Despite expectations by party loyalists on each side of the aisle that their side would come away with a complete victory, the 2020 election finally ended this week with political power at the federal level about as evenly divided, as has been the case for most of this century. The Democrats did wrest control of the presidency from Donald Trump by more than a seven million popular vote margin, but each party was left in control of only one half of the legislative branch, each by slimmer margins than before the election. As surprising as these results were to partisans in both parties, the result was completely predictable long before the votes were counted.
As we pointed out in our book, Healing American Democracy: Going Local, published in 2018, the New Deal framework that supported a powerful federal government based on a broad national consensus on its purpose and functions collapsed in the 21st century. It could not persist under the weight of fundamental changes in the country’s economy, shifting cultural attitudes, new generational leadership and revolutionary communications technologies. The country has gone from the relatively homogeneity of mid- 20th century America to a citizenry defined more by its differences than by its sameness.
Under such circumstance, trying to use the antiquated top down governing structures of the New Deal as the only way to fix our nation’s problems is destined to not only bring further disappointment but increase the public’s cynicism about the efficacy of democracy as well. Those who wish to reinvigorate our way of governing, should spend less time hoping for Washington to provide solutions to our problems and focus their energy instead on local civic activism. This is where real change is not only possible, but well under way, and where agreement among varied parties more achievable than in hyper partisan Washington.
This process of redirecting our civic activism from Congress to communities must begin with a full embrace of the diversity that now defines America in this century. We need to celebrate the pursuit of local solutions to our challenges by groups and communities of different cultural norms and economic status, living in a wide variety of places and circumstances. These differences constitute a healthy sign of American freedom and choice, rather than an inherently destructive force that requires imposing conformity in individual beliefs and behaviors.
On the local level, we can transcend the choice given to us by established groups with narrow agendas. After all, local communities may be red, blue or purple, but they are neighbors and sometimes friends. Far from political abstractions, our cities, towns and counties are places we experience in real-time and on a daily basis. As the great New York governor Fiorello La Guardia said, there’s no Democratic or Republican way to clean the streets.
Morely Winograd is co-author of three books on the Millennial generation, and co-author (with Mike Hais and Doug Ross) of Healing American Democracy: Going Local.
Doug Ross has served as a Michigan State Senator, Michigan Commerce Secretary, and U.S. Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training. He is co-author of Healing American Democracy: Going Local.
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