Political debate of the recent past has been characterized by increasingly partisan rhetoric.

One needs to look no further than the paranoid rants of the fringe Right about Barack Obama’s socialist schemes, or the lunatic Left’s theories about Bush’s re-education camps. The net effect is an increased division in American society. Americans are not served by politicians and pundits demonizing their political opponents. What the country needs now is a sense of unity.

Post-partisanship is a political catch-phrase used to describe the team-sport nature that American politics has taken in recent years. This is not to be confused with the end of political parties. The parties play an important role in rallying citizens who feel passionately about certain issues facing the republic. The parties play a key role in articulating positions in the national discourse and will not be replaced, as some might argue that post-partisanship entails. That is not what is being argued here. Rather, the view of the post-partisanship movement is that the good for the good of the nation the parties should work together. If this sounds a bit like bipartisanship, please bear with me. There is more to this than simply Democratic politicians working together with their Republican counterparts.

Neither Democrats or Republicans can fix the problems with health care, global warming, the economy or trade deficits alone. As Mayor Michael Bloomberg told a 2007 conference in Los Angeles, “Solutions will require a diversity of opinion and fresh approaches.” It's time Americans moved past oversimplified red and blue thinking when we address political problems. The country is already showing signs of forward thinking. According to a 2008 poll conducted by Pew Research, 37% of Americans identified themselves as independents. In 2000, according to Pew Research, only 30% of voters identified themselves this way. Independent in this regard refers to no party affiliation, not the “Independent Party,” as Joe Wirtheim at the Spectator would have you believe. While interest in the Democratic primary drove membership, Americans are increasingly identifying themselves as being politically independent. This has been an ongoing trend for several years, evidence of growing dissatisfaction with the negatively partisan political climate..

The term “radical middle,” coined by political writer and lawyer Mark Satin, describes a new political ideology for America. Satin opines that politicians should cooperate when faced with challenges, not see each other as rivals. Criticism is fine, but Salin urges us not to lose sight of the shortcomings of our own ideas and above all, a commitment to dialogue and deliberation. Satin describes this potential new ideology as one that would honor and seek out a diversity of opinions. Republicans and Democrats could birth new ideas together, instead of in competition with each other, while staying true to their values.

Political parties serve a purpose in the political game. Parties allow citizens and lawmakers to rally around common ideas. Parties, however, should not turn into political teams. While elections are by their nature competitive, problem solving is not a competition. Issues will not be adequately addressed while the debate in Washington remains hostile. Can’t everyone just try to get along?