Political Courage Still Exists

We Just Don’t See Enough Of It

For almost ten years, I've watched politicians squirm at the thought of actually governing, afraid that someone on their extreme flank will call them out for abandoning their liberal, conservative or populist political beliefs. I feel for them. It’s not easy to deal with serious issues faced by the whole country, while also trying to appease the constituents who sent them to Washington believing their individual grievances would be addressed. The emergence of strong-arm leaders like the former president only intensifies the pressure on lawmakers. Recently, some top politicians surprised us by summoning the courage to support bills funding the defense of Ukraine and Israel, and aiding the people of Gaza even though it didn’t conform to the priorities of some within their party. Although this type of forthright lawmaking should be routine, these days we should count it as a triumph of democracy and patriotism.

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Our system of government relies on people with widely different opinions, but who ultimately accept compromise. The Constitution vested powers in three co-equal branches of government, not to mention two houses of Congress, to avoid constant, jolting changes. Voters get behind a candidate that appeals to their own self interests. The tension that arises between a methodical approach to legislation and delivering for their constituents demands the kind of bipartisanship that was once considered standard operating procedure. Unfortunately, and for many reasons, this rarely happens anymore. Politicians get on the ballot based on far fewer voters who participate in primary elections and are more ideologically rigid. That sets up politicians to avoid compromise and vote for whatever their supporters – or their overlords – tell them to. 

This happens both on the left and the right. Since I turned 18, I have been a committed member of one political party. As I’ve aged and experienced parenthood, and other aspects of growing up, I’ve grown weary of this hyper-partisanship. It is possible to support goals such as expanded health care and environmental protection without overturning capitalism and other important, yet imperfect, parts of our system. In many states, a candidate is expected to advocate for extreme positions and is discouraged to compromise. Being part of a political party means constantly fighting this political battle against ideologues who are less and less willing to accept carefully considered change rather than revolutionary change. 

The process of overcoming these politically-charged hurdles is a messy business fraught with uncertainty. It can also be rude and unpleasant, but it is uniquely American. Political courage is not yet a thing of the past, but we certainly don’t see it often enough. When we do, we should feel proud that our leaders rose to the occasion. 

Post submitted by Adam Kupetsky, a volunteer with The Union.

Note: The views and opinions expressed by volunteer contributors are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the positions of The Union, a single-issue organization that welcomes all and is dedicated to protecting democracy.

If you’d like to help defend democracy in the US, we invite you to join The Union.