- I think we all know the answer.
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The talking heads of the main stream media have been asking for the Democrats and Republicans to find a middle ground and work together towards common goals. I'm sure a lot of Americans feel likewise.
The Democrats insist President Trump needs to stop tweeting, and the Republicans want the other side to stop lying. When you push either side, both claim innocence, and neither side have any intention of stopping as they do not trust each other.
Both chambers of Congress haven't accomplished anything of real substance in this century other than to go to war. There is much to be done, such as in the areas of economics, immigration, infrastructure, space, health care, etc. Unfortunately, we are stalled in neutral thanks to partisan politics.
The concept of moderate politics is now a thing of the past. The last presidential candidate to run as a moderate was Sen. John McCain in 2008 who would have certainly reached across the aisle to Democrats, but this didn't happen as the country elected a progressive Democrat instead, Barack Obama, a president which snubbed the other side. Shortly after being elected, President Obama met with Congressional Republicans to discuss his proposed financial stimulus package. As negotiations wore down, he made the now infamous comment to Rep. Eric Cantor, "Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won. So I think on that one I trump you."
This quote by Pres. Obama was a defining moment separating the two parties for the rest of his term in office. Other presidents made an effort to work with the opposition, even though they had political differences, such as President Ronald Reagan (R) and Speaker Tip O'Neill (D), along with President Bill Clinton (D) and Speaker Newt Gingrich (R), but Pres. Obama made it clear, he was not interested in what the Republicans had to say and saw them as an impediment to his agenda. This is why he tried to implement his agenda through executive orders as opposed to legislation. By doing so, it was rather easy for Pres. Obama's successor, President Donald Trump, to negate the orders.
The point is, the line in the sand had been drawn and has carried forward to today. Gridlock has become the norm in Washington, DC, and there is no sign of it abating anytime soon.
In the meantime, the Democrats have moved farther to the left, and the Republicans maintain the right. The two groups now have incompatible interpretations of America. The Republicans embrace the status quo of the country, specifically, Capitalism, the Constitution, belief in God, and traditional values (e.g., citizenship, patriotism, love of family, equality, helping those in need, exceptionalism, and morality). In contrast, the Democrats are now embracing Socialism, they snub references to God, and want to change the historical perspective of the country, that it should be viewed as criminally wicked. Anyone disagreeing with them are called racists.
Where the Democrats want one thing, the Republicans do not, and vice versa. Not surprising the rhetoric has become visceral, which leads us to where we are today; one nation with two distinctly different interpretations of America.
As an aside, if I was to make one suggestion to try and get the two parties talking, it would be to turn off the television cameras in both chambers of Congress as both parties spend more time playing to the television audience and not to themselves. Then again, the media would go bonkers being left out of the discussion.
So when I hear the talking heads on television ask why we cannot find common ground, I contend there isn't any and we should stop kidding ourselves. I do not foresee the Democrats or Republicans changing anytime soon, and the 2020 election becomes a referendum as to which path we must follow. Our choices are left, right, or gridlock. My guess is the American people will again vote for gridlock, and we will wallow in neutral for a few more years.
Keep the Faith!
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Tim Bryce is a writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com
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