It’s no longer that you believe in the fundamental ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—NO. You must follow lockstep without comment or dissent to the leadership of your party or face the dire consequences of your actions.

Not this American.

The calculating mind of the Senate Minority Leader and his dominions in the Senate have disgraced that once honorable bastion of debate into a precipice of political animosities that will have historians writing for years.

Equally, in their own quest for redemption and reelection, the current majority leaders of the House and Senate are pushing to follow the same path, ignoring the great compromises, programs and leadership that have benefitted this nation when the Democrats controlled the legislative agenda.

Where are the leaders who knew how to make legislation work through debate and comprise, those dynamic individuals who strove to find consensus to benefit the lives of all citizens who have been blessed to have been born here or immigrated to this nation?

The truth is that a majority of those in leadership positions are clinging to power at any cost with personal agendas that will continue to sow dangerous doubt and divisiveness amongst the population.

There are emerging leaders in parties within state and federal levels who truly understand that, to succeed, you can still stand by your convictions yet work constructively with another of a different political ideology on meaningful legislation for, in the end, we are all Americans.

This decade will define not just the nation we pass on to our children but also the world they will inherit.

Only with humility will we overcome our failings. We have always been a great nation and when we focus our positive energy as one people we have accomplished what seems impossible with ease.

Let the last quarter-century of dark political divisiveness finally end, or January 6, 2021 will have foreshadowed what is yet to come.

See more from Ned Sader’s blog Standpoint at www.river
reporter.com/standpoint.