The facts are these: The nation is made up of people who are conservative AND who are moderate AND who are liberal. Depending upon the poll and the topic, we could think of it being about 1/3 conservative, 1/3 moderate and 1/3 liberal. In rough numbers.
In this Gallup poll, we see that in 2019, we identified as 37% conservative, 35% moderate and 27% liberal.
And we see that liberals are the minority, but making gains. In other surveys and polls, we see similar results
This poll from 2020 shows the C/M/L mix at 34%/36%/26%...
The point being, there's not ONE view that represents all of us in the US and that we're roughly split into thirds. Again, it also depends upon the topic.
As we enter into a new post-Trump era at a very divided time, it is vital for us to recognize that we're all in this together. I know that many of us more progressive types have been quite wounded by the Trump years. Nonetheless, Trump conservatism has broad support. Those people are not going away and we in the middle and left have to recognize that and share this land.
Same for you more conservative types. I know you feel like you have to "take America back" - presumably from the 40-60% who disagree with Trump's policies - but the nation is not yours to "take back." It belongs to all of us.
And I know you all feel quite wounded and are grieving Trump's loss - not even trusting that Trump lost! Nonetheless, the fact is just as ultraconservative Kellyanne Conway recently noted: Trump lost, Biden won. The fact is just as ultraconservative Bill Barr has said: There is no evidence for widespread voter fraud.
Trump has lost and Biden has won. Biden is our president elect.
For those on the right, grieve this if you must. Take your time. But in the end, your ~37% of the nation has to work with my 27% of the nation and the other third in the middle.
So, can we stop with insults and attacks and start to find common ground? Can it be that difficult?
Some ideas:
1. We are in the midst of this pandemic. We have a vaccine now starting to come out. Let's find effective ways to distribute that vaccine. That goal should be something we can all agree upon.
2. The spread of covid is skyrocketing. We don't have to like the measures suggested by medical experts, but we need to cooperate to stop the spread from getting worse. We should be able to agree to this. If you truly don't want to follow the guidelines, that's fine, but then stay home. If you can't wear a mask in a store, stay home. It's your right to not wear a mask if you don't want to, but it's not your right to insist upon going wherever you please without a mask and put other people at risk.
For a short time, we can do this. We should be able to agree upon this goal.
3. Our economy has taken a big hit this last year. We need to find ways that are safe to get us working again and we can do it. Social isolation and masks are a convenience, but it's also an opportunity to find new ways of doing things. Groceries need to be delivered more. Restaurant food can be delivered. We can be smart about this and create jobs and help one another in the process.
4. While we're figuring it out, many people are hurting. We need financial aid package and we need it now. This should be an area of common ground. We can disagree upon the exact numbers, but we have to work together to get something out.
5. In Trump's four years, we never really got our infrastructure moving. Experts will tell you that our infrastructure is crumbling. We HAVE to invest in infrastructure and we can find common ground on that.
6. Whatever you may feel about the police, the vast majority of the nation would like to see some systemic reform. It's going to HELP police to not to have to be social workers and mental health workers on top of being police. And we have to recognize that we don't want to see our black citizens killed because the police "feared for their lives..." Again, the majority of the nation agrees we need to do something about this. Let's find some common ground.
7. Likewise for our drug and prison policies. There are systemic problems with how we've handled this. We need to find some common ground. Conservatives: You all are supposed to be about fiscal responsibility. Providing education and rehabilitation to prisoners results in LOWERING the prison population and increasing their odds of making it on the outside. It is a money saver. We can find common ground there.
I could go on but will stop there. We may not agree about abortion or some other topics, but we can agree on a lot and we have to start there. This decade after decade of dysfunctional family squabbling is no way to operate a commonwealth.
Three final suggestions as we seek common ground:
A. We have to learn to listen to experts and trust expert opinion. That's not to say we can't ask reasonable questions of experts, but if we're not operating based on best advice, what will we operate upon and find common ground upon? Our gut feelings?
B. We have to stop accepting false claims and unsupported claims. It's NOT okay for a president to insist that "he won," when he is not in charge of the electoral system and when he has no data to support that claim. It's not okay to say that there is a conspiracy and that the media or the Democrats or the GOP WANTS to see our nation collapse. Sweeping unsupported charges are not okay. We have to be adult about this and just stop accepting it when a politician or expert or news source makes sweeping unsupported or just false claims.
C. We have to agree that causing harm to others is not acceptable. Period. Especially causing harm to innocent people. That's a line we can't cross or accept.
Now, let's put on our adult clothes and find some common ground.
