Thoughts on Partisan Politics
When I think about the "evolution" of partisanship in politics, my thoughts consistently return to a passage from a speech given by Edward Livingston, Secretary of State during President Andrew Jackson's administration, to the U.S. Senate in March 1830:
"The spirit of which I speak... creates imaginary and magnifies real causes of complaint; arrogates to itself every virtue - denies every merit to its opponents; secretly entertains the worst designs... mounts the pulpit, and in the name of a God of mercy and peace, preaches discord and vengeance; invokes the worst scourges of Heaven, war, pestilence, and famine, as preferable alternatives to party defeat; blind vindictive, cruel, remorseless, unprincipled, and at last frantic; it communicates its madness to friends as well as foes; respects nothing, fears nothing." (American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, pg. 133)
Nearly 200 years later, and I believe that most reasonable people would concur with those sentiments as an accurate portrayal of our body politic. Is that a good thing? I don't think so. That's why the Constituent's Bill of Rights posted to my website pledges "as an Elected Official, there is a collective responsibility to restore confidence in government affairs, and that begins with tempering partisan animus. (Item #2)
Amidst calls for national unity, and a dialing down of the rhetoric, we must challenge ourselves to do better. That's a Call to Action for Everyone; not strictly those in the Media. Political ideology is a broad spectrum; there is no one right way to be a Democrat, or a Republican. Fundamentally politicians on both sides of the aisle value good education for our children, support businesses and economic development, safe communities, and the provision of essential public services; where we differ is in how we achieve these goals. (And yes. There are some issues we may never see eye to eye on.)
We'd do well to follow Ted Lasso's advice in this regard, "be curious, not judgmental." Keep an open mind, try to understand how or why someone might come to a differing conclusion than your own, meet them with respect, and promote civility in your interactions. We Lead by example!
Oh...the photo? That's Andrew & Rachel Jackson's Tomb at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage in Nashville, TN. Andrew & Rachel Kollar visited in April 2019. Seemed like a Presidential gravesite, a solemn place for personal reflection was appropriate to this theme.
