Heeding Jefferson's Advice

By Diana Aviv | October 13, 2006

Within this most modern of communications devices, our esteemed provocateur has invited me to offer some thoughts on issues affecting America’s most vulnerable citizens and, more particularly, to provide a voice for the voiceless among us. A very good subject! And a welcome idea.

Living and working in Washington, DC, offers the opportunity to witness increasingly shrill exchanges of our political leaders. Thoughtful debate has been usurped by a deeply polarized cacophony of screaming heads in both the media and government—two bedrock institutions of our democracy whose current caustic tone is doing a disservice to our citizens. And America is paying the price, both here and abroad. The inflexibility and divisiveness reflected in our national politics are now dominating the space in which constructive discussion about pressing issues should reside. And pressing those issues certainly are: a healthcare system that excludes too many Americans, a public education system that is so weak and poorly resourced that children are not learning what they need to succeed in the world, poor families who have little hope of overcoming poverty—the list could go on and on.

Much has been written about how the vast majority of America is more moderate than our political parties may reflect. One telling stat I read recently is that the fastest-growing affiliation in the country is Independents, who now make up 39 percent of the electorate. And it is also worth noting that times of seemingly unbridgeable political divides are by no means new to America. In fact, in his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson called on the Republicans and the Federalists, who at the time were engaged in especially rancorous debate that was threatening our nation’s foundation, to come together to save our fledgling democracy.

But I do not see such history as an excuse for those who have a voice to be using it to further marginalize those who do not. The midterm elections will more than likely revolve around one critical issue: the war in Iraq, a war that is primarily burdening the most disadvantaged Americans. In a piece in Commentary this year, James Wilson pointed out that the split between Democrats and Republicans about Iraq was even starker than in Vietnam—a war that itself resulted in a deep cultural and political divides. If America truly is more moderate than political leaders would have us believe, then the upcoming elections represent a fine opportunity for our nation to let aspiring candidates know what issues we expect them to deal with and how we expect them to conduct our nation’s business. Now is the time to elect members to our state and national legislatures who are committed to reaching across the aisle for the greater good of our nation. After all, in that same speech—a speech that some say saved our union—Jefferson let his own America know that “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” Words that our nation’s leaders would do well to heed.