The Great Divide

Finding Common Ground in Divisive Times

This is one interview in a 6-part series.  The interviews were anonymous, and names changed to keep anonymity. 

1. Why do you think our country is so divided right now?

Brent: Well, there are lots of culprits.  The most obvious one is Rush Limbaugh.  His was the first program that was totally one-sided.  A lot of what divides us is that we watch very divisive programming.  Instead of talking about things that are common to all of us (like how to fix the economy), both parties have gone toward their edges and have done things that nobody asked them to do.  We need to talk about common issues.  For example, home insurance prices are out of control, especially in Florida.

• Tell us a little about yourself.  Your job, your family, where you are from.

Brent: I’m from Connecticut and was born in the 60’s.  I served in the military (in the army) for 30 years.  My wife and I are now empty nesters.  I have four kids – they are all grown.  I am retired.  These days I try to help other veterans get the services they need. I put on concerts for vets at different venues around Palm Beach County, where bands play, raising funds for veteran organizations. 

• Would you describe yourself as liberal, conservative or independent?  Why?  Have you always seen yourself this way or have you changed over time?

Brent: Other than a brief period in my hippie phase when I first learned about nuclear weapons, I’ve been pretty conservative.  I’d like to see private donors step up and help our communities with the diligence and effort that private enterprise brings, as opposed to the lackluster confusion that government brings.  Simply put, I believe in less government, less taxes.  On social issues I tend to lean to the left.  I would definitely try to do more to help those in trouble.  It’s sad that “liberal” and “conservative” have such negative connotations. 

• What are the issues that you feel most strongly about? 

Brent: First, it would be nice if there was a better economic outlook for our country.  When’s the last time we had a budget?  I don’t even know.  It might have been under Clinton.  Each problem and emergency cause us to spend more; we’re running tremendous deficits.  It hurts our people…we don’t know what the real unemployment rate is or the real inflation rate.  Basics like the cost of milk (up 100%), cost of bread and gas are all going up.  Yet they’re saying inflation has cooled to 2.9%.  That doesn’t ring true.

I’m watching the DNC because I haven’t made up my mind.  I’m actually an undecided voter.

There are 2 big issues for me – Ukraine and Israel.  I used to work in the Ukraine in the Embassy and then worked for Raytheon over there, helping to get rid of those nuclear weapons.  We agreed to defend their borders, if they gave up their nuclear weapons.  It’s called the Budapest Accords (or the Budapest Memorandum). 

Regarding Israel, just give back the hostages, and we won’t have a problem.  It’s a very tricky issue though. 

I do like that both candidates have said that they will support veterans.  I think they will both follow through.  But I want to know…Are we really funding enough?  Are we continuing to find out about Agent Orange and exposure to it?  The VA can do more, but they do try really hard. 

• What subjects would you say might be a place for common ground?  In other words, places where your views might intersect with someone who you would otherwise be voting very differently from? 

Brent: We have to learn to reach across the aisle somehow and talk about immigration.  I had the pleasure to meet Joe Biden when I was in college.  I believe the Democrats have a pretty good handle on foreign policy.  While I understand what Trump is saying about states having control over resources for women, I don’t understand why we’re addressing Roe v. Wade.  Healthcare is very difficult for everyone.  I really liked what Biden said at the DNC about spouses not needing to be in the country for their non-citizen spouse to become a citizen.  We all want good people to come here and be a productive part of society.  The question is do you come in the front door or do you slip in the back door.  And I don’t think it should be this hard.  Recently Trump called off this bi-partisan bill to help with immigration. 

People are spending more time attacking and being divisive.  As much as the Democrats scream union, the Teamsters are supporting Trump. 

I fear a Trump administration because I feel we’re going to get sucked into years of hearings. The problem with Trump is he cannot communicate. 

Trump is attractive because he’s not part of the system.  What occurs to me having worked in the government is that there are always a number of senior employees who do not change…and who can manipulate the system.  Until we “drain the swamp,” we don’t get fair representation. 

• How do you feel about the January 6^th insurrection?

Brent: Jan 6^th is a messy topic. 

I was a pretty big fan of the Donald as a candidate right before the 2016 election. Mr. Trump was kind of in the vein of Ross Perot, a tough businessman that might see ways to fix our economy and get government working more proficiently, perhaps with some new great trade deals, etc.

