> <center>Just pick a political story at random and <br>read the comments. There is no logic or reason <br>on either side - only hypocrisy and hate. <br> - Michael Arrington</center>

Our society has become driven by hypocrisy and ideology.   We have reached the point that we don't examine the positions of the other side only fight against them because the ideas come from the other side, so they must be wrong.  It's not just our political leaders but those of us in the general population as well.  We criticize our political leaders for flip flopping on some positions, myself included.  We agree with a position when it comes from those who share our ideology but disagree with it when the same position is espoused by those of a different ideology.  The irony is that democratic governments are based on compromise, compromise that is intended to reach a decision that is best for our country as a whole while not necessarily being strictly within one particular ideology.

In an article with The Atlantic (cited below), Barney Frank provides great insight into congressional hypocrisy with what he refers to as a "legislative currency".  Legislators trade votes in order to get bills passed through Congress, they compromise.  If you support me on this bill then I will support you on that bill.  Compromise can also come from a discussion of what in the bill can be changed or added to gain the support of another legislator.  This type of compromise should be applauded, instead since it doesn't fit our ideology we criticize it as flip flopping on issues.

While hypocrisy in the name of compromise should be applauded, much of the hypocrisy in our government and society today is driven by ideology and self-promotion.  Ideological hypocrisy will never generate progress needed in this or any other democratic country.  It's not limited to one side, currently the most evident ideological hypocrisy is coming from the Democrats but when Obama was president and Democrats controlled both houses of Congress the ideological hypocrisy came from Republicans.  Not that then and now there isn't ideological hypocrisy from the parties that control or controlled the government.

The good news is we can fix it.  If we start voting these ideological hypocrites out of office, it wouldn't take too many voting cycles to drive home to these people that our government will not be ran by ideologues.  Before that happens, we as a society have to set our ideology aside and start listening to the other side.  The ideological polarization of society is feeding the ideologues in government, we have to change before we can change them. 

Sources and suggested reading:
[The Political Virtues of Hypocrisy](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/07/hypocrisy-defense-frank-barney/398225/), The Atlantic, July 11, 2015.
[The “Family Separation Crisis” on the Border Highlights Hypocrisy Not Policy Failures](https://www.redstate.com/streiff/2018/06/19/family-separation-crisis-border-highlight-hypocrisy-not-policy-failures/), redstate.com, June 19, 2018.
[Why Both The Left And Right Are Political Hypocrites And What To Do About It](http://thefederalist.com/2017/02/16/left-right-political-hypocrites/), thefederalist.com, February 16, 2017.
[On good and bad hypocrisy](https://www.economist.com/blighty/2010/12/27/on-good-and-bad-hypocrisy), economist.com, Dec 27, 2010.