overcoming political polarization

There is a lot of talk these days about how impossible it seems to have become for the right and the left to work together, but talk is cheap. And actually it is worse than cheap talk. I find most of the talk to be disingenuous because it is usually more about bashing the other side (and thus contributing to the problem) than looking for a real solution. The starting point needs to be a fundamental affirmation of the fact that conservatives and liberals both have important roles to play in the political arena. It is natural for them to be in opposition to each other, but sabotaging the other side crosses a line.

Sabotaging people we disagree with sabotages the whole democratic process. I admit I'm biased and that that affects my perception, but I don't really believe that the blame is equal. What I see is that most liberals believe in government and want it to work, so they generally tend to be more averse to doing anything that would actually have a detrimental effect on the ability of the government to do its job. Many conservatives hate the very idea of government and see sabotaging it as a noble act. (I have to say though that being opposed to a well-functioning government is not an inherently conservative position, but how they have ended up there is a whole other topic.)

Liberals tend to have more faith in the democratic process so are more likely to be willing to work with people they disagree with. Obviously though, there is plenty of blame on both sides. One of the biggest problems is that the political system is inescapably corrupt. The corruption is mitigated to some extent by the ability of journalists to expose blatant corruption and abuses of power (an important role of a free press). The fact of the matter is that getting elected requires money, an enormous amount of money, and a lot of that money comes from people who expect special treatment in exchange. Politicians are human. They like the perks that come with being at the bidding of deep pocket special interests. So even though progressives are supposed to be advocates of public policies that are broadly beneficial, so called progressive politicians are less beholden to ordinary citizens than they are to those who finance their campaigns.

One of the end results is a general sense of futility, an emotional state that is easily exploited by demagogues. Politics thus becomes cultural warfare. Advocacy becomes purely symbolic. Politicians get elected based on hot button issues that are peripheral to doing what it takes to actually govern. The whole process becomes intractably polarized. There is little or no incentive to work together toward real solutions. Everything comes be about bashing the opposition.

The only way out of the morass that I can imagine would entail a grassroots movement of insistent citizens who are committed to bringing honesty and responsibility into the process. That is hard work. It involves swimming upstream. Most people prefer being told comforting lies over hard truths. However, enough of them eventually come around if the facts are made clear to them. Most people want to believe they are doing the right thing, even though they might not know exactly what that would look like. They are not stupid; they just haven't taken the time to really sort things out. The loudest voices are the well-financed shills who are telling them lies that are more appealing than the truth. The truth will win out in the end though if the responsible grown-ups in the room are willing to speak up with loving-kindness and patience.