In today's political climate, it seems like there is no middle ground between the two parties that exist. Every issue is divisive, and almost every decision made by Congress is passed by the smallest margin. However, what many Americans have forgotten is that throughout history, our nation's leaders have been able to compromise for the better of its people. The issue plaguing us today is that we have forgotten the spirit of bipartisanship as well as what unites us together.
Bipartisanship is not necessarily those of different political parties coming together. Rather, it is about those of different ideals coming together. One of the first great instances of such an event occurring was in 1860 under president Lincoln. Within the Republican party, there were many different viewpoints on slavery and federal power. Three individuals stood out for the nomination: Senator William Seward, Governor Salmon P. Chase, and Edward Bates. All three lost to Abraham Lincoln, who went on to win the election. As president, Lincoln appointed all three as well as Democrat Edwin Stanton to his cabinet. What Lincoln understood is that being rivals or being in a different political party doesn't prevent someone from being good at what they do. As such, because the men were truly the most qualified to help run the country, President Lincoln was willing to step past the lines that divided them.
A similar crossing of political lines occurred with the 1986 Tax Reform Act. In a government that seemed primed for gridlock (Democratic house and Republican senate), it was surprising when both sides came to agreement on tax reform. All sides wanted to fix the tax system and as such a united front was created that allowed the act to be passed successfully. This event became the largest overhaul of the tax code in what seemed like a government that would forever be at an impasse.
Finally, looking into the 21st century, we can see that bipartisanship continued into the new century. In 2002, tensions were high regarding the role of campaign donations in influencing elections. Both sides blamed the other for the problem and refused to be the first to back down. Acting with bipartisanship, Republican Senator John McCain and Democratic Senator Russel Feingold came together to ensure that reform to this issue would not become the stigma against either party. In doing so, they were able to bridge the gap between the two parties and ensure that progress could continue. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, also known as the McCain-Feingold Act, regulated the usages of donations in elections and maintained that transparency in regards to campaign ads.
As a nation, we must recognize that bipartisanship is possible despite the division we see. It has been possible throughout history and has allowed for our nation to succeed and prosper. The longer we stay divided, the longer we remain blind to the fact that nothing can happen unless we compromise. At the end of the day, we are still Americans, and isn't that what counts?
SOURCES :
https://bipartisanpolicy.org/history-of-bipartisanship-2/
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2010/08/illustrated-washington
Thanks for this interesting post on the necessity and utility of bipartisanship throughout American history. The spirit of compromise and a common desire to further this country seems to be on the decline in the current day and age, with the nation so divided on important issues and unwilling to have a conversation. I think replicating the many successes bipartisanship has had in the past would require people to truly listen to all arguments with an open mind as opposed to demonizing the other side, as many seem to do.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! While reading, I was reminded of George Washington's farewell address in which he warned against the formation of political parties. Clearly no one seemed to heed Washington's advice. Political parties go all the way back to the Democratic-Republicans and Federalists, and have evolved since then into the Democrats and Republicans we know today. Despite the harsh political tensions, it's cool to see the two parties work together. I like your example of the 1986 Tax Reform Act. A lot of progress can be made when two opposing political parties work together.
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome post! I forgot about the significance of the 1986 Tax Reform Act, where partisanship was put aside in order to focus on the wants and needs of the American people. This partisanship level did not sustain for long, and today, we have a Senate which flat out rejected a hearing for Obama appointee Merrick Garland for the Supreme Court. The lack of bipartisanship ended up only increasing following the presidential election in 2016, and might not ever return to the times of the 80s.
ReplyDeleteSource: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/05/senate-obama-merrick-garland-supreme-court-nominee/482733/