Unfortunately in the current political climate there seem to be two things that are lacking and sorely needed, Common Sense, and a recognition of a Common Good. It seems to be almost impossible to get past the impasse of the Republicans are bad because . . . , and the Democrats are wrong because . . . ! This has led to the belief that neither has anything good to say, or anything to offer, which totally alienates the majority of people from being interested or involved. Certain factions love this and play into this in order to keep anyone from seeing any Common Good as being an excessive benefit for someone else, leaving the majority as not a recipient of something someone else has obtained.
As an educator and a marble collector, I have a bottle of marbles in my office. I frequently show this jar of marbles to classrooms of students and equate them to all of the students who are in our building. Though some are the same color or type as other marbles, none of them are exactly the same. The same is true of people, they come in all different shapes, sizes, colors, with all sorts of different gifts, abilities and needs. None should be treated exactly the same as any other, that would be the Common Sense, and providing each what they have the ability to do and assistance they may need to become the best they can be is for the Common Good.
The goal of government irregardless of the political party, should be to protect all in the pursuit of common good. This would, should include the ability to respect others and treat others the way you want to be treated. That does not mean you have to think the same way, believe the same way, or act in the same way, but learn about and respect them. This would seem to be common sense, but too many times, right or left, they want to judge first rather than try to learn about how someone else thinks, believes, or acts. My experiences are vastly different from many people I know, but that doesn't mean I am right or wrong, it just is different. I know a great many people who have far different perspectives and experiences than I have had. I don't believe that is bad or good, just different. If I can learn something from them and they can learn something from me, doesn't that help each of us.
Common Sense and Common Good, it seems can be summed up in a recent favorite meme that I have shared with others, "Humankind, be both".
