Jayne Morris-Crowther: Why assume only Republicans have correct answers for whole country

To The Daily Sun,

In 2022, the issue of redistricting arose in New Hampshire. I wrote to remind people that it was just that kind of one-party government that we abhorred during the Cold War. During those years the Soviet Union had elections but they were construed to guarantee that the Communist party always won. Opposing views were drowned out. We believed, quite rightly, that the American system was far better because it allowed each party to present its case and win public approval. Many Americans supported that conviction with their service and even their lives. Candidates trusted that voters would make the choice they wanted and our elections were accepted on both sides. One side might lose the election but we had a firm belief that our views were heard. Losing candidates were quite gracious in issuing congratulations to their opponents. The winning candidates were mindful of their constituents who did not vote for them and more likely to advocate policies for all. Representative democracy flourished. George Washington described the Constitution as “the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people” and it lived on.

Recently a writer raised a biblical reference as “seeing the light” and suggested Republicans join other states in redistricting. This would thereby assure their control over the U.S. House of Representatives. This assumes that only Republicans have the correct answers for the whole country. When either party is assured victory in an election, it rarely listens to dissenting views. Candidates only have to satisfy their own base. This weakens the voice of the minority and leads to gridlock at best or extreme politics at worst. Our democracy would hardly be representative and we would have lost George Washington’s “experiment” that had cost the lives of so many. We would all be the poorer for it.

Jayne Morris-Crowther

Laconia