When it comes to politics, we are generally a purple people. The pendulum of elections swings in both directions and it is beginning to look like the trajectory has changed once again. It has always been important to realize that it does not dwell long at the limit of its travel out at the fringes – it will always pull back toward the center. So, it is with politics.

Despite the reverberations that are still being felt after the last general election in 2016, it is important to recognize that, in the long term, our politics are center-weighted and even in the face of hyperbolic and un-civil discourse, the forces of reason and comity still tug at us. I see examples of this every day among neighbors.

It can sometimes take a while to find a good mechanic in a neighborhood, but when you do, do his or her political leanings matter to you? I think not. What matters most, at its core, is if he/she is skilled, trustworthy, and fair. This can be true for all of the neighbors we interact with in our community. I look for these same qualities in politicians at any level of government as minimum requirements; after all, if my neighborhood mechanic has these qualities, and he does, a politician representing me out in the world should have them too.

Political victories are considered by some to be a vanquishment of a political opposition which is a harsh point of view to have for neighbors and friends who may have different political leanings, but otherwise share in the values of community. And in victory, it is sometimes forgotten what the purpose of the political office is in our democracy; it is a position of service to us all no matter our political affiliation. This point is well made by the contrasts between the two images of voting results for Bucks County, Pennsylvania in the last general election. Figure 1 illustrates the election results based on which party had the majority for each of the 54 municipalities in Bucks County. The aggregate result was a Democrat majority at a narrow margin (less than 1 %). However, if we consider the voting proportions in each, the outcome looks like Figure 2. We are a purple people and all of us must be represented by those who are elected to office.

The upcoming election is expected to confirm that the pendulum has swung. The question may well be; How far? In the upcoming election, I will continue to use the same criteria I use to consider a mechanic; Is he/she skilled, trustworthy, and fair? If not, I will choose another.

Figure 1: 2016 Presidential Election Results for Municipalities in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Figure 2: 2016 Presidential Election Results Combined Percentages for Municipalities in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Kevin Deeny – a lifelong resident of Levittown, PA