans are just cruel and unjust because that usually benefits those in the in-group. Democrats compromise so much they are left with the worst of both worlds.

They couldn't decriminalize drugs enough or enable world class social welfare programs when they did get majority control over legislature. But voters are ultimately to blame, they want their cake and to it too.

> But voters are ultimately to blame, they want their cake and to it too.

As a voter, you're given the choice between terrible and truly awful. No matter which you choose, it's your fault?

Frankly, when I buy a new kind of underarm deodorant and later I stink, I feel I'm more to blame than I am for my political vote and any lack-of-outcome. And I'm inundated with deodorant choices - it's harder to pick.

I remember when New York wanted to lynch the Central Park five. Reason and idealism seems to vanish when people feel threatened.

People engaging in petty "affront to the authority of the state" types of crimes benefit because in an environment where you have plenty of real crime to go around there's no need for cops to initiate the kind of police interactions that end up with Eric Garner getting choked out or a bullet in a man who has a bench warrant for failure to pay some BS.