IssuesThere are answers to every problem facing our country. Unfortunately, they usually aren’t easy answers. Instead, solutions are challenging and take hard work and compromise. Finding a solution takes both sides acknowledging the validity of the other side’s opinions and concerns, and both sides working to find a middle ground that will address everyone’s concerns, at least in part. Solutions almost always involve compromise in a democratic country.
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Compromise
As both of the parties have become more extreme, Compromise has become a dirty word. Both sides seem to think that they and they alone have the one true answer, and any compromise is somehow giving in to evil. But nobody has the one true answer. And recognizing and respecting the humanity of others isn’t evil, it’s the strength of our country.
We need to get back to respecting everyone’s opinions. We need to get back to compromise. And the starting point needs to be a more honest conversation.
A More Honest Conversation
The extremism of both parties hasn’t just undermined our conversation, but has also undermined the truth. It’s not so much that each party is telling lies. More accurately, each side only says the part of the truth that supports the extremism of their party. Both sides ignore the parts of the truth that undermines or disproves their extremism. Neither side looks at the whole picture.
We need to get back to the whole truth, no matter how messy or inconvenient, or even painful. Our country can’t make progress unless we start from an honest accounting of our challenges and problems. We can’t arrive at the right answer, the right direction for our country, based on a partial truth.
Over the course of this campaign, we will be highlighting the way both parties distort the conversation. We will be offering policy proposals which are based on a more honest look at our challenges, and what both sides get right. Most of these positions will involve compromise. Because finding common ground in the middle really is the only path forward for America.
The divisiveness is undermining our country.The United States, in many ways, has gotten off track. We have stepped back from civil society. We have stepped back from respect for everyone. We have stepped back from the core idea of our Constitution, that every person has a right to their own opinion, and a right to be respected as a human being.
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About Blake
Blake Ashby lives in Ferguson, Missouri, with his wife Dara (and dogs). He was previously a member of the City Council of Ferguson, representing the 2nd Ward. A longtime entrepreneur, he has helped start numerous successful businesses. He writes the occasional commentary for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and other publications and is an occasional talk radio guest.
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Blake Ashby