The RI Freedom Foundation tagline is; “political activism in the service of freedom.” That means each of us is an individual activist with a unique vision for a better future. Unfortunately, because we are individuals and unique, no two of us will have precisely the same plan to bring about that better future. This divergence in agenda is why we have politics, and compromise is its very soul.
Politicians have known this since man came out of the caves and started a settlement.
Otto von Bismarck said, “Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best.“
1983 Ronald Reagan said, “There are some people who would have you so stand on the principle that if you don’t get all that you’ve asked for, you jump off the cliff with the flag flying…I believe half a loaf is better than none and that… you’re not going to always get everything you want.”
Often, we think that if a candidate is not 100% aligned with us on a particular issue, they do not deserve our vote. This thinking is wrong and self-defeating. Most political gain, with a few rare exceptions, is incremental. It is moving your plan through a legislature over many years, accepting partial wins until, at last, you win. Conservative candidates in Rhode Island walk a fine line between the Democratic majority and their conservative voting base. What will it gain our cause to hear our candidates deliver a fiery speech ladened with Conservative philosophy only to lose the election to a more liberal candidate? We must have trust in our candidates that they will have success over the long run. We must remember, if elected, they also represent the liberal members of the constituency. This is not to say we cannot hold our candidates accountable for each vote. Instead, we need to listen to their reasons for votes and judge them on the effectiveness of moving our agenda over the course of their entire term.
In the end, we need to support candidates that are 80% or greater aligned with us, to challenge incumbents 20% aligned with us, who are interfering with and holding back our agenda. It is unrealistic and poor policy to wait for a candidate who is 100% aligned with us and who may never be elected.