To the Victor Go...What?

New York Senator William Marcy first used the phrase “To the victor belong the spoils” during a Congressional debate way back in 1832 as the country was headed into a painful forty years of division and extreme partisan politics. We are now on the day of arguably the most important election in my longish lifetime – an election that at local, state, and national levels will reflect the challenges and divisions we face across our country. In a body politic that is now defined by the extremes, what will the victors do? And will it be about the spoils or about changing course for the better?

In many respects, we’ve spent the last twenty years on the end of a yo-yo string. First the Republicans… then the Democrats…and then the Republicans felt they’d been victorious and given a mandate. The opposition resisted – sometimes with reason, sometimes in spite – and almost nothing material got done to improve the country. Two recessions, a long war, and a pandemic later, it’s clear we’ve been running in place the entire 21st century.

It’s important to note that this is not a “Democratic” or “Republican” trait. Both sides have extreme factions that have exacerbated the issues – and both sides have been willing to play politics with the welfare of the American people. Moreover, depending on where you live, Republicans or Democrats will be “victors” in tomorrow’s election. The political parties are here to stay. Instead, the real question is about leaders and how they choose to exercise the power they’ve been given. Is it about personal gain, job security, and party allegiance? Or is it about actually driving positive civic progress across the nation?

I vote for progress.

If we are going to meet the challenges we face – both in the immediate and the longer-term – our elected officials, regardless of party, have to behave like civic leaders. That means listening to others, engaging in meaningful debate, finding common ground, and pursuing policies for the greater good. Since I know that sounds Pollyannaish and na?ve, I will venture into some specifics at the national level to demonstrate what must be done.

The President and the Majority/Minority Leaders in the House and the Senate need to get their sh*t together and focus on the things that matter. Whoever is elected President will have to take the first steps here – that is the nature and stature of the job. He will have to set an agenda that encompasses and builds a common point of view:

1.    Abolish the aisle: I am very tired of elected officials saying they will “reach across the aisle.” It’s as if that was some heroic action that requires great skill and courage. The truth is that moderate Republicans and moderate Democrats have as much in common with each other as they do with the more radical elements of their own party. And if they worked together, could generate meaningful majorities on many important issues. But if you think the party aisle is a divide, that becomes very, very difficult. We need a new mindset – one that doesn’t artificially create division.

2.    Build trust on winnable issues: If the goal is to end unnecessary division, we must trust each other. And the best way to build that confidence is to work on issues where there is already a clear need and a broad consensus. Infrastructure investment is an obvious priority for both parties and for the country – and it’s been sitting there for the past twenty years waiting for someone to do something about it. In addition, “Main Street” hasn’t recovered fully from the 2007/08 financial recession and is now being devastated by the pandemic recession. Even a topic like immigration reform is winnable. There is a mainstream set of policies supported by a solid majority of Americans that both protect our borders and address the humanitarian and human resource needs of our country. Make these "wins" for “the team” and opportunities will be created to deal with more complex issues.

3.    Address racial and other inequities: Over thirty percent of our country is “of color” and they are a critically valuable and important part of our future success as a nation. I am a 58-year-old white guy who grew up in a middle-class environment – perhaps not privileged but certainly protected. I had opportunities and I made the most of them. But my heart has been opened to the conscious and unconscious forms of discrimination that remain in our country. Biases that absolutely inhibit others from pursuing their own opportunities. We cannot ignore them. Change can start with the obvious challenges in our criminal justice system – but we need to dig deeper in many other areas. Ignore the fear-mongering on both sides – focus on the human need for fairness and equity. Until we do that, progress will be very difficult.

4.    Reexamine the foundation: I love our democracy and believe in our institutions. But we have structural problems that must be fixed to avoid calamity in the future. I remain a “federalist,” including believing in the basics of the electoral college, but the randomness, diversity, and complexity of the rules governing our state-by-state elections hurt democracy. We need to fix that. There are issues with the 60% rule in the Senate and the concept of earmarks – but these are both tools that enable legislators to compromise and reach consensus. How can we provide more/different tools to support that goal? The all-powerful executive order is an abused form of governance by both parties. We need to re-think how and when executive orders apply. Life-time federal court appointments create generational issues -- what can be done to maintain judicial independence without obstructing progress? These and other fundamentals feel “mundane,” but if you talk to someone in government, they matter deeply.

5.    Tackle the difficult issues: Issues like health care, income inequality, and the environment have been roadblocks and stumbling points for government leaders in the past. Some of this is ideological – but much of it is because the issues are complex and long-term in nature. Taking on these topics “first” will likely fail – we need to rebuild trust and engagement before we take on the “tough stuff.” But as Yoda would say, “Tackle them, we must” because they matter greatly to future generations. So let’s build momentum, address structural and institutional issues, and then use that progress to take on the most difficult challenges.

While all of this is easy to describe, the actual work is very challenging. We are now fighting decades of “he-said, she-said” recriminations, political incivility, and social media extremism and conspiracy mongering. Each new government wants to investigate the past regime. After this election is decided, there will be leaders from both sides that want retribution and punishment for acts both real and perceived.

Fundamentally, overcoming this environment is a leadership question – and certainly, that begins with the senior leaders in Washington, DC. We must find the strength to let go of the past and take control of our future. And this is not just a national issue – it also includes leaders at the state and local level.  Moreover, private enterprise and the nonprofit sector play an incredibly important role in supporting and driving this type of change. That means all of us.

A few months ago, I wrote a passionate blog post about the importance of voting and it appears that we will have a record turnout in a time when it is difficult to vote. That speaks volumes about our democracy. But as you look at the election results today and in the weeks to come, don’t assume that one side won and the other side lost. Ask yourself whether the outcome brings a better path forward for your community, your state, and your country? And think about what you can do to support and encourage leaders to take that path.

Let’s hold them accountable – not to the distribution of spoils – but to the outcomes that matter for all of us.