Politicians should pursue common ground and reasonable consensus rather than elusive ideals

Should our political leaders pursue common ground and reasonable consensus? Or should they focus on elusive ideals? While it is true that a pragmatic leader would aim for reasonable consensus and succeed in accomplishing a common goal, their achievements may only be mediocre, where as the rare  iconoclastic leader achieves greatness by  attaining goals  thought to be  unattainable,  holding true to  ideals which  many people may classify as elusive. Let me illustrate my viewpoint with some examples.

Abraham Lincoln is considered as one of the greatest presidents of the United States. He led the country through a great consititutional, military and moral crisis – the American civil war – preserving the union, while abolishing slavery and promoting economic modernization. Had he strived for a consensus and compromised his ideals of true equality for every individual, regardless of their race, the course of our nation’s history might have been different. Slavery, a  brutal injustice could still have flourished in this country for longer.  The life and legacy of Mahatma Gandhi  is another case in point. When India was under the British rule, when the demands for the independence of the nation was being ignored and  Indians were treated like second rate citizens by the imperialists in their own country, Gandhi advocated for a nonviolent resistance as a strategy to fight the British. Many thought that the principles of ahimsa and nonviolence were elusive ideals, however through his words and deeds, Gandhi was able to convince the masses and go forwards with the nonviolent freedom struggle which culminated in India attaining independence in 1947.

Is it always worthwhile pursuing elusive ideals? I do not think so. The recent failure of the super committee in reaching a consensus regarding deficit reduction is an example. The Republicans and Democrats both stuck to their ideals, were unwilling to compromise, and no effective deal could be made. This indecision is frustrating when United States is going through trying economic times, and the debt levels are at an all time high.

In summary, I believe that politicians should try their best to reach a consensus and pursue goals benefitting the public while aspiring to stay true to their ideals. If a consensus cannot be reached, and the ideals at stake are the ones that would lead to a greater common good, they may have to try alternate strategies and unconventional methods to attain those ideals.