A divided house in Washington

Quote
“All legislation, all government, all society is founded upon the principle of mutual concession, politeness, comity, courtesy; upon these everything is based...Let him who elevates himself above humanity, above its weaknesses, its infirmities, its wants, its necessities, say, if he pleases, I will never compromise; but let no one who is not above the frailties of our common nature disdain compromises.” Henry Clay (1777-1852), US orator, politician and presidential candidate.

News
On Wednesday, the Republican party took control of the US House of Representatives following November’s elections, although the upper house (the Senate) as well as the White House remain Democrat. The prospect for the next two years is a tug-of-war with the House of Representatives passing legislation reflecting the views of Republican voters, which will be curtailed by the Senate and/or vetoed by the President.

To start with, President Obama’s healthcare reform bill will be formally repealed next week, but the Senate will promptly reject the repeal. Getting any legislation passed and enacted over the next two years will require careful negotiations and the art of compromise. Will Republican and Democratic congressmen and women resort to locking horns in party political acrimony, or will they surmount their party prejudices and seek to govern as responsibly as they can a nation facing immense challenges?

This is becoming harder due to the polarisation of Republican and Democrat voters, to the point where party affiliation not only covers political views but is a source of personal identity also. Policy responses to issues fall strongly along party lines: those who are pro-life, anti-tax and anti-regulation are almost all Republicans, while voters who are pro-choice, pro-redistribution and pro-federal government are Democrats. The problem is when one side begins to demonise the other, extending a conflict of opinion to one of character and motives, with far more damaging consequences.

There is a vital relational condition at the heart of any society characterised by peace and justice: cooperation. The extent of this depends on how broad a consensus of values exists to ensure mutual respect, toleration and acceptance of others. In our language of Relational Proximity, we call this commonality – shared values, purpose and identity. America or any other nation’s ability to live at peace with itself depends on voters and politicians alike ensuring they value their shared identity as members of one society more than their differences of opinion over parties and policies – no matter how great these are.

Read on...
An article from an American news website during the November elections explores the polarisation of American voters now and in previous decades, including differences in values and socio-economic status as well as policy responses. You can read it here.

Walk the talk
Once we have formed our broad political outlook, we tend to read only the news sources which reinforce our political colours. If that describes you, then why not read from time to time a news source which reflects a different viewpoint? Although you may take offence, try to persevere until you have found some common ground that you agree with and let that close the gap a little.

The last word
From the Bible, Matthew 12:25, Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.”