The Left, The Right and The Promised Land

From 2001 through 2009 the United States was led by the "right" (George W. Bush) and from 2009 to the present led by the "left" (Barack Obama). During both administrations we see that the right pulls to the right and the left conversely pulls to the left, expected in the world of Democrats versus Republicans. This sounds an awful lot like a childhood game of tug-of-war. Now imagine for a second that we the people as a nation make up the center point of that rope. The left promises change and all we have to do is follow them 1000 miles the left and in similar fashion the right promises that the same promised land is 1000 miles in the opposite direction, 1000 miles to the right.

We are caught in between to two political philosophical views that are too far apart. Both unwilling or stubborn to comprise and find common ground. The people in the middle are abandoned and scrambling to make sense of it all, only to be pitted against one another fueled by the talking heads in the media. They want us to choose sides and follow their respective ideology to the elusive promised land where everyone will find happiness. This concept clearly isn't working as Americans across this country are further apart than ever before and the division is only growing.

There is a clear and common sense approach to close the gap that has been created over the last 16 years. Imagine again that same tug-of-war, now the left and the right both lay down the rope and walk a few feet to the center point and meet in the middle. This is where the magic happens, if a common ground could only be found and both sides were willing to compromise for the betterment of the citizens of this great nation, they would realize that the promised land is only a 100 feet upward...together.

This analogy is universal and can be applied to our home state of Rhode Island, how can a common ground be met? When will put down our Republican or Democrat coat of armor? If we lower the defenses and allow the best from each philosophy bleed through we all only stand to benefit from a sensible compromise. How can one side promise change when either side is truly unwilling to do just that, change. Again, imagine the there is a bakery called "The Left" and this bakery makes the most delicious tasting cake you could imagine but then covers it in dirt and tries to feed it to you, doesn't taste that great does it? Across the street is a bakery called "The Right" and this bakery is known for making the most decadent frosting, but takes that frosting and layers it around a ball of dirt and subsequently wants to feed it to you as well, still tastes dirty. Both of those cakes described would leave a dirty taste in anyone's mouth.

What we need is "The Left" and "The Right" bakeries to put down their dirt and combine the best parts of their recipe to create a cake that might not be exactly what we want but will indeed be a pretty decent piece of cake in the end. I believe that's exactly what we need in this state, a pretty decent piece of cake. From there we can refine the recipe to create an even better tasting cake with both sides working together to perfect the recipe, a recipe that shouldn't be kept secret but shared. We all can hold on to our opinions, it makes you, you and me, me...but it shouldn't stop us from working together to put Rhode Island back on the right track. A track that our state leadership has been off of for some time now.

I've said it before and I will say it again, we need to break the cycle of division within our state borders. We need our lawmakers on Smith Hill to use a sound, common sense approach that benefits the wonderful people we have within our home state. The answer is not 1000 miles to the left or the right, it is right in front of us...just a few hundred feet. I say let's walk a few hundred feet rather than 1000 miles, let's truly begin to bridge the gap.

If elected as State Representative, that's what I promise to bring to the table. I'm just a hard working middle class man looking to provide sound leadership that uses a common sense approach to the issues that need to be solved. Break the cycle, put down the rope and walk with me.