Disagreeing With Courage

In our work on issues of public policy, one of the goals of the Public Conversations Project is to bring partisan stakeholders together.  Partisans may disagree on the role of government and the type of action that will bring the most benefit to our communities, but perhaps we can all agree that, especially in moments of crisis, we need our leaders to put aside politics long enough to focus on policies that address critical issues. 

In a political climate that is deeply polarized and in which cooperation on important issues seems rare, we want to draw attention to counterexamples that go against the grain of this disturbing trend.  When intense pressures from political parties and constituents are calling for an unconditional adherence to the party line and ideology, it takes courage to come together with "the other side" to work earnestly towards a solution to a policy problem.

Last month, the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation presented its prestigious Profile in Courage Award for 2010 to a group of four California lawmakers who, in spite of political pressure from their respective parties, came together to take on the state's budget crisis in 2009.  Though some may say their efforts were unsuccessful (the state of California remains in financial turmoil), these party leaders' willingness and ability to resist the pressure to remain polarized is an example of the kind of resolve it takes to improve both public policy and the process through which it comes about.

We add our voices to those applauding this act of political courage and we hope that it will inspire other lawmakers at every level of government, partisan differences notwithstanding, to consider the importance of collaboration.

Read more about the award winners and the circumstances of their political courage.

The Public Conversations Project
June 11, 2010