Republicans and Democrats Must Work Together
We have to share a country, too.
As the dust settles on the latest political dust up- presidential candidate Julian Castro’s twin brother Rep. Joaquin Castro publishing the names and business holdings of Trump donors in his district, or the Feds massive fumble of Jeffrey Epstein just when it was finally looking like he and his ilk would face justice, take your pick- the world looks more divided than ever.
The division has reached such a state, that #TrumpBodyCount and #ClintonBodyCount are currently trending topics on Twitter. As in, political division in the U.S. now encompasses which conspiracy theory you believe as to who murdered Jeffrey Epstein, based on whether you vote Republican or Democrat.
Republicans and Democrats are equally divided along party lines with regards to Rep. Castro’s extremely dubious decision to doxx Trump supporters to his Twitter feed, and beyond. That some of those Trump donors also donated to his campaign, and his brother’s, does muddy the waters somewhat about Castro’s theory that all Trump voters are dangerous racists who hate Hispanic people, but there we are.
Republicans universally condemned the move as a new low. Rep Steve Scalise, who was critically injured and almost killed in a mass shooting himself two-years ago, has been especially vocal in his condemnation.
Democrats were quick to defend Castro’s actions, pointing out that donor information is a matter of public record and that if Trump supporters are ashamed of donating to his campaign, they shouldn’t donate.
Constituents all around the country, myself included, may soon start to wonder how our elected officials get any work done whatsoever.
We know it takes a bipartisan effort to pass almost any conceivable legislation, no matter how banal or universally supported. We know governing in a Democracy is an endless poker game of horse trading, of coalition building. We know legislators live and die by the relationships they sustain, the committees on which they serve.
Committees that are always bipartisan.
Why do we suddenly not want our elected officials to get along with each other?
Surely the doxxing of an opponent’s donors, snarking on Twitter, and what basically amounts to little more than schoolyard name-calling is detracting and distracting from the job of good governance.
This is leadership? If all this bitter hatred is real, we’re really in trouble. People who hate each other this much can’t be expected to overcome such disfunction. If it’s exaggerated for effect, or more specifically for campaign fundraising effect, we’re in even worse trouble.
Because people are actually buying it.
If their elected official is blasting, ripping, sick-burning, and raging against “evil” political opponents on Twitter, that elected official is doing what we elected them to do. Get them!
If the elected official is reaching across the aisle, compromising, and working together with their political opponents, they are NOT doing what we elected them to do. Get them!
Except they are. That is exactly what elected officials were sent to Capitol Hill to do; bipartisan compromise is the only way anything ever gets done.
What would become of a company whose employees treated each other this rudely, and in public?
Like any business, colleagues have to work together. That means respecting each other, on and off social media; even if you don’t like each other.
Who are we kidding, especially if you don’t particularly like each other.
We all have to work and live with people with whom we don’t entirely agree. Keeping it respectful and professional is what keeps the lights on, keeps the widgets flowing off the assembly line, keeps the money flowing into your district. It is what keeps 330 million unique individuals living together in harmony in America.
Or not.
It takes all sorts of people to make the world go around. It takes the socially awkward, prickly math genius being able to stand 20 minutes in a board meeting with the outgoing public relations person who is sometimes too informal and addresses him as Dan when everyone else knows perfectly well that he prefers Daniel.
It takes the bubbly HR person being able to respect Daniel, even if they don’t understand what the big deal is, anyway. Or why Daniel went to the department head instead of addressing the issue directly.
Different strokes.
A company with only one type of person, with only one viewpoint is going nowhere fast in this day and age. We are all connected to each other through the internet and the global marketplace as human beings have never been connected before.
Getting along has never been more important. So do us all a favor, and tone it down, whatever your political bent.
(contributing writer, Brooke Bell)