This is what I think is important to remember about 2016-2020, if you look at the media and Democrats in congress from that period.

First, the polls they were taking were wildly inaccurate; Trump won the election that they were sure he could not. It seems to me a plausable consideration that enthusiastic journalists screwed up there. 

There were also Ms. Clinton’s emails, which the FBI investigated, sort of, and let go, later admitting they saw that yes, the emails were sent, at least 10 Top Secrets and dozens of Secret information emails were shared inappropriately. 

Third came the Steele Dossier and Russian Collusion, which turned out to be fabricated also. That information was in our faces daily for the entire Trump term. The Department of Homeland Security has adjusted the narrative, but it still says the impeachment began as Trump was accused of collusion with a foreign government, which was patently false, and then later became obstruction of justice over the telephone call to Zelensky, claiming something inappropriate about “quid pro quo.” My argument is that IS diplomacy, always has been and always will. Thus, a lot of Americans feel that the media and the Dems have lied to us, a lot. 

Sorry for the long ride, but then we had January 6th. This may not be on everyone’s radar, but there were several incidents on election night in 2020 that I would still like clarified. 1- Yep, Trump put down a very decent person in John McCain, a Veteran and POW, but they both antagonized each other in diferent ways- how did it go so blue so fast? 2- The night the lights went out in Georgia- i remember vividly watching poll workers in Atlanta covering windows before a “plumbing emergency” (which itself is ironic, going back to Nixon), that affected electricity, somehow and then when the lights came on the outcome had magically changed. 3- there were multiple reports about mail in ballots. I have to say how I feel- unless you are ill or Voting should be in person and with ID. But that didn’t happen. So questioning the election after being told falsehoods by the media and government could have potentially caused a small crowd to form- I just ask you to see, that in light of all these examples and all the fibbing that had been going on, many of us would have preferred a look into what happened rather than just name calling. “The elections are accurate and if you don’t agree you are spreading patently false accusations.” Yeah? How do you know? 

So, there are three big questions about Jan 6th:

1-Where were the cops? How many law enforcement people were in that crowd? 

2- Why did we spend money and time to impeach Trump again, when he wasn’t even in office? 

3- Did Mr. Schiff really destroy all the evidence afterwards? Mr. Schiff is kind of key. Remember the first impeachment was supposed to be handled by Senator Nadler. That didn’t work out well. 

In the end, like the accusations before and the more recent ones about Mr. Trump supporting Project 2025, which he has outrightly stated he does not, it could seem to a lot of the nation as just another pre-arranged, absolutely false, or at least wildly overstated excuse to continue to harass the man. 

I get it.  He can be mean, and he cannot speak smoothly or express himself like others. And I fear that if elected, he will be impaired from achieving many things because the dislike is so “palpable.” But insofar as Jan 6th goes, like many, I feel kind of led to question the motives of the accusers as much as the accused. 

• Do you have friends who think differently politically from you?  If so, do you have conversations about what’s going on politically?  Or do you avoid them?

Brent: I like to talk with people with different views from me all the time.  We are all hypocrites in one way or another.  I try not to be set in my ways.  I’m happy to pay taxes, but I’m not happy about not knowing where all the money goes.  Without a budget, we don’t know.  We’re all doing just the best we can. 

• What do you think the solution is for bringing people together again?

Brent: Seek Jesus, seek God.  I would love to see a wave of newly elected people, who want to solve problems, issues that are common to us all.  Vote on issues, not on people.  It would be better if voting worked like The Masked Singer. 

• When we don’t agree on things, what’s the key to maintaining civility?

Brent: We’re all Americans.  It’s kind of the way this country was made – United We Stand.   We need to read the Constitution a little more carefully.  If you’re barking up a tree for your own good…stop doing it for yourself.  When you serve, serve.  Something I like about Trump is he never took a paycheck.  He also flew the entire little league baseball team from Japan to get hot dogs in Chicago.  And he paid for it.  But I also appreciate that insulin is now $36 and what Biden was saying about beating Big Pharma. 

I’m very solid on my sources.  If you see something in the news, ask yourself, “Where did that come from?”