Having Political Discussions

By: Alaina Valdespino

We all know that this election has been as chaotic and anxiety provoking as this COVID-stricken year. We understand that there is a lot riding on this election: our values, our beliefs, and the potential of life-altering change. With all of these important issues on the line, it isn’t a surprise that this subject is in fact a sticky one, especially when talking to someone who has differing views from yourself. For that reason, I feel the need to share an important message with you all. 

First and foremost, this election is a big one; it affects everyone. Even if you’re not the type of person that likes to discuss your political views, this election isn’t giving you the chance to slide under the radar. America’s political scene is too polarizing and too deeply divided to allow for that. And yes, political discussions can be scary. They cause conflict, they can get argumentative, and they are something that many people choose to avoid all together. But avoidance isn’t the answer to solving this issue and it’s not the answer that’s going to cut it this year. In fact, avoiding these discussions leads to further conflict and doesn’t allow you to learn and understand your views as they relate to other people. This logic of avoidance is extremely ineffective and doesn’t get us anywhere. That’s why we need to understand the proactive stances we can take in order to have political discussions in a way that is beneficial to both parties and gives both people a chance to not just express their views, but to learn from the other person and allow for growth.

When approaching a political discussion, it is important to first understand whether or not the other person in the conversation has views similar to or different from you. Once you understand the stance of that person, it is important that you next decide whether or not the moment is right to have that discussion. If the moment isn’t right, simply extend an invitation to have that conversation another time, that way you don’t bombard this person with a conversation they may not wish to have. Clearly this is easier said than done, but by presenting the subject in a way that gives the other person a chance to decide to or not to talk about politics, it allows for a sense of reassurance that makes the subject a lot lighter and less stressful for all those involved. 

That being said, when the time comes and the conversation arises, there are a few common rules to follow in order to avoid this conversation turning into an unproductive and problem invoking debate. 

First and foremost, create a sense of trust and assurance. Let the person know that this conversation isn’t going to lead to a “friendship break-up” and that you can have differing views and still be friends. Once that is out in the air, make sure to avoid attacking their beliefs should they not be the same as yours because that is what makes these conversations so polarizing. It isn’t easy to do this, but by allowing the other person to express their views entirely before you express yours allows for both people to get their messages across in a way that feels inviting and productive. 

More than anything, just make sure that you do your absolute best to not insult or offend the other party's views. Our political views are deeply rooted in our beliefs and our core values and therefore are directly tied to our emotions. 

All in all, everyone has difficulty when it comes to having discussions with people that may not agree or that may not understand where you’re coming from. Everyone understands that politics are polarizing, that they are confusing and can cause a lot of conflict. That’s why, especially this election season, we have to rise above the anxiety and the fear of political discussions because they are going to be inevitable. This election is one for the books and the results of it will go down in history. The president of one of the most unprecedented times in American history is going to be elected and regardless of who wins, their policies will go on to affect everyone. For this reason, I believe that we should all take notice of our own views and do what we can to help educate our neighbors and to do our part in having these difficult  conversations in order to understand our own views and learn to understand others as well.

Midterm Results Make Waves

By: Jack Shannon, Staff Reporter

As of midnight the night of November 6, the 2018 Midterm Elections are settled, and the political stage of the United States has set for the next two years. From the looks of things, it was somewhat of a disappointing night for both parties; the much-vaunted “Blue Wave” of the Democrats failed to materialize on a scale even remotely comparable to the overwhelming victory that had been endlessly prophesied on social media sites throughout the last year, and the GOP managed to lose their once comfortable grip on the House as dems took over 26 house seats in one single blow. This is a fairly big hit to the Republicans, as it means that many of the party’s big legislative goals (the border wall, for example) will likely be relegated to the backburner semi-permanently, because the bill could never make it through a dem majority legislature, andbecause the House and the Senate will be too busy trapping each other in endless political deadlock to do literally anything else. It’ll be just like old times!

While the loss of the House was indeed a loss to the GOP, they did manage to walk away from tonight still in firm control of both the Senate and a solid majority of the governorships that had been contested, preventing the Democrats from playing a larger role in the coming flurry of redistricting that will proceed the 2020 election, which will certainly be one of the most interesting of our lifetimes. 

Speaking of interesting elections, there was one incident tonight I feel obligated to mention; a standoff in Florida about halfway through the night that lasted nearly an hour by my count,with both candidates sitting at exactly48.9% of the vote. It only came to an end when, in the onlydisplay of good sportsmanship anyone’s ever seen from a politician, one of the candidates chose to concede the election to his rival, who had, in fact, gotten just a few more votes then he had. 

Overall, I feel that neither party succeeded nearly as much as they had hoped to, but the Democratic triumph of the House will virtually guarantee that the next two years are interesting, if nothing else.