Politics is always a contentious and challenging topic. The events of recent years have further created a divide in the United States society, breaking apart friends and families, while shattering the status quo with unprecedented Supreme Court rulings. First there was Pres. Trump with his chaotic approach to leadership and the devastating pandemic, which despite offering a potential to ‘reset’ and unite society, still managed to be politicized. Then there is Pres. Biden who is facing tremendous domestic and international challenges as the world faces another grand recession and high probability of global conflicts. Regardless of what party or ideology one supports, there has been general discontent for recent leaders, both Presidents and Congress among Americans. The majority of those sharing different opinions still would like unity and for a more cohesive society.
In recent discussions with friends, we reminisced about how just a decade ago things were so much different. Despite the country just coming out of the 2008 financial crisis which was devastating, things seemed simpler and more rational. Despite having his own controversies, Pres. Obama just won reelection in 2012. He was a man and a leader that was truly respected by myself and so many others, regardless party affiliation. He was eloquent, empathetic, supportive, rational, and strong-willed. Despite his relatively young age for presidency, he truly led and oftentimes unified the country, while also making meaningful policy. Seemingly, the age of such leaders are gone as both sides are embracing highly partisan and highly radical politics, with similar representation. That poses the question, is rationality gone in politics, is the era of partisanship the new norm?
However, I recently read an interview with a historic legal expert, discussing the recent Supreme Court rulings. He indicated that the US politics tends to move in these waves, of high uncertainty and partisanship followed by a period of great progress and prosperity (Wolf, 2022). That is usually in line with significant economic growth such as the Roaring 20’s or post-WWII era and shifts in society, allowing for Constitutional amendments to be passed and major reforms such as the Civil Rights Act. Therefore, there is hope that after this ongoing crisis, a period of growth, reform, and stability will follow.
Reference
Wolf, Z.B. (2022). 5 constitutional amendments for right now. CNN.