So, here it is, the day before our national elections and the pollsters are talking about ties (or near ties in various state votes) and the pundits are wondering about the possibility of a tie vote in the electoral college. As I understand it, should our voting be unable to determine who the next President will be, each house of Congress would pick one member of the ticket: one house would select the President and the other the Vice-President.
Now, as newscasters are wont to proffer anxiety to keep our attention, they’ve been talking about a Romney-Biden or an Obama-Ryan possibility. And to no surprise, most think this would be a recipe for governmental shutdown, an incapacity to lead and an inability to take the next steps toward progress.
Hmmmmm. I’m not so sure. What is the country saying when its people are virtually tied in their voting? Few of us are stupid enough to actually believe that the exaggerated political ads aren’t at some level lies and rhetoric. The country has been saying for some time now: compromise. Quit defining our problems as a simple choice between this or that, when it isn’t. Make our government work. And frankly, the last several Congresses have not been built on compromise – either in the way we’ve these leaders, or in their subsequent behaviors. So, what kind of a White House would Mr. Romney and Mr. Biden make? What kind of a White House might Mr. Obama and Mr. Ryan make?
Maybe these two strong-willed individuals would have the courage to ignore their parties enough to pay attention to each other and model the kind of listening and perspective-taking the country needs. And maybe, Congress and the country would sit up and listen when the President and Vice-President propose a bill or a budget that appeals (to some degree but not completely) to both of their perspectives. And maybe we would find ourselves – after some bumps and starts – learning to trust a government that develops a capacity to compromise because it has its ear to the ground for all of the people.
Maybe a tie would free us from the binds we face (not unlike the church’s “ties” are God’s opportunities in some ways we have yet to see).
Dave Wasserman is Interim Executive Presbyter of Grand Canyon Presbytery.
