We're not liberals either. My point is this, major media and talk-radio in particular try to oversimplify our political views. But people (and especially Americans), don't fit neatly into those boxes. My contention is there there are very few card-carrying liberals or conservatives out there, the vast majority of us don't live lives that are that simple.

I have a long time friend who's a Rush Limbaugh conservative, listens to Rush and Hannity every day and believes they're holding the tide against the liberal takeover of the country. But when you start a free wheeling conversation over dinner and a few drinks, it turns out some of his views are right there in the Democratic Party platform. Of course when I point this out he gets defensive and looks over his shoulder (as if Rush might be listening in).

Same thing with friends who consider themselves liberal (they don't have a really good talk radio host, so they're forced to get their information by actually reading). They're excited about the prospect of Obama or Clinton going into the White House and they're fully on board with their stance on the issues. Until again, over dinner and drinks (drinks always seem to help) they sound very un-liberal over issues like immigration or capital punishment.

What all this means really is that most of the election year is wasted on mindless partisan tribalism, instead of addressing the issues people really worry and care about. Tell me how my kids will be able to afford college, instead of trading insults with your opponents like a 3rd grader. Tell me why the richest country in the world can't figure out how to provide universal healthcare when countries with a fraction of our annual income seem to do it just fine. And what about the issues that don't fit neatly into either parties philosophy, like nuclear proliferation and our crumbling infrastructure?

The bottom line is the vast majority of us live in the middle, and that's where we'll find the answers.

PS I suspect Rush and Hannity live in the middle too, they just make their money on the edges.