Celebrating The Fourth in a House Divided

As we celebrate Independence Day, with the atmosphere in Congress having been reduced to one of “taunting, bickering and name-calling” between the two major political parties (as the New York Times recently described it), it’s worth recalling a less contentious age in America.

In 1968, Peter Drucker observed in The Public Interest that among the traits that had served the United States so well during its history was the remarkable ability of its people to rally together out of conflict “and the appeal to interest against the fanaticism of ideological faction.”

“It is not only a civilized concept,” he wrote. “It is a principle that makes politics productive for the common good.”

Here’s to hoping that we, once again, find this bipartisan spirit. Meanwhile, have a happy and safe Fourth of July.