The crescendo of political debate has probably become even more shrill over the last few years. Or, at least, it seems that way to me. It has turned off many Americans. At the same time, I can remember another shrill period, and it impacted me personally.

Back in 1964, I ran for the New York City Council in a race where I had absolutely no chance of winning -- doesn't that sound similar to my 1988 race against Pat Moynihan? 1964 was the year in which Barry Goldwater, the conservative icon of the Republican Party, ran against President Lyndon Johnson for the presidency. It was to be a campaign fought over substantive issues -- or at least that is what some of us thought. Remember the mean spirited TV ad of a child picking daisy petals with an atomic bomb going off in the background? That ad was designed to depict Goldwater as a trigger happy warrior with atomic weapons. It was clearly unfair and shrill. And the shrillness impacted on everyone running.

As my personal grassroots campaign played out, I would regularly visit bus lines in Jamaica to reach and talk to voters. Whether you were for or against Goldwater, the passions always seemed to be high pitched and belligerent. Many a voter on those bus lines let me have it over the Goldwater candidacy -- both pro and con. The voters were serious and outspoken.

The shrillness continued to echo through the battles over abortion and school prayer. There can be no doubt. The political process of intelligent dialogue broke down on those two issues. A polarization developed in the nation which led to even more division and strident debate. This is not to say that political debate should be without passion. Emotions can and should be raised about issues -- but not ear-shattering shrillness.

The shrillness continued through the personal destruction of Robert Bork, a candidate for the U.S Supreme Court. And the same negative approach was used in efforts blocking Clarence Thomas as a member of the court. The debate became less civil than many of us would like to see. James Carville's scorched earth policies in dealing with Monica Lewinsky, the demonizing of Ken Starr, and the stridency of some house Republicans in the impeachment debate, caused even more Americans to switch off the US political process.

And the shrillness is not just inside the Washington beltway. Have you been to a school board meeting or attended a town hall hearing lately? Shrill polarization permeates our society. Have we lost the art of compromise? What has caused the breakdown of civility? The answer to that question is one we should all ponder.