Flushing Out the Hyper-Partisans

Newt Gingrich, best remembered as the leader of Republicans in Congress and their "Contract With America," recently reflected on his years in politics and his own role in breeding hyper-partisanship in the nation.  His comments, now viewed with the benefit of hindsight, are revealing:

"I don't buy this "base" mobilizing baloney, which is a guaranteed way to minimize long-term survival.  It embitters the country and breaks it apart and creates a profoundly mistaken model.  It may work for one or two elections, but the cost bites you for a generation."

Gingrich's "take no prisoners" attitude has now been transported to Canada.  Parties keep trying to win elections by mobilizing their partisan base, but the pie is getting successively smaller.  The reality is that it remains much easier to raise funds and support in a polarized climate. Money is easier to solicit with a negative approach, especially if it succeeds in angering people (as with the Prime Minister's fusillade against the "traitors" and "separatists" of the recent opposition coalition).  This kind of polarization allows partisans to play off of fear, and fear is a powerful motivator to give.As long as there are votes and contributions, partisans don't want to see it end.  And as they continue with their divisive efforts in the name of attaining power, there is a continual erosion of citizen engagement. While these activities achieve a certain advantage, they eventually discourage citizens to the point where they drift off, uninterested in the senseless combat that masquerades itself as political debate.Hyper-partisans - polarizers - opt to just make the decisions necessary to grab or maintain power, with little thought to the consequences. They understand well enough that you can't raise money on kindness and consensus. One must always have an enemy if money is to flow. This kind of partisanship has worked for partisans and parties, but not for the country.The greatest casualty of this steady decline due to hyper-partisanship is now becoming clear: the real polarization is not between politicians and their peers but between governments and the rest of us.  In the crossfire of daily political life in Ottawa, we have failed to comprehend the massive casualties resulting from more innocent citizens caught in the hail of ammunition blasting from the warring trenches. And unless respect returns to parliament, the  sheer amount of these casualties will eventually summon citizens to call for an end to our participation in that kind of war. That day can't come soon enough.P.S.  I will be in Africa for the next two weeks, assisting in the construction of a high school for Darfur refugees and starting a new water project for the region. I wish all a Happy New Year and look forward to these non-partisan ruminations when I return.