Last Wednesday at Rose Cafe, Professor Peter Enns led an engaging discussion on the current state of politics. Overall, I found the Cafe very engaging, and learned a lot from the perspectives of my peers who are very knowledgeable about history of politics in America. One topic that stood out to me in particular was our discussion of partisanship, especially in light of the recent events. Professor Ems asked an interesting question: Think about your stance on controversial issues. How many of your beliefs are in line with your party’s beliefs, and ask yourself if you would have come to the same conclusion independently apart from your label as a “Democrat” or “Republican.” This has made me realize that sometimes it is difficult for me to differentiate between my personal views and the views of the party I associate with, and if I believe in certain policies just because of the “liberal/Democrat” or “conservative/Republican” label.

A big problem today is that politics has become more and more like rooting for a sports team, where constructive conversations has given way to the “my group” versus “your group” mentality combined with blind support. This makes dialogue more difficult and brings progress to a standstill. It is also very telling to think that the extreme polarization and Congress’s lack of efficiency we have accustomed to/expecting of now was not characteristics of the political landscape just a couple decade ago. Even traditionally non-partisan issues are now being voted in partisan lines and you can predict views on complicated issues such as education, spending, and abortion just based on partisanship when you could not do this in the past. Many times, politicians are pressured to say things/believe in things because of party loyalty, sacrificing what they truly believe in as a person, and this is an unfortunate consequence of how polarized our political landscape as become.

The recent events have no doubt caused disagreement and tension among both parties. But it is important to remember that the goal of conversation should not be to attack and question opinions, but to plant ideas and find common ground. Regardless of political beliefs, it is important to have conversations inclusive of all viewpoints as our country becomes increasingly partisan. Yet this type of conductive dialogue is easier said than done, but recognition and having an open mind is a step towards progress.