WORKING ON THE HILL: Is the Ideal of Bipartisanship Always a Virtue?

In a country deeply divided, bipartisanship seems a ready solution to bridge differences.

After all, placing the stamp of bipartisanship on something in Washington is tantamount to the seal of approval. But does it always indicate the best we have to offer?

While bipartisanship can be a good thing, it isn’t the objective. Instead, we should look to those values which draw out the best we have to offer before assuming something is good merely because it is bipartisan.

This also holds true for other things we are told we should value, such as compromise and moderation. Again, they may be the result of something valued and virtuous but they in and of themselves are not the goal.

Instead of these byproducts, we should aim for the real thing. The goal, instead, is pursuing those aspirational ideals that allow us to transcend our differences to achieve a productive end.

Is it aspirational to be bipartisan, or to compromise, or embrace moderation, in and of themselves? The short answer is no.

To aspire or have mutual aspirations is key. Bipartisanship isn’t something we should aspire to, but it may be the result when mutual aspirations are sought and achieved.

Therefore, it is important to understand that the stamps of bipartisanship, moderation, or willingness to compromise aren’t the standard, unless they are rooted in shared aspirational values.

Often times, the result of these three attributes is not aspirational at all, but the result finding the lowest common denominator.

True compromise, for example, is something in which persons holding deep convictions nevertheless find common ground on which to come together in shared values to attain a productive end.

To be fair, the pursuit of bipartisanship can lead to finding mutually shared aspirational values. But it is just as true that expediency oftentimes prevents such a result.

We find also that appearance many times supersedes substance. This is true so often on the Hill: what something appears to be is highly valued, not actually what it is.

Bipartisanship may look like a combining of aspirational values, but often fails the substance test. The same is true for the concepts of diversity, tolerance, and acceptance. On closer analysis, we find claims for them in particular situations often lack foundation.

Don’t Accept the Imitation:

It’s easy to succumb to an imitation of the real thing and wear it with pride. How much greater to embrace the truest nature of God and allow Him to bless those around you, often in a still, small voice as we find in 1 Kings 19:11-12.

When we look at the Scriptures, we are challenged to aspire to the things close to the heart of God. Jesus, in His ministry, always elevated the conversation and pointed us in the direction of aspirational values.

When asked the lawfulness of taxation (Matthew22:21), rather than responding to an intentionally divisive question, He took it to the next level. Pointing to our ultimate duty to God, He found a shared aspirational value, to which His inquisitors had no reply.

In the practice of making public policy, it can be very difficult finding these shared values, to say the least. More often than not, reaching mutually shared aspirational values is not achieved. But that does not lessen our duty to try and engage.

Just Walk Away:

And, in the current political environment, what if you can’t find mutually shared values no matter how hard you have tried? The answer is simple, don’t compromise your essential beliefs. Instead, walk away from the deal. Convictions sincerely held ultimately will lay the groundwork for meaningful agreement.

This concept is not limited simply to dealings between the two major political parties. It applies equally to opponents within the same political and ideological stream.

It also applies in our relationships with one another. This includes families, friends, colleagues, neighbors, and even personal enemies. Achieving higher ground together is always the best outcome.

Doing so doesn’t mean compromising on your essential core values. But it does mean finding those mutual interests and values that you share.

Bret Bernhardt served on the Hill as Chief of Staff to senators Don Nickles of Oklahoma and Jim DeMint of South Carolina. He is now a member of the Board of Directors of Faith & Law and the Conservative Partnership Institute.