Why I Am Transpartisan
For me, transpartisan describes a meme, a field, a constituency, a dynamic, a movement, and even a philosophy. Like pragmatism – its homegrown, American predecessor from the late 19th to the early 20th century – transpartisan has emerged as an important political expression in the 21st century, recognizing differences agreeably while mostly focusing on our commonalities.
The word transpartisan is relatively new, perhaps first used, about twenty years ago, by Spiral Dynamics guru, Dr. Don Beck, who has written on the subject. It has a number of different meanings and associations and can be used as a noun, an adjective, even as a verb and an adverb!
Although many use the word bridge to denote the transpartisan dynamic (and others hyphenate the word partisan in a variety of ways to indicate cooperation), I believe transpartisan best expresses the idea that there is one big, transcend-and-include “tent” where we find transpartisan Democrats, transpartisan Republicans, transpartisan Independents, Libertarians, Greens, etc. coming together with dignity, civility, and respect, to listen and learn on behalf of resolving political conflict, while pursuing the very natural, very human impulse toward inclusion. Albert Einstein once wrote: “Our task must be to free ourselves … by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.”
Thich Nhat Hanh deepens this notion of inclusion: “We need the vision of interbeing — we belong to each other; we cannot cut reality into pieces. The well-being of “this” is the well-being of “that,” so we have to do things together. Every side is “our side”; there is no evil side.”
And Martin Luther King, Jr., gives us this poetic in his Letter from Birmingham Jail: “We are an inseparable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny.”
Being a transpartisan includes a willingness to expand our sense of who we are -- to grow up -- as our colleague, John Kesler writes, “Being able to see only your own point of view is less developed than seeing several positions and choosing one, which is less developed than realizing that multiple perspectives can be complementary, which is less developed than having the capacity to weave together optimal solutions which honor everyone’s concerns and needs.”
While we all retain our political DNA in the voting booth, a transpartisan recognizes, within themselves and others, the need — indeed the evolutionary imperative — to work together and mutually benefit from the opportunities before us. This transpartisan dynamic represents perhaps the best hope for our democratic aspirations and institutions to endure. We can bring “the other” to the table and discover out-of-the-box, common/higher ground inclusive, workable solutions. The best example that I know in this realm is the brilliant work of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, which effectively pursues a significant aspect of the transpartisan dynamic known as multi-stakeholder, collaborative problem-solving.
Brian Clancy, co-founder and co-director of Big Tent Nation, expressed to me in an email what I embrace as another element of the transpartisan dynamic. “There is a heartfelt need for an authentic new path in American politics. A vast number of Americans, well over a majority, are tired of simply lunging from right to left and now left to right in recent elections -- a period during which the American Dream has dangerously eroded. For too many, the good life American’s seek is getting farther and farther from reach - and our toxic partisan politics are blocking constructive action. The big challenges fracturing our nation and putting broad-based opportunity at risk will always remain beyond the capacity of any one side to resolve unilaterally and sustainably. Harnessing American ingenuity to achieve economic opportunity for all requires respecting and incorporating perspectives from across the political spectrum. Just as we cannot walk on one foot alone, we must integrate the best of left and right to restore and renew the American Dream.”
One of the best, if not the best, viable, transpartisan solutions to our economic challenges, has to do with the Automated Payment Transaction Tax, which Jim Turner and Lawry Chickering wrote about in their 40th Transpartisan Note.
The transpartisan dynamic recognizes an emergence of a new politics. As Rob Stein, transpartisan progressive and founder of the Democracy Alliance, shared with me: “We are a nation of 325 million people, scattered across 50 states, holding different values and beliefs, and adhering to a range of ideologies, tribes and perspectives. Our magnificent diversity, and the inherent complexity of our times, are challenging the effective functioning of democracy. Self-governance is dependent on a twenty-first-century vision rooted in respect for individual dignity and our increasing interdependence. Though we are individuals, our prosperity requires our collective wisdom and energies. Though we embrace our individuality, our security requires shared responsibilities. Though we are many, we share a common destiny. E Pluribus Unum Destino. Acknowledging our common destiny is necessary, but not sufficient, to achieving political renewal. We must also inspire and align millions of Americans committed to bridging our differences, renewing our political systems and structures and healing our republic.”
Transpartisan is also a political synonym for, and an expression of, love. Some might call it Heart Politics, as did our old friend, Fran Peavey in her book by that title. The essence of the transpartisan dynamic is the will to engage with dignity, respect, and kindness; ultimately treating the other as we would like to be treated ourselves, namely with love. The Golden Rule becomes self-enforcing. When putting oneself in other’s shoes with both an open mind and open heart, empathy, compassion, kindness, and generosity arise. Nelson Mandela wrote in his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Martin Luther King, Jr. expressed a very similar idea in October of 1952, “I am convinced that men hate each other because they fear each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other, and they don’t know each other because they don’t communicate with each other, and they don’t communicate with each other because they are separated from each other.”
For me, transpartisan is a deep calling. I was deeply moved to find this remarkable quote in Walking with the Wind: Memoir of the Movement, the memoir of Congressman John Lewis: “It was at this time that I began believing in what I call the Spirit of History. Others might call it Fate. Or Destiny. Or a Guiding Hand. Whatever it is called, I came to believe that this force is on the side of what is good, of what is right and just. It is the essence of the moral force of the universe, and at certain points in life, in the flow of human existence and circumstances, this force, this spirit, finds you or selects you, it chases you down, and you have no choice; you must allow yourself to be used, to be guided by this force and to carry out what must be done. To me, that concept of surrender, of giving yourself over to something inexorable, something so much larger than yourself, is the basis of what we call faith. And it is the first and most crucial step toward opening yourself to the Spirit of History.
“This opening of the self, this alignment with Fate, has nothing to do with ego or self-gratification. On the contrary, it’s an absolutely selfless thing. If the self is involved, the process is interrupted. Something is in the way. The self, even a sense of the self, must be totally removed in order to allow this spirit in. It is a process of giving over one’s very being to whatever role history chooses for you.”
Jim Turner and Lawry Chickering have done a masterful job in laying out the transpartisan dynamic -- recognizing the innate intelligence of the body politic through this journal, the Transpartisan Voice, their notes, books, etc. A deep bow to them. I’m proud to be part of the transpartisan tribe!
I look forward to hearing from anyone (steinerking33@gmail.com) about why you are a transpartisan!
