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We’re losing ground. We’ve descended to a place where the willingness to discuss issues and maybe even reach a compromise is considered a sign of political weakness.

For example, vocal elements of the Republican Party seem ready to toss Sen. Charles Grassley overboard, largely because he is working with the Democrats on health-care reform. Their thinking seems to be that President Obama’s goals are evil, so talking to him is simply out of the question.

That’s how you decide things at recess in the fourth grade. Not how you make improvements to a major part of our nation’s economy and well-being.

Seeing people turn out for town hall meetings on such an important subject should be refreshing. But the video clips of angry protesters, determined to shout down their elected representatives, is more than discouraging. It’s a little frightening.

America needs citizens who are involved and well-informed. Mere outrage is the lazy way out.

First, let’s make sure everybody is on the same page. Take one small example: the claim that the government is pushing euthanasia for elderly people.

You can find the text in several places by searching for H.R. 3200, section 1233 on the Web. Reading it might support those who think the government is trying to plan far too many details in its bid for health-care reform. But it won’t support the claim that the feds are out to knock off Grandma.

It talks about explanations of end-of-life services, including palliative care and hospice, and gets into “orders regarding life-sustaining treatment.”

It does not suggest that the government will issue each old American a gun and one bullet.

There’s plenty to question in any bill of this size, including the notion that we should be writing thousand-page bills in the first place.

But the distortion of intent is hurtful to us all.