Reply #24: But that 'real power' you describe has been remarkably ineffective [View All]

in actually advancing many of our deep concerns into action or law. It's clear that we need more folks to vote for candidates who will follow through on their campaign convictions, but there's no guarantee that they will find themselves in a legislative majority in which they are able to effectively manage their concerns into action or law on their own volition.

I think that we all should aspire to hold firm convictions and act on those in an uncompromising way. But our political institutions -- where we rightly expect many of those concerns to be addressed -- are designed for compromise or argument. There really isn't a smooth mechanism for partisan or autonomous power in our political institutions. I believe those institutions exist because of a faith Americans have that those we represent will be able to reconcile the myriads of different views and positions from the many diverse regions of the country into legislation or action which advances our concerns.

Any 'power' Americans may have in our democracy depends less on their ability to maintain their individual positions or stands, and more on their ability to persuade others to adopt their positions. Going into such an endeavor, a firm conviction of your own position is essential, but to take your view and apply it to the rest of the country without some sort of compromise often manifests itself as an imposition rather than a universally recognized benefit.

I think that it's fine and correct for Gore and others to pursue their ambitions with a purity of purpose and with an uncompromising bent. But, that may not result in anything other than their own personal edification if there isn't some effort to attach them to some legislative vehicle to propel their ideals into action or law.

There is, of course the benefit of the persuasive effect of such uncompromising advocacy. Voters come to the polls with ideas and energy as a result of strong, unflinching advocacy. But in our democracy, many uncompromising ambitions have languished in our political institutions because of the proponents' failure to forge a consensus among the existing legislature. Some issues and concerns can wait for a friendly legislature, but many can't bear waiting for the prospect of an ideologically symbiotic body.

I think our citizens' ultimate 'power' is in their ability to take a stand and to vote; and in their elected representatives' ability and will to reconcile their (often) different views into action or law. That reality shouldn't preclude holding and keeping strong convictions, but it is a recognition that our democracy allows and encourages different convictions to stand side by side -- without any diminution of any position, except in the imposition of those views on others. Persuasion is the key. That persuasion requires, demands the power of strong conviction. As the Brit, Samuel Butler wrote, "Virtue knows that it is impossible to get on without compromise, and tunes herself, as it were, a trifle sharp to allow for an inevitable fall in playing."