I know there are daily media stories that serve as reminders that our country is growing more and more politically polarized. One only has to look around to bear witness to some vehement dispute, e.g. health care, climate change, etc. The rise of Tea Party (and Coffee Party) activists and the incivility of discourse and debate have left little room to “agree to disagree.”
But in my opinion, no time of year brings this out more than tax time. My husband and I are a case in point. While I do everything in my power not to overpay taxes, I do believe that we as citizens should pay for the public good and that the most fair way is through income taxes. He, on the other hand, rants throughout the process thinking that taxes are something done to us vs. our responsibility. Unlike the shouting, placard-bearing protesters, he and I can ultimately have civil discussions about what makes for the public good and are we getting what we pay for. We rarely agree.
What’s troubling to me is not that my husband and I run the risk of perpetually canceling out each others’ votes (or can’t get our taxes done on time) but that I see fewer and fewer situations or places where people can actually engage in civil conversation bringing different points of view. “Groupthink” abounds on both sides of the aisle. “You’re either with us or against us” mentality reduces very complex issues into platitudes and sound-bytes. Increasing political polarization in Washington DC is also influencing how we view each other: particularly as voters first, citizens second.
This does not bode well for us either as a country or within our communities. Increasing political polarization is also a reflection of increasing disconnect between diverse people—whether its demographic, economic, geographic diversity and so on. Leadership in this current reality, and certainly into the future, will need focus on building or becoming the bridge among our diversity.
And, yes we will still need to pay taxes.
Adriana –
Thank you for your post. I share in your concerns. What is most concerning to me is the in-ability of the average citizen to decipher truth from fiction, and rhetorical politics from real politics. I wish that the blame could fall on the media, but, while they should be held accountable for being completely without scruples, the state of the political discourse in this country is not their fault.
The media gives people what they want – that is their business. It is much like dealing crack. People complain that journalism is dead, but that is nobodies fault but our own. The question is why do people listen to Glen Beck? Why does Shawn Hannity actually have a radio show? And why is the Tea Party not being run from inside someone’s basement? Personal, I believe the answer to this is rampant ignorance — not stupidity, just ignorance. As a nation we have failed to provide children with sufficient historical and political knowledge to be able to make the rational decisions that will be required of them to protect the values that truly make America great.
When I watch or listen to Glen Beck/Shaun Hannity/Rush Limbaugh, I see madness. Others see truth and leadership. That, is scarier to me then any of the other problems we face as a nation today.
There is so much noise out there. And, yes, we all choose the filter through MSNBC, FOX or whatever flavor of news we prefer. It’s a true threat to our democracy.
Ironically, Americans are paying some of the lowest taxes in history yet seem to be ranting more than ever. Go figure.
Wendy: I don’t know what to do about the parking lot. I do think the parking lot is bigger here in Minnesota than other places. It’s a peculiarity of Minnesota, this Minnesota Nice. I prefer the East Coast where people are more direct and you know where you stand. I really don’t know what to do about this as it’s so engrained in the culture here. I don’t think it will change our lifetimes.
My first question to the tax complainers: who taught you to read? who made it possible for you to flush your toilet this morning? who made it possible for you to drive to work? Answer: tax revenues paid for you to go to school; flush that toilet and build that road.
Do we want to return to the days of outhouses? illiteracy? mud roads? I don’t think so.
Wendy –
I share your concern. In my experience, it feels like people are terrified of any sort of passionate discussion and turn away or turn off. In my opinion, passion isn’t a bad thing. You can still have a civil discussion and be passionate. So, perhaps voices are raised or people get a bit uncomfortable. Just a bit. Discomfort is a way to start a discussion.
Andriana -
I posted a link to your blog and while no one commented here on the site – I received numerous posts to my Facebook page and even more emails. Several people noted that they “didn’t want to share their views in public” but expressed their very strong feelings to me about your post.
I think this is very interesting for a variety of reasons. First – I’ve heard Curt Johnson describe meetings in MN and he says everyone nods and smiles in the conference room, but then afterwards, in the parking lot – that is where the real discussion starts! Something about “Minnesota Nice” seems to prohibit people from speaking up.
Second – it concerns me because people are so entrenched in their beliefs that they will not even enter into an open and presumably “safe” forum. Rather, they want to vent and rant – but do it “privately”.
With everyone choosing their own source of information and news – with the filter they prefer, how are we ever going to start these discussions? I fear there is no place to get “just facts” anymore – so we can talk and share more freely.
Check out my FB page and see the comments left there!
Andriana -
These days, it seems like the media follows whoever is making the most noise, and doesn’t pay enough time on discussing the issues so people can understand them. Perhaps it’s always been that way.
I saw a bit of that this weekend at a family gathering. My brother-in-law made a comment related to an issue, and it was a civil, well-intentioned comment. His daughter groaned and muttered under her breath, “Oh no, let’s not talk politics.”
If we can’t talk about these issues in our own families, how can we expect to have civil conversations in our communities.
I’m wondering if last week’s poll about who identifies with the Tea Party movement will spur the media to back off a bit. 18 percent made up of wealthier, angry white men (and a few angry white women) does not a consensus make nor warrant the level of attention the Tea Party has been getting.