Opposites Attract: When You And Your Partner Don't Agree Politically

At this point in time in America, the political landscape is extremely treacherous. Besides the economy we are dealing with many other difficult issues such as healthcare, climate change and immigration. This social and political tension has resulted in a country that is deeply divided. This divide isn’t just present in the media and in Washington. It can often be felt inside the home, as family members do not always see eye to eye on political issues. I experience this in my own home due to the fact that my husband and I generally disagree when it comes to politics.

Chart Our political differences were obvious from day one, at the time I was a vegetarian and my husband was essentially a carnivore, preferring meat with a side of meat. We were young though, and everything seemed right with the world so the contradiction between our lifestyles surprisingly never became a problem. I think in retrospect we admired each other more because we had our own ideas and didn’t feel the need to agree on every matter. It’s only been in the last few years, since the beginning of the economic downturn that our heated political debates have become more frequent.

Although discussing politics can often be stressful, I have began to notice there are actually some positive benefits to our political dialogue. One is that before I even engage in a political discussion with my husband, I have to do my homework. I can’t just ramble off my own opinions without anything specifics to back it up. I need to have some facts. Because of this I am a lot more educated on the issues. Another great benefit is the fact that we both get to see another point of view we hadn’t considered. The reason that we disagree isn’t due to the fact that one of us is completely right and the other one is completely wrong. It’s due to the fact that we come from different backgrounds and have had different experiences, giving us a different way of thinking about the same subject. When you put those views together it paints a much broader picture allowing us both to realize how complicated these topics really are.

In the beginning, the thing that always used to drive me crazy during these political debates is that fact that despite our party leanings we actually have similar value systems. I couldn’t understand why we were in such disagreement over ultimately wanting the same things. Over time, I began to realize that most Americans want to get to the same place. I think all most of us really want is to ensure a quality way of life for future generations and ourselves. It’s more a question of how to get “there” than it is about where “there” actually is.

Although recently we have begun to agree on some political fronts for the most part we embrace our differences. The most wonderful thing about America is the fact that we all have the freedom to think for ourselves and express our individuality. It’s our diversity that has always made us a strong nation. I think it is important to realize that the challenges we are facing in this county are dire and will likely take time to overcome but ultimately it will be in pulling together not apart that we will be able to find the answers we need for prosperity.

These are just my opinions and I hope you will share yours.