Now, listen, I know this sounds like some kind of evil fantasy or holiday magic of a wish list letter to Santa Claus, but hear me out.
Despite the political gravity, something has changed in the atmosphere. (I’ll work on that.) And Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and Republican Sen.-elect Dave McCormick could bond and use it to shape a “new politics.”
Think about it. A DC-style “odd couple” is about to be born in Pennsylvania. What other state has two senators more different than Mr. Fetterman and Mr. McCormick? i don’t think so. Those are Night and Day, Oil and Water, or Elphaba and Glinda if you’re into modern movies.
Please take a look at them first. Fetterman is similar to Goodwill’s clothing sales operation. McCormick appears to be a model for dating sites who are over 50 years old. Mr. Fetterman lives in a loft above an old car dealership in Braddock, Pennsylvania. McCormick is known for renting a $16 million mansion on Connecticut’s Gold Coast while owning a home in Pittsburgh.
Did I mention their politics are different? that’s right. In almost every way. So is their basic appeal. That’s why they’re the perfect couple to practice politics in new ways.
This is what I mean. They should do visible things together. Social things. Fun things. Serious story. From the beginning. Well, they’re not the type to get along very well. But that’s the point.
A major problem in politics is tribalism and bubble-dwelling created by intense partisanship. people don’t talk. Don’t get acquainted. Don’t try to reason with me. Don’t settle things. Mr. Fetterman and Mr. McCormick could become a high-profile and even national example of how to overcome this situation.
You can also start slowly. Grab a pair of Terrible Towels and watch the Steelers game. He has a home game against the Chiefs on Christmas Day, but family comes first. So it’ll probably be January 5th against the Bengals.
Share your meal. Fetterman is able to buzz McCormick to the sheets and feed him Big Moz (burger patty, bun, and three mozzarella balls).
sauce. McCormick takes Fetterman to Pittsburgh’s Tony Duquesne Club (founded in 1873) and allows him to visit famous Virginia spots.
The point is that you can see them sharing parts of each other’s lives. This will at least generate some interest. I’m like, “Hmm, that’s interesting.”
We will then hold public forums across the state. Two benefits: You can discuss the most important issues while hearing both sides at the same time. Crowds on both sides, some of them might actually talk to each other afterwards.
Why now? Changes that defy political gravity. The findings, a joint Associated Press, YouGov, and Harvard University election poll, were just detailed in a Washington Post article headlined “Surprise!” America is not as polarized as it used to be. ”
For example: 2024 election results show racially polarized voting at its lowest level in a generation. The gap between younger and older voters has narrowed by 15 points since 2020. Urban and rural votes are gradually coming closer together after decades of deep divergence.
A related recent report in the Wall Street Journal also noted that factors such as education level and class are increasingly shaping voters’ choices as long-standing racial categories such as white, black, and Hispanic dissolve and become blurred. A new driving force for identity politics has been pointed out.
So if the situation is becoming less polarized and changing, it’s time for Mr. Fetterman and Mr. McCormick to step in and focus together on the broader issues that affect most people in Pennsylvania. be. employment and energy, crime and safety, health care. and (as it’s likely to get bigger soon) smart and decent immigration and deportation policies.
If these two prominent Poles with very different personalities come together to reason and preach, regardless of what’s going on in Washington, they could set a trend. And to become a national model for a “new politics” that is less acidic and more constructive.
Fantasy? perhaps. It seems that the two have not spoken even once since the election. But they have an opportunity to offer an eye-catching service in a state that is increasingly in the national spotlight. It seems a waste not to try it.
Contact John Baer at baer.columnist@gmail.com.
