Talking politics

Discussion is key to a way forward

Americans are losing the ability to talk to each other about political news.

Without engaging each other on the topics of the day, we cannot move forward as a nation. A lively exchange of ideas can create areas of compromise and sometimes unexpected agreement.

That can’t happen if we don’t discuss politics with each other.

Listen. Talk. Agree to disagree. But talk — learn about other points of view.

Forty-five percent of adults have stopped talking to someone about political or election news.

Why? Because of something said to them or posted online, according to a survey released by the Pew Research Center.

People who follow politics and election news closely are the most likely to cut off dialogue. That’s a shame because they have the most to contribute to the discussion.

It’s among the woke where Pew found tolerance of opposing viewpoints most intolerable.

The survey found that 60% of liberal Democrats cut off discussions with someone. The next likeliest to cut dialogue off — conservative Republicans, at 45%.

Moderates in both parties and independents are more likely to keep talking.

Talking could help move our current mode of attack politics to a more sensible way of doing business. God forbid, there might be areas suited to compromise.

Our recent leaders have provided a very bad example — shouting, not talking. Not listening.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the late Justice Antonin Scalia provided a good example of keeping disagreement civil while remaining friends. The two disagreed on almost every aspect of law and politics. Respect was the key to that friendship.

Like the two justices, we should respect people we disagree with.

We must start talking with each other about politics again. Have a political discussion with a friend, family member, colleague or fellow parishioner now kept at arm’s length.

Have coffee or a beer and talk about the politics of the day. Ask someone why they feel the way they do about important issues.

To unify this country we must talk to each other about politics.

To debate the issues of the day is key to finding a way forward from the deep divisions in this country.