Lack of Bipartisan Cooperation Slows Governance

The Challenge: Contributors across the political spectrum expressed concern that party-line thinking, partisan reflexes, and a loss of compromise are weakening governance and community life in New Hampshire. What do New Hampshire residents think? Contributors described a political environment where ideas are increasingly judged by who proposes them rather than on their merits. One contributor wrote: “It feels like ideas and possible solutions are judged immediately, not on the merits of the idea but on who put it forward — democrat or republican. I wish we could stop the knee jerk reaction and spend the time to consider the idea regardless of who proposes it.” Another called for a return to compromise: “I would like to see our politicians reaching across the aisle and actually compromising. In the past 15 years, this has been lost.” Some pointed to listening as the starting point: “We would all be better off by listening first, and listening to understand. Listening doesn’t mean agreeing. We shouldn’t all agree. But right now we’re talking past each other, and nothing good comes from that.” Others tied the issue to social trust more broadly. One contributor wrote: “An essential element of every democracy is a broadly shared sense of purpose, which requires a restoration of our social fabric.” Across responses, contributors pointed to polarization, loss of compromise, and erosion of shared community as a foundational concern.