We are neighbors who live two doors down from each other. From block parties and chatting over the years, we've known that our political orientations are at different ends of the spectrum. We've both talked politics with people who agree with us, but in this time of political transition and turmoil we wanted to see if anything constructive could happen in a conversation that started from different places. We sat down for two hours in a coffee shop. Here are a few things we learned we have in common:
• We have both felt at times during the past several years that we don't recognize our country anymore, that fundamental shifts have occurred that we don't understand.
• Neither of us was particularly excited by the choices on the presidential ballot this time around.
• We are both dismayed by the ongoing partisanship in which one "side" appears to emerge as the victor for a period of time while the other is made to feel like the loser.
• We believe this nation should provide fair opportunities and treatment for all its citizens, and we want to make the world a better place for our families and our descendants.
For the bulk of the discussion, we went down the list of planks of the two major political party platforms. As we expected, we had different takes on some (OK, many) of the issues. But we found common ground on several. For example:
• Fiscal policy: Balance the budget. We may disagree on how much should be spent, but everything spent must be paid for.
• Employment: Make working more attractive than welfare, by providing a $15-an-hour minimum wage and curtailing welfare benefits in areas where good jobs are available.