Bipartisanship is the language of the oppressor
Preaching unity when Republicans are more hell-bent than ever on sharpening schisms within the electorate isn't just an ineffective strategy; it poses a threat to the republic.
Throughout his joint session of Congress, President Joe Biden spread morsels of optimism in his noble attempt to intoxicate an aching, restless nation with the possibility of a detoxified future. The roving address aimed to assuage fears of a climate-concerned job market, dispel rumors of mask wearing as a type of virtue signaling and lay out an ambitious yet sensible tax reform plan, among other bullet-point agenda items. Biden’s message was earnest and sincere, a welcome heel-turn from the derangement of the prior administration. Yet it was tone-deaf to the current moment; on January 6, in the same chamber in which Biden spoke, terrorists ransacked and rummaged, assaulted and pillaged and made a mockery of our democracy. On Wednesday, that fatal should-be tipping point in our country’s history was simply a footnote for the president, as he continued to extend a hand to members on the other side of the aisle who only wish to swat it away.
Biden tried to suck viewers into the temptation to be allured by what lay ahead, considering the wreckage the past year has wrought. He celebrated the historical achievement of the two women flanking him, and neglected to mention a woman in the crowd (Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert) tried to have one of them killed in the Capitol. He paused after acknowledging most police are good people — a move intended to elicit rare unanimous applause. And he adjured a blue-collar work force to embrace a green economy, ensuring them environmentalism won’t result in the evaporation of jobs.
This game of political hopscotch Biden is playing is not only pointless; it’s dangerous. Bipartisanship, once a legitimate American ideal before Gingrichian toxicity was planted in Congress and Donald Trump exploited those seeds of intentional hatred, is now an illegitimate strategy. Republicans who have nothing to gripe about will rail the Biden administration for not working with them. Media outlets will misuse the verbs “ram,” “jam” and “push” to indicate policy proposals drawn up without approval from both parties. “Partisan politics” has been stripped of its meaning and weaponized by conservatives to induce animosity toward progressives.
New York Times columnist Ezra Klein describes modern bipartisan cooperation efforts as akin to “asking opposing football teams to agree not just on who scores the next touchdown, but also on how.” This explains the pendulum swings of power that occur each election cycle; Democrats face challenges today in the voting booth not only from voter suppression, but also from the now-routine apathy that follows when the candidate they supported doesn’t fulfill his campaign promises. At the root of this apathy is the insistence on Congressional comity, a performative act from Democrats that legitimizes the self-aggrandizing from Republicans. Democrats will sacrifice getting less done if it means not angering conservatives. To Republicans, when they are not in power, preventing any progress at all is the unofficial party edict.
Achieving unity doesn’t start with acquiescing to politicians dedicated to plotting the demise of their enemy. This doesn’t mean Biden should toss his script of optimism and resort to attacking the far-right. It does mean leveling with Americans who aren’t dialed in enough to understand the peril that awaits around the corner if inaction continues to be subsidized. The Capitol Riot can’t be overlooked when the politicians responsible for inciting it are encouraging their colleagues to move on from it.
Serious attempts at bipartisanship should be shelved until much further notice. Democrats must work to remove the negative connotation associated with partisan measures like eliminating the filibuster. Partisanship is not reliant on disreputable conduct; it only requires of the duly elected majority party to enact policies consistent with campaign promises. If that takes place without a thumbs up from the minority party, so be it. That’s the goddamn point of an election.
If Democrats want to retain control of the House and Senate in 2022 and the White House in 2024, their best bet is to do the work they were hired for instead of complaining about the Republican colleagues stifling their potential. This posturing is nothing new, and honest critiques against bipartisanship have far outlived the nascent Biden administration. The myth that Republicans are the ones playing fair in this failed group project is long past expired. The way the media, progressive politicians and Democratic citizens talk about bipartisanship needs an overhaul.
Bipartisanship is the language of the oppressor. It is an expression of comfort in a position of power. It is the shredding of millions of dollars raised on campaign trails, a middle finger to a desperate electorate. It is a blatant disrespect to Jim Clyburn, Stacey Abrams, and everyone who fought to unseat a fascist dictator. Bipartisanship is the kinesis that keeps the pendulum swinging, the lie that flipped houses and repainted states are a result of the shifting whims of voters. It is an open declaration of solitude with the co-conspirators of an insurrection.
Democratic partisanship is the first step towards progress. It is a commitment to policymaking and redefining power. It is representation without corruption. It is performing the job expected by the voters. Democratic partisanship is working in the interest of democracy by working against Republican partisans who are anti-democracy. It is eagerly sidestepping the discomfort of far-right vitriol to pass substantive legislation.
To guarantee a presidential term worthy of praise, Biden must fight the urge to rest on the nostalgia of bipartisanship. He has lived through its sharp decline. He has spent enough time in the halls of Congress to examine the stubborn hearts and minds of the majority of Republicans. They will not concede for him, won’t bend to his will, won’t fall for his romanticism of the American dream. They won’t be changed for policy. Policy must change them.
The re-imagination of America may not be able to withstand another pendulum swing. The siege of the Capitol, the near assassination of members on both sides of the aisle of Congress, continues to serve as a reminder of the fragility of our republic. Ditching a bipartisan strategy is paramount to setting this country on a path that refuses to give concessions to anti-democratic politicians. Democratic partisanship leads to equitable policies that rid elections of apathy and suppression and build a future where power is a possibility for every citizen. When unity depends on the approval of abusers of power, disunion is inevitable.