“…Politics is an activity in which you recognize the simultaneous existence of different groups, interests and opinions. You try to find some way to balance or reconcile or compromise those interests, or at least a majority of them. You follow a set of rules, enshrined in a constitution or in custom, to help you reach these compromises in a way everybody considers legitimate.
The downside of politics is that people never really get everything they want. It’s messy, limited and no issue is ever really settled. Politics is a muddled activity in which people have to recognize restraints and settle for less than they want. Disappointment is normal.
But that’s sort of the beauty of politics, too. It involves an endless conversation in which we learn about other people and see things from their vantage point and try to balance their needs against our own. Plus, it’s better than the alternative: rule by some authoritarian tyrant who tries to govern by clobbering everyone in his way….”
― David Brooks
I hope more of our congressmen and congresswomen would follow this advice about what compromise is. It is not that I don’t think people need to question and push back, or feel passionately about their beliefs, but I am tired of the closed minded regidity of some of them, and the authoritarian leanings I see taking sway lately.
JustJotItJanuary is being guest hosted by Judy E. Martin of Edwina’s Episodes the prompt word today is “compromise” suggested by Ritu at But I Smile Anyway (https://butismileanyway.com/) . David Brooks quotes from Goodreads quotes. Featured image photo of detail from Elihu Vedder’s mural ‘Government’ by Carol Highsmith via wikimedia.
Notes Tied On The Sagebrush 
Good thinking !
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Thank You. 🙂
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That is a wonderful quote on the true meaning of compromise! We are moving towards a “lose-lose” situation right now.
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Thank you, Prajakta. The quote made a lot of sense to me. I wish more of our politicians would take it to heart. 😦
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It certainly seems that some politicians do not want to compromise! David Brooks’ advice is very sound, but some politicians just will not budge in achieving what they want!
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Yes, they don’t know how to take a long view or any one else’s view. We hope to make improvements but it seems like things are constantly swinging back and forth. And we don’t need an authoritarian tyrant as Brooks says. 🙂 Thanks, Judy.
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I really want to see more bipartisan effort from our legislature. Truly, when both sides compromise and put forth the best of their labor, great things will be achieved. Often times, I think governing is the last thing on their to-do list…
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The world is better off when people try to hear each other out. I am not talking about extremists but some politicians seem to very extreme these days. 🙂
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Absolutely. Some of them seem to live in an alternative reality 😉
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Yeah, and they want us to join them there but I’m not going. 😉
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Neither am I, I’ll keep you company here in the real world.
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😀
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