Dem victory must not lead to vitriol

For the last two years, Democrats and progressives have staunchly believed that regaining power in the House of Representatives would be a panacea for our polarized country. Now, after a tumultuous two years in presidential politics, it appears the united Republican government in Washington will come to an end when the polls close on Tuesday.

Indeed, many mainstream estimates now show Democrats easily flipping the 23 seats required for them to win back control. Some forecasters like FiveThirtyEight report an extraordinary 85 percent chance that the Democrats win control of the House, estimating gains as high as 58 seats. On Tuesday of this past week, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi echoed this optimism, claiming that “up until today I would have said if the election was held today we would win. Now I am saying we will win.”

{mosads}To be sure, both of those estimates are ambitious. Yet the trend line this past year has clearly indicated that Democrats flipping 23 seats is far more likely than not. The Democrats currently have a lead of 7 points on the generic ballot, according to RealClearPolitics. Indeed, if the Democrats are able to win back control of the House, there will be new challenges for our government, both here at home and abroad.

Up until now, President Trump has had little political constraint in his first two years in office. He has enjoyed majorities in both chambers of Congress, while ensuring a conservative majority on the Supreme Court. With this power structure of one party control of the three branches likely coming to an end, the way the Democrats respond will be just as imperative, if not more, than the response of the president himself.

For most far left Democrats, control of the House means a significantly increased check on executive power. These checks will likely come in the form of extensive investigations and even subpoenas, whether they are warranted or not, into President Trump and his administration.

If the Democrats approach their newly acquired power in the House by following the most extreme and vitriolic voices in their party, then any hope of bipartisan legislative accomplishments will grind to a halt, Congress will fail to reach consensus on some of our most pressing issues, and our position overseas will only become more obfuscated.

The return of a divided federal government is upon us. As an adviser to President Bill Clinton, I worked vociferously to ensure a bipartisan approach to government that sought to be civil, strived for compromise, and achieved tangible policy solutions for everyday Americans.

I am deeply concerned about where a divided American government is headed, and whether it can operate in any substantial or meaningful way. Polarization will only become a larger and more ingrained issue unless we can recognize our common values and our common goals as a nation.

Outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan said that he worries “about tribal identity politics becoming the new norm of how politics is waged.” He added that “identity politics, which is now being practiced on both sides of the aisle, is unfortunately working. We, as leaders, have to figure out how we make inclusive aspirational politics strategically valuable again.”

In this rare instance, I very much agree with him. When this new Congress is sworn in, it will be essential for members to create an inclusive structure of government. It does not matter if the Democrats are right or if the Republicans are right or if they are both wrong. It simply does not matter.

As we move forward with a new government, what matters is our ability to recognize that we are one nation with one purpose, both domestically and internationally. Our founding principles will not be up for debate, and our elected leaders will go to Washington to enact policy, not protect power.

Douglas E. Schoen (@DouglasESchoen) served as a pollster for President Clinton. A longtime political consultant, he is also a Fox News contributor and the author of 11 books, including “Putin’s Master Plan: To Destroy Europe, Divide NATO, and Restore Russian Power and Global Influence.”