Realpolitik

re·al·po·li·tik

 rāˈälpōliˌtēk

•  a system of politics or principles based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations.
• Realpolitik is politics or diplomacy based primarily on considerations of given circumstances and factors, rather than explicit ideological notions or moral and ethical premises. In this respect, it shares aspects of its philosophical approach with those of realism and pragmatism. It is often simply referred to as pragmatism in politics, e.g. "pursuing pragmatic policies". The term Realpolitik is sometimes used pejoratively to imply politics that are perceived as coercive, amoral, or Machiavellian. 

Now that is something we don't hear that much today "pragmatism" and when you do hear it, it's usually a negative.  

And this is on both sides.  Left and Right.  It also runs the spectrum from Far Left to Far Right.

In fact, it goes to the extent that the left and right will accuse you of being on the other side.  And this, I think, is a good thing at the moment.

If both the left and the right are attacking you, you're doing something right.  

It's what we need at the moment.  In America and abroad where the politics are shifting to populism, and that should be unsettling, especially in America where it seems like it is taking on a lynch mob persona on, again, both the left and the right.

Hence the term "tyranny of the majority."

That seems evil as well, but think about it.

Right now we have masked people running around assaulting people for peacefully speaking things that they disagree with.

That sounds a lot like the lynch mob doesn't it?

But it is accepted as a good thing by a lot of Americans...because it is the majority view.

And on the other side, we have people going to protests with weapons, weapons they are openly carried and though the case can be made that it is a reaction to the above masked lynch mob, they are not elected, they are not given any permission by elected officials...

...and, what is worse is, bringing weapons to political discussions --and that is all a protest is--effectively silences opposition speech.

Ultimately, its the same lynch mob, just with different weapons and different approaches.  

So, there is something that clearly needs to be said about all of this.  We are seeing extremes here and, well, it's about time for some pragmatism in politics.

Honestly, if you aren't pragmatic, if you don't look at a situation and think "how am I going to do this?"  If you charge headlong into the abyss...you end up in a dark abyss.

Politics is about getting things passed.  Its about getting things done.  It's about making things work and building them up.

Nothing is going to get done if all you want to do is fight.  And all will be achieved is destruction. 

Think about.  You might have to do some sneaky and underhanded things, but at least you got something done.  And you did it in a way that didn't destroy anything.