Could you "reach across the aisle?"

[dragonrider]

Nowadays when political leaders/parties try to exercise greater control over greater areas, the problem becomes this. The aisle is now too wide and it has become impossible for either polarity to reach across and embrace the other, there is no space for compromise anymore.

I think this is mostly a problem with our elected officials, and not so much with the citizens. I think most poeple are actually seated IN the aisle, and elected officials stake out extreme positions left or right to pander to their most active constituents. Most people are closer to the center and would welcome some compromise to deal with some of our problems, but as you said, our elected officials are too far apart to compromise.