The Politics of Partisanship

The age of intellectual discussion has come to an end. With the loss of identity politics, academic discussions and socratics have met their match with the growth of binary thinking. As the ongoing war between the GOP and Democrats continue, the partisan politics increasingly show an effect on the beliefs of the individual scholar.

Us and Them of Binary Thinking

There can only be one winner

This past week, the focus has been on the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and the allegations of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford. Throughout the confirmation process, many have forgotten the reason for the hearings, discussions, and FBI investigations, which only highlights the confirmation as another round in the battle between the Democrats and the Republicans. The root of the issue lies with women’s rights and sexual assault; however, as partisanship continues to put government in gridlock and citizens from listening to each other, one’s individual identity becomes lost. The environment and upbringing of the individual, as well as knowledge procured throughout their lives, should be reflected in their politics. However, those beliefs are buried by the conviction that there can only be one final winner in government. Thus, supporters of both parties begin to ignore their own judgements about the issue and contribute to the mudslinging of the opposite side.

Partisanship prevents forms of discussion between parties

The left has continuously argued against Kavanaugh’s confirmation in the name of women’s rights while the right has sold the allegations as an “a last-minute ‘smear’ perpetuated by Democrats” (The New Yorker). The general overwhelming response to the confirmation on both sides (Kavanaugh by the Republicans, Ford by the Democrats) drowns out the central issue of sexual assault. For example, as the #MeToo movement gradually becomes associated with liberals, its bipartisanship slowly disintegrates into a political ploy by the Democrats (Wall Street Journal). #MeToo is meant to show solidarity for all women regardless of their politics; however, the obsession to win on both the Democratic and Republican sides has made it difficult for #MeToo supporters to really connect with each other on a level that’s deeper than party lines and gender.

The obsession to win has made it difficult for #MeToo supporters to connect with each other on a level that’s deeper than party lines and gender.

The purpose of the #meToo movement is to give people the resources to have access to healing, and advocates for changes to laws and policies.

As a Californian, the general consensus is that you are a Democrat and as one, it can only be said that Republicans are the enemy you must defeat. The same goes for those that identify with the Republican Party. Caught up in the environment of their own corner of the world, many people forget to look at the big picture of policy-making and the effects the implemented policies will have on America. They continuously force their beliefs onto each other in an attempt to “win”. Both parties promote their own version of binary thinking and as they repeat that dialogue to their constituents, Dr. Lazo’s definition of the humanities "to consider how close words get to their meaning and how far statements are from real events," reveals the susceptibility of people to believe the contorted truth based on the respective parties’ history and background. By setting the opposition as “different”, the political party the individual support contributes to the system of binary thinking and partisanship. In politics, this binary thinking can also be used to rally voters to vote against the “other people” who are threatening our government. The binary thinking of politics in the modern world is so much about being correct and incorrect that the moral right and wrong is forgotten.

Trump's tweet of the Democratic Party as unfit to govern and the Republican Party as the proper choice if one wants to preserve proper government.

As Edward Said noted in Orientalism, “no production of knowledge…can ever ignore or disclaim its author’s involvement...in his own circumstances” (Said 11) because there is no method to separate the scholar from circumstances of life. While knowledge may forever be impacted by society, it is possible to have open discussions and accept the individual beliefs of each person. Binary thinking must go. We are all Americans. Differences created between us are man-made. Partisanship in government does not encourage the next generation to look beyond themselves and help each other. Political leaders must put aside their party’s views and support the policies that benefit the general population and not for a selective group of people.

---

Works Cited

Glasser, Susan B. “‘If They Can, They Will’: The Ford-Kavanaugh Hearing and the Angry Politics of Now.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 28 Sept. 2018, www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-trumps-washington/if-they-can-they-will-the-ford-kavanaugh-hearing-and-the-angry-politics-of-now.

Page, Susan. “Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court Confirmation Didn't Settle This Fight. It Ignited It.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 7 Oct. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/10/07/brett-kavanaugh-confirmation-analysis/1557826002/.

Shrier, Abigail. “Opinion | #MeToo Becomes a Political Ploy.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 25 Sept. 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/metoo-becomes-a-political-ploy-1537915920.