Stop blaming the people: We can disagree, but our leaders must do their jobs

Every time I turn on the news, I hear that nothing gets done in America because “we’re so divided.” Meanwhile, I have neighbors, family members, and friends of all political persuasions, and we are perfectly able to collaborate and communicate. Blaming division in the country sounds like BS to me. That line gets repeated so often it’s practically a lullaby; soothing, familiar, and completely misleading.

Yes, Americans are entitled to disagree. That disagreement is part of the dynamism of this American experiment. It’s precisely why we elect a president and Congress. Their job is to turn our disagreements into action, to negotiate, debate, and compromise so that the needs of Americans actually get met. Yet too often, they act as if progress is impossible because the people don’t agree — forgetting that managing disagreement is their job.

So when politicians shrug and say their hands are tied because the country’s divided, I have to call it what it is: an excuse. A convenient one. Despite all the talk about gridlock, members of Congress still have the power to draft bills, vote on them, and build budgets. “The voters are too divided” is not a valid reason to stop showing up for work. And yet, the media often reports that “America is more divided than ever” as if that’s a sign of crisis when in reality, it should be celebrated as a hallmark of a functioning democracy: a nation of diverse needs, values, and ideas.

It’s also a little insulting. Voters did their part; we held elections, we picked representatives, and we handed them the tools of government. If those tools aren’t being used, that’s not on us. That’s on the people we hired to use them.

The truth is, most Americans aren’t as hopelessly divided as the headlines claim. Ask around any coffee shop or grocery store, and you’ll hear broad agreement on things like affordable healthcare, decent roads, good schools, and keeping money out of politics. We may differ on how to get there, but we generally want similar outcomes: stability, fairness, opportunity.

So what’s actually standing in the way? Incentives, not ideology. There’s more money to be made in outrage than in compromise. Blame the Dems or the Republicans if you want, but they aren’t the ones going without healthcare or a paycheck … our fellow Americans are. Media profits from conflict; politicians raise more when they play the victim of division. “Polarization” has become the product they sell us, and they’ve been very effective marketers.

But we don’t have to buy it. What if we stopped accepting “the country’s divided” as a reason for inaction and started expecting leadership that governs despite disagreement? That’s what grown-ups do in every other job. Teachers teach students who disagree. Doctors treat patients who don’t share their politics. Neighbors help each other out even when they don’t vote the same way. We don’t get to call a work stoppage every time we encounter difference, and neither should Congress.

In fact, Congress has proven it can work together. Consider the ADVANCE Act, passed overwhelmingly in both chambers, which supports firefighters and advances nuclear energy benefits. Or the Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act, passed unanimously to reduce U.S. reliance on Russian nuclear materials. These are just a couple examples of bipartisan efforts that have led to meaningful legislation, even amid deep political divides.

Here in Grant County and communities like Electric City and Grand Coulee, we already see how neighbors with different views can pitch in together (whether it’s maintaining community spaces, helping each other during fire season, or supporting local schools). If we can do it here, we can expect the same kind of collaboration from our elected leaders.

So the next time someone tells you “nothing can get done because we’re divided,” remember: division isn’t the problem. Distraction and deflection are. And the more we see through that story, the harder it becomes to sell.

Because the truth is, the American people are doing just fine showing up. It’s time our leaders did, too.

Kathy Lynott