America: A Country Always in the Making

America always is a country in the making. There never has been a time in which most American people have said, “This is as good as it gets; time to stop.” Or, “Our grand experiment has failed and it’s time to abandon all hope.” Sometimes, we spin our wheels, but we always end up moving forward.

Today, there seem to be many people who want to hold on to the status quo, or to even move backwards. In this environment, it’s easy to grow pessimistic that America has the ability or even the will to build the bridges needed to move forward. It sometimes feels as if we stand alone at this point in our country’s history, facing fundamental questions about our very future as an inclusive democratic republic and wondering if and how the country weathers this moment.

But here’s the thing to remember. We move past Left and Right one step at a time; the first step of a journey is the most important.

The making of America isn’t someone else’s job. The Constitution of the United States begins with the acknowledgement that it is “we the people” who must act to “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..”

We all have a role and we each can make a difference. Even when Congress is gridlocked, there is much that can be done through individual action, in our networks and associations and by changing our communities.

It’s true that solutions are hard to come by when the political left and right don’t even agree on the problems. America no longer is a country of facts, much less shared facts. Large pluralities, sometimes majorities, believe in fake news, witch hunts and hoaxes more than in credible journalism.

When facts no longer matter every issue is boiled down to a bilateral choice between right and wrong, good and evil. We become a country of beliefs and value judgments.

Conservatives increasingly divide America into patriots or traitors; you are a person who is moral or your entire value system is rooted in immorality.

Liberals more and more see issues through the lens of privilege or oppression; you are a person who celebrates the differences of every individual or you’re a bigot.

There are no solutions in the gap created by those frames. There isn’t even rational discussion, as anyone who ventures into political discourse realizes.

Those frames have to change, and change is up to us. We need to speak up for facts. Your voice matters. So does your silence. You can be one of the bridge builders by speaking out; you can allow more bridges to be destroyed by remaining silent.

Change takes your involvement, the contribution of time and resources and the willingness to be public in a personal endorsement of policies, issues and candidates. Yes, that means wading into the fray with your friends and family, your networks and, for the especially brave, social media. Yes, that means some heavy lifting. Yes, that means getting out of your comfort zone. But getting beyond the partisan divide that is devastating our country takes a commitment. If you wait for someone else to get it done, it won’t get done.

We have faced challenges in the past and overcome them. Past successes, though, don’t diminish the seriousness of today’s realities. Every day it seems America comes closer to dismantling some of the core infrastructure of democracy. Critical institutions and values – the courts, the media, the rule of law, the right to vote – are attacked and undermined, and too many Americans cheer for their demise.

Four years ago, former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum predicted, "If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy.” 

Frum is wrong only in his blaming of “conservatives.” The treasured conservative principles of fiscal discipline, free markets and small but effective governments have given way to the politics of today’s Republicans who value none of the core conservative standards. Instead, the party of once thoughtful conservatives now embraces the likes of Hungary’s autocratic and anti-democratic Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. "I recognize the liberal left doesn't like Hungary, but there are so many positive things about what they're doing in that country," said Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson when asked about Orbán. Fox’s Tucker Carlson praised Orbán’s leadership, saying it offers "a lot of lessons for the rest of us." 

The reality is that under Orbán, Hungary has become increasingly undemocratic and more theocratic. Policies sanction individuals, the media and others whose lifestyle or politics are at odds with the autocratic government. That Orbán earns the praise of influential Republicans is an insult to the tradition of American conservatism.

America needs a conservative party, one that is true to principles, not just to politics. This isn’t to let the extremist liberal left off the hook by any means. Rather, it is to say that America in the making of a better future for everyone needs (at least) two strong, vital, issue-based political parties. Today, we have two parties more focused on winning at any cost than governing.

So what can be done? It starts with each of us, with the commitments we make as citizens concerned enough about our country’s future to get involved and to act.

Don’t wait for the Hand of God to intervene. There is no one person, one policy, one solution that will cure what ails us today. Rather, it is up to we the people.

Be willing to compromise, to make tough choices, and not just seek areas where we can agree. Stop being consumed by the search for “common ground.” Common ground, by definition, is where we agree. What is needed is the willingness of people to acknowledge where we don’t agree and what each of us is willing to give up to achieve progress. The perfect can’t stand in the way of the good. Voters, activists and others need to embrace those policymakers of all parties who are willing to move forward one step at a time.

Engage. Be the voices of change, support the policymakers who are trying to move the country beyond Left and Right and act on your commitment. Be part of campaigns and support the non-profits that are making a difference. Contribute your time and resources.

Be bold in our policy solutions. That doesn’t mean big spending or more government. It means evidence-based solutions held accountable to specific measurements.

And, finally, we need system reform. Better policy will only come from better politics. Ranked choice voting opens the door to new candidates and promotes more thoughtful, issue-focused campaigns. When paired with top-four primaries (the top four finalists in a primary, regardless of party, advance to the general election), voters have better choices. Campaign finance reform that supports small-dollar and local contributions can counter some of the effects of big, outside contributions. And, we need redistricting reform. As has been said, voters should choose their legislators, not legislators choosing their voters.

Add up those actions, and here’s the charge to those who want to be catalysts in moving beyond Left and Right:

First, change yourselves. Accept that there is no single solution, no magic answer. But if we know our values and where we can compromise, then we can reach across to the other side and bring them to solutions.

Second, change your networks. Engage with your family, your friends, your organizations. And if you don’t belong, join. Silence reinforces the status quo, and we all can agree that’s not working.

Third, change your communities – where you live and where you work. We may not be able to influence Congress, but we can make a difference in encouraging thoughtful, bold and creative policies in city councils and even in the Legislature.

America remains a country in the making. It’s up to us to make the changes for the better.

(If you believe commentary from the innovative center is important in today’s partisan world, please share this post and invite your friends and followers to subscribe. Thanks.)