A Citizen Survival Guide

The midterm elections are behind us, thank goodness. When all the smoke clears, it’s not likely much will have changed. Before the midterms, we had mostly gridlocked government, we still will. We had civil conflict—to the point of bloodshed. That remains a clear and present danger. We faced at least six national emergencies. We still do.

Given the enormity of the challenges confronting us, we cannot afford to curl up in a ball. We need to talk politics; we need to do politics. We need to be citizens.

Talking and practicing politics, exercising citizenship, none of that is easy, especially now. With political divisions so sharp, a society this polarized, keeping conversations civil is challenging. Finding common ground can seem next to impossible. But there are ways. I’ve had a lot of practice, gaining insight by trial and error, failing frequently, learning from the mistakes a few ways that work.

Whether dealing with friend or foe, stay focused on your life stories, your experiences, you…