{"id":46201,"date":"2025-08-13T16:36:27","date_gmt":"2025-08-13T16:36:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/?p=46201"},"modified":"2025-08-13T16:41:08","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T16:41:08","slug":"6-surprising-beliefs-democrats-and-republicans-share","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/08\/13\/6-surprising-beliefs-democrats-and-republicans-share\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Surprising Beliefs Democrats and Republicans Share"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are six core values that <\/span>almost all<\/span><\/i> Americans, regardless of political party, still believe in. But here’s the catch: most of us think the other side doesn\u2019t care about these values.<\/span><\/h3>\n


\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Spend five minutes on cable news and you\u2019ll walk away thinking America\u2019s political divide is less of a \u201cgap\u201d and more of a \u201cGrand Canyon with sharks at the bottom.\u201d We\u2019ve turned each other into caricatures: cartoonishly evil, hopelessly naive, or maybe both.<\/span><\/p>\n

The irony is that underneath the shouting, Americans agree on a surprising number of fundamental values. Our <\/span>original polling<\/span><\/a> found that approximately 9 in 10 Democrats and Republicans believe in things like government accountability and respect across differences. <\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The kicker? Only around 1 in 3 Democrats and Republicans think the other side sees those values as important.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If we can spot that common ground, it\u2019s a lot harder to buy into the \u201cus vs. them\u201d narrative that keeps us locked in a political shouting match.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

So let\u2019s look at the six bedrock values most of us share \u2014 and some moments when the country actually lived up to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. <\/b>A Government That Is Accountable to the People<\/b><\/h3>\n

The whole point of a representative democracy is that the people are the boss. It\u2019s not \u201cThe government knows best,\u201d rather it\u2019s \u201cThe government works for us.\u201d That means transparency, checks and balances, and consequences when leaders cross the line.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the early \u201970s, Richard Nixon\u2019s White House learned that the hard way. The Watergate scandal started as a botched break-in to gather dirt on political opponents, but it snowballed into a bipartisan investigation that exposed obstruction of justice at the highest level. Democrat Sam Ervin and Republican Howard Baker led the Senate Watergate Committee together, asking the questions that cut through the spin. When the \u201csmoking gun\u201d tape revealed Nixon\u2019s role in the cover-up, Republican leaders told him he\u2019d be impeached if he stayed. He resigned \u2014 the only U.S. president ever to do so.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the system working. The parties may fight tooth and nail on almost everything else, but when the evidence was undeniable, they agreed the president answers to the people, not the other way around.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

2. Fair and Equal Application of the Rule of Law<\/b><\/h3>\n

If laws only apply to some people, they\u2019re not laws \u2014 they\u2019re just privileges with a dress code. The idea that everyone, no matter their race, wealth, or political connections, should be held to the same legal standard is a cornerstone of American identity.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Civil Rights Movement forced the nation to face the gap between that ideal and reality. Through protests, legal challenges, and relentless advocacy, it led to the strongly bipartisan Civil Rights Act of 1964, which made discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin illegal, making equal treatment a legal standard nationwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most Americans still believe in that principle. We may argue endlessly about whether the justice system is living up to it. But the belief that it <\/span>should<\/span><\/i> is shared across the spectrum.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

3. A Government That Represents the People It Serves<\/b><\/h3>\n

A representative government doesn\u2019t just exist to pass laws. It\u2019s supposed to address the actual needs of its citizens. That means crafting policies that make a tangible difference in people\u2019s lives, not just catering to donors or party insiders.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 1965, lawmakers from both sides came together to create Medicare and Medicaid, making it clear that government exists to meet the needs of its people \u2014 not just to protect the interests of the powerful. By guaranteeing healthcare for seniors, low-income families, and people with disabilities, these programs showed what it looks like when policy is designed to serve the public first.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Decades later, Americans still expect their government to serve them, not act as a gated community for the well-connected.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

4. Learning from the Past to Improve Our Country<\/b><\/h3>\n

If we\u2019re smart, history isn\u2019t just a list of old mistakes. It\u2019s a manual for not making them again. Learning from the past means looking honestly at what worked, what failed, and why.<\/span><\/p>\n

After World War II, the U.S. could\u2019ve walked away from a ruined Europe. Instead, leaders from both parties backed the Marshall Plan, a massive effort to rebuild economies, stabilize governments, and prevent the chaos that can lead to another global war. It strengthened alliances and boosted prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s proof that using history as a guide isn\u2019t nostalgia \u2014 it\u2019s strategy. And most Americans agree that we ignore those lessons at our own peril.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

5. Personal Responsibility and Accountability<\/b><\/h3>\n

The principle of personal responsibility unites Americans across the political spectrum. Whether you frame it as \u201cpulling your own weight\u201d or \u201cowning your mistakes,\u201d it\u2019s the idea that actions have consequences \u2014 and that people should have a chance to make things right.<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2018, Congress passed the First Step Act with overwhelming bipartisan support. It reduced certain mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes, expanded rehabilitation programs, and rewarded inmates who demonstrated good behavior. The law struck a balance: hold people accountable, but also give them a pathway to redemption.<\/span><\/p>\n

That combination \u2014 responsibility and opportunity \u2014 is something both sides can get behind.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/b>6. Respect and Compassion Across Differences<\/b><\/h3>\n

Respect and compassion across differences means treating people with dignity and understanding even when you disagree on political or ideological issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

We like to think politics is the ultimate dividing line, but when disaster strikes, it usually disappears. In the wake of hurricanes, wildfires, or floods, people don\u2019t ask how you voted before lending a hand. Communities rally, strangers show up, and the focus shifts to survival and rebuilding. The recent wildfires in LA and the Texas Hill Country floods are a <\/span>good example of this<\/span><\/a>, with both governors committing resources to support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That spirit sometimes even sneaks into Washington. Lawmakers from opposing parties routinely join forces on disaster relief bills, from funding recovery efforts to giving states flexibility on tax deadlines after emergencies. It\u2019s a reminder that compassion isn\u2019t a partisan monopoly.<\/span><\/p>\n

When people\u2019s homes are gone and lives are upended, empathy tends to outrun politics \u2014 and that\u2019s something most Americans agree should happen more often.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Bottom Line<\/b><\/h3>\n

For all the noise, Americans still share some big, foundational values: a government that works for the people, equal justice under the law, meeting real needs, learning from the past, taking responsibility, and treating others with respect. We\u2019ve proven we can act on these values when it counts \u2014 sometimes in the most politically unlikely moments.<\/span><\/p>\n

The divide isn\u2019t as much about the values themselves as it is about the stories we tell about \u201cthe other side.\u201d Change the story, and maybe we change the outcome. We\u2019ve done it before. We can do it again.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014 Alex Buscemi (abuscemi@buildersmovement.org<\/a>)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are six core values that almost all Americans, regardless of political party, still believe in. But here’s the catch: most of us think the other side doesn\u2019t care about these values. Spend five minutes on cable news and you\u2019ll walk away thinking America\u2019s political divide is less of a \u201cgap\u201d and more of a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":46203,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"collection_feed":[],"type_feed":[77],"class_list":["post-46201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n6 Surprising Beliefs Democrats and Republicans Share - Builders<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There are six core values that almost all Americans, regardless of political party, still believe in.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/buildersmovement.org\/2025\/08\/13\/6-surprising-beliefs-democrats-and-republicans-share\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"6 Surprising Beliefs Democrats and Republicans Share - 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