Dear America,
Stop fighting. To the 36% of Republicans and 27% of Democrats who view the opposing party as a “threat to our nation’s well-being”–stop it. The United States of America must stay united.
Over the last twenty years, what were once compromising, united parties have submerged into congressional gridlock and even some cases of extreme violence, causing 71% of Americans to feel they have little to no effect on our government. But why? In 1958, two-thirds of Democrats and half of Republicans approved of Harry Truman. In comparison, 83% of Democrats and 6% of Republicans approve of Joe Biden today.
With fewer and fewer enemies to fight and compete with overseas, we have turned domestically; the state of other countries is no longer to blame for millions of refugees, and the Middle-Eastern conflict 75 years in the making is no longer a result of diplomatic failure. It is now the fault of the opposing party. For this reason, the number of people who identified as having mixed views dropped from 49% in 2004 to 39% in 2014. Americans are beginning to choose sides more than ever, causing each side’s position to become especially more liberal or conservative, creating terms like “woke” or concepts such as mass deportation.
When asked about the state of American democracy, first-time voter SHS senior Jake Linnell expressed worry: “It is sad how a former method of debate and expression via politics has quickly become a hatred for the opposition. It certainly is on my mind as I enter the polls on Tuesday.” The state of our democracy is deteriorating, causing Americans to raise youth with no knowledge of political tolerance or effective debate.
As a result, harmful rhetoric from both sides of the aisle has become commonplace, with phrases like “crooked Joe,” “fascist Trump,” and “threat to democracy” seemingly everywhere. Recently, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico an “island of floating trash,” warranting a response from President Biden implying Trump supporters are trash. The last time words like “threats to democracy” were thrown around was with the election of Lincoln in 1860, and we all know how that went. Debates used to be spent giving respectful compliments before candidates expressed disagreement, whereas today, candidates will argue about the state of the opposition’s golf game when trading insults.
Don’t get me wrong–democracy is an ugly, distasteful art. At no point in history did our Founding Fathers say, “Let’s just find the easy way out.” If so, we would still be paying taxes on tea and making breakfast for soldiers living in our houses every morning. They chose democracy because it is representative of a diverse population, inciting disagreement. In this case, I agree with those who see no problem in our democracy: our forefathers disagreed; therefore, it is normal. However, when we look deeper, we find our forefathers cared for disagreement because it incites compromise; that is where we are failing. In the 93rd US Congress, 772 pieces of legislation were enacted. From 2021 to 2023, the 117th Congress passed less than half, with only 365 pieces of legislation.
Amongst all of this chaos, America has lost its fundamental identity of freedom. Ongoing congressional gridlock has put party over people, so much so that compromise between parties is even frowned upon today. Whether you agree with the two-party system or not, understand it is built on compromise. Last year, Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the Speakership because of his willingness to cross party lines when passing a budget. Even if you disagree with him, understand that he is an American hero–with a commitment to our democracy instead of to a party.
This brings me to my solution to polarization within our democracy.
That is to stop. Stop fighting, stop bickering, and take a deep breath. We are adults acting like children. Relationships shouldn’t be dictated by political beliefs. If you are a Democrat, invite a Republican to dinner; get to know them and learn their story. If you are a Republican, get a coffee with a Democrat; learn about them, what makes them tick, and what is important to them. We must be more understanding and live our lives with more empathy so we can unite to do what is best not for our party platform but for our people.
Our democracy is in the American people’s hands. No matter our party affiliation or stance on abortion, we are all Americans who believe in the American Dream. We all love this country for what it has given to us, so let us now give back to the next generation. Give to the next generation what you were not: examples of friendship, relationships, and collaboration with others you disagree with. If you do, it will be a whole lot easier to stop fighting.
With Hope and Gratitude,
Mason Alvarez