prdors

It's also a political thing. Why would you acknowledge a problem if you have no solution that fits with your values politically? If you acknowledge it, but don't solve it, well then you're inept and ineffective. If you acknowledge it but solve it using a solution outside of your values, well then maybe your values are suspect. It's a zero win situation for republicans right now. Unfortunately, due to a lot of reasons (money in politics being a huge one), coming out and saying this will get you shanked in a primary.

He is right, coming from someone who works currently where he used to work.

If you want to get reelected, you need to balance a lot of hard choices. One major problem with this is you have the American populace in most districts incredibly polarized. In D districts if you touch entitlements you get crucified. In R districts, if you raise taxes or touch defense spending, you get crucified.

The American people need to learn that they can't get what they want 100% of the time. If you're a democrat, well it's time to learn that roughly half the country disagrees with you. If you're a republican, well then half the country disagrees with you too. You can't have what you want 100% of the time. There is going to be at least some form of compromise in a functioning government. Unfortunately, between big money in politics (the ability for big money to come in and spend heavily from outside the district on your race and tilt the results against you), gerrymandering (creating overly conservative or overly progressive districts where votes against the party will automatically get you primaried), etc., compromise is a lost art.

Thanks for the kind words. As a current staffer (Democrat, but I sincerely appreciate the work you are doing with republicEN, I think the parties can definitely make progress together on this issue) it means a lot coming from a member!