Why so hostile?

I read a lot of comments on articles and blogs by various Catholic  and non-Catholic columnists and I am troubled by the vicious tenor of so many of them. Many comments are thoughtful and reasoned statements of agreement or disagreement with the author and I appreciate reading such responses. But far too many are of the "argumentum ad hominem" type, "if you don't like the message attack the messenger", both his intelligence and his character. I supopose it is easier to call someone an idiot or a liar than to refute his arguments, but such a lazy response is in itself dishonest and is an admission of inability to point out the actual error of a position.

Such negative debate seems to be a feature of political campaigns this year and contributes to the polarisation of the various parties who seem more concerned with their electoral victories than the good of the nation. Each side is backed into a corner with no possibility of compromise, no ability to find a middle ground, nothing but a stand-off which leaves the economy at a standstill, the various departments of the government without any clearly identified goals and ordinary citizens frustrated by the lack of leadership.