Restrain Partisanship

In Washington’s Farewell Address, he advises us to beware of the spirit of party.

In 2015, a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill wrote about his speech and why it matters today.

While Washington gives us a number of reasons why we should beware the spirit of party, what has stood out to me this year is one line: “the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.”

Today, often the farthest we go with this advice is to say that we should “turn down the heat” when things get too ugly. But to govern the country well, we need constructive parameters for what it means to restrain partisanship, in the same way that Olympic athletes have constructive parameters for how to perform at their best, follow the rules of their sport, and uphold sportsmanship.

Arguably, the choices we make in politics are more significant than winning Olympic medals in terms of how they affect people’s lives. And yet, arguably, the lifestyle actions of collaborate, build trust, and build endurance can give a defining shape to what it means to restrain partisanship so that we get to better outcomes in politics.

I don’t think the goal is a vague directive for our emotions or our head space. At Liberatus we are not advocating for high-minded ideals. The vision of Liberatus, of American unity, is to say that relief from the depressing ways we pursue dysfunction is possible.

The actions of collaborate, build trust, and build endurance give us day-to-day directives for how to go about work in Congress or on campaigns or elsewhere in the political process.

We have ideas, and we will purposefully converse with the other side about them.

We think the other side is a monster, and we will ask clarifying questions to get more information, showing that the end goal is wise solutions.

We believe in what we do, and we will establish creative rhythms to make our tenacity sustainable.

Ultimately, on the cover of each printed volume, we could write restrain partisanship in place of inspiration for American unity. The mission to inspire American unity, or to restrain partisanship, only moves when we act. Creating a biannual publication is about giving an organized structure to Washington’s advice to restrain partisanship, and to create a working knowledge for all of us and especially the next generation about how we can endlessly collaborate, build trust, and build endurance.  

WEEKLY ACTION POINT:

Take a look at the vision overview as we look to produce a biannual publication. Take time to pray in nature about your vocation or calling. Then, you can set up a monthly recurring donation as a Liberatus Advocate at the tab below. You can also write Volume Two with us by responding to a one-question interview. We will compile responses to the question about the future you imagine into a new vision asset to guide the stories that we tell, the research that we include, and the partner organizations that we fund.

To fund the ongoing work of the mission, including the creation of Volume Two, leader training, and community connections and gatherings, we’ve set a goal of raising $2,000 in monthly commitments. As of this writing, 10 donors are contributing $220 a month. You can join them and co-create the mission with us using the tab below.

Mission: Inspire American Unity

Liberatus is a political organization and publication exploring how we make our country more just and free for the next generation. We create inspiration for American unity in beautiful, well-researched and faith-rooted illustrated journals, written by professionals across the spectrum, to inspire lifestyles where we collaborate, build trust, and build endurance—because nothing changes if nothing changes.

Journal Entry #151

ISSUE 022: FOUNDATIONAL ETHOS — PART 2