Finding Common Ground in a Divided Nation
One day away from what most people are calling the most divisive and polarizing election of our generation, or is it? Sure, both parties have slung mud back and forth, but that is nothing new. Both have used disinformation to alter the narrative to meet their agenda, but again, nothing new. It is highly unlikely that either party will garner enough votes to win the White House, Senate, and House. The only way to have a sea change in the country is to have control of all governing bodies. It is clear that will not happen for either party.
As I ask myself the pros and cons of either party winning, I reflect back on my career of many decades and have come to the conclusion that no election has made even a modest change in the companies I have worked for or my own. Yes, at times I have paid a little more or less in taxes. Yes, there have been times a new regulation or law came to pass that we had to comply with, but none materially changed the way I have managed my business.
Businesses with a sound culture do not change with the times or with a different political party in charge. Sound businesses hire good people with good character and work hard to bring value to the clients that hire them. They do it to make a fair profit. They do it to give back to the communities that they live and work in. They do it to give a future to the men and women who devote a third of their waking hours to the company.
If you truly look back at the things that have changed us as a country over the last eight years, it has been large social and cultural events: the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and Elon buying Twitter. All have profoundly changed our society way more than any politician. These are “We The People” type events where we as citizens gather together to create change.
I do believe that for America to continue to be the greatest nation in the world, we must force ourselves to reach across the boundaries of our differences and find the things that we can agree on. We spend far too much time focusing on the things that divide our great nation.
Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neill were very different in their views of how to move the country forward, yet after work, they regularly had dinner together.
What would you do if your daughter and son had very different political views? Would you not have family trips or celebrate amazing moments in life? No, you would invite them both over for Thanksgiving, share a meal, and be thankful that we live in a country where all speech is protected, where all people are cherished not for the things that are in common, but for their unique differences.
