Different Views

A week ago I was traveling home with my wife from a fabulous nine day vacation to Connecticut and Massachusetts. I reveled in our memories of the beautiful river town of Mystic and the places we had visited on the narrow strip of land that is Cape Cod. I marveled at the history being preserved in Plymouth and Sturbridge and the time we spent exploring it. In spite of my fond memories I wondered what the folks who live in these places year round notice about their hometowns? Do they appreciate the meaning behind the historical events that took place there? Are they in awe of the natural beauty surrounding them?

It’s amazing how easy it is to view a place or an event with very different perspectives. Whether the setting is a work environment, a vacation spot, or a national political debate there is always a potential for divergent opinions. Healthy debates and contrasting outlooks keep things interesting and often create a more complete picture than if only one point of view is available. A boss who tries to solve a business problem without worker input may overlook the best or cheapest approach. Residents living in a tourist destination may complain about traffic while ignoring the financial benefits that visitors provide. A politician in Washington DC can become disengaged from the sentiments of their constituency back home.

One place where views seem to differ dramatically right now is in the political arena. I’m not just thinking about the constant debate between red and blue (conservatives versus liberals) although that constitutes much of our national policy discourse. It’s one thing to argue about how to govern, it’s quite a different thing to be out of touch with those you are elected to serve. Many national politicians (from both ideologies) have been demonstrating for some time that they no longer know (or care about) what the voters who put them in office want them to do. Polls show a vast majority of voters opposed health-care reform and are deeply concerned about jobs creation, reducing the deficit, and securing our borders. Our federal government appears deaf to these views as it enacts unpopular legislation, raises taxes, initiates huge spending bills, and sues states that act to defend their citizens.

If my wife and I disagree about an issue (yes that sometimes happens) we have a choice to make. We can each hold that our view is correct and defend it or we can listen to each other and find common ground. The former tactic, if employed often enough, will eventually destroy the marriage relationship. The latter ensures a healthy debate and potentially a better solution.

The danger from ignoring the insights of employees in a business setting or the will of citizens in a political context seems so much more volatile. If a CEO is too far out of touch eventually the labor force will revolt. Politicians who act as though they know better than the voters are simply adding gasoline to an already dangerously overheated fire. It’s fine to view things differently. We need a diversity of ideas and opinions to have a healthy debate. It’s unwise to create an atmosphere where people feel powerless, where their views are simply ignored on a regular basis.

I hope the people of Connecticut and Massachusetts view their hometowns with the same degree of appreciation we felt after our visit to their communities. I’m not so sure the folks in Washington DC even care what the rest of us think. It remains to be seen what those different views will mean for the country.