Represent, Not Resent: Bipartisanship in an Era of Polarization

In recent years, it’s become increasingly obvious that our nation’s political divide is growing. With the influx of fake news, scandals, and increased daily usage of social media, our views of the world have been skewed and many of us choose to live in an echo chamber: we only listen to opinions that we agree with.

Since the 2016 election, liberals have been fighting against President Trump and his supporters while conservatives have been pushing back. It is a constant game of tug of war in which players refuse to give any allowance to the other team. 

While divide has always existed within the two party system, it’s especially visible today. Not only is this divide affecting our citizens, but it is also affecting our politicians, to such a degree that we are essentially stuck in a gridlock between the Senate and the House of Representatives—between the Republicans and the Democrats, that is. This gridlock prevents critical issues from being addressed because many are too stubborn or afraid to reach across the aisle and meet a middle path with the other party.

As a young gun violence prevention activist, I’ll admit that I may have been wrong or ignorant about certain pieces of legislation or different types of guns while having a discussion with a person of opposing views, but refused to admit it at the time for fear of being told that I didn’t know what I was talking about. Back at the time of the walkout in March 2018, I would shut down conversations with people who were more conservative on gun reform, but as I have grown up, I’ve realized that we aren’t going to get anything done as a country if we can’t work together. The legislation is what works for gun violence prevention, because that way it can reach a broader spectrum of people, and crossing partisan lines is what we can use to make this country stronger.

The best thing to do when you come across those situations is to be honest with yourself and others and understand that it is okay to be wrong. People will respect you more when you can admit that you are incorrect and listen. 

We must listen to different views because as humans, we learn by hearing and interacting with others. While we might not always agree, we need to find the truth in what others are saying so that we can reach a middle ground and pass legislation that works for everyone.

While many politicians in our country refuse to compromise, it is inspiring to see some politicians who do work together, even when they disagree. As John McCain said, “Our shared values define us more than our differences. And acknowledging those shared values can see us through our challenges today if we have the wisdom to trust in them again.” It’s essential that we learn to trust that we as Americans have the best interest in mind for our country.

In February 2019, a huge step was taken towards passing bipartisan legislation. The Natural Resources Management Act is focused around conservation and protects millions of acres of wilderness while helping to expand existing national parks and create new ones. This bill is not perfect. It does bring about issues of the Civil War, and drilling in certain areas will be prohibited, which affects private business owners. But in general, it does offer things for essentially everyone, because it protects the environment, public funds, and definitely shows that different parties can come to an agreement, at least on some issues.

Though it seems like we can’t agree on a lot, I think that all of us want what is best for our country, our families, and the people we care about. We are all human, so there will always be a possibility that we can discover something we would never have expected to have in common.

We the people of the United States need to practice respect, humility, and bipartisanship so that we can continue to fulfill our nation's potential. We need to address issues of mental illness, climate change, gun violence, and LGBTQ+ rights, just to name a few. It is time to channel the same unity our representatives held on the Natural Resources Management Act to address these pressing issues. 

by EMILY WEINBERG