Scroll Facebook or turn on cable news and it doesn’t take long to get the impression that America is split in two. While we’re certainly going through a bit of a rough patch — every country has them — we actually have more in common than we might realize. Proud liberal Elisa Kreisinger set out to “pop her liberal bubble” and find common ground with those who call themselves proud conservatives. Turns out, we’re really not all that different in that we want to live in a safe, healthy and stable country.
If you’re having doubts to how much you may have in common with the other side, here are 12 things that both liberals, conservatives and just about anybody in-between can agree on.
1. Access To Healthy Food
Will those in the audience who don’t want the option of healthy food raise a hand? What’s that, no hands up? Thought so. We all want the option of healthy food, but the cold reality is that many Americans live in food deserts where the only options available might be whatever’s at the local gas station.
2. Safe And Robust Education
School shootings have become all too common in this country and both liberals and conservatives can agree that our children deserve a safe and healthy learning environment. Because like the saying goes, the children are the future — and school should be a place of learning, not fear.
3. More Products Made In The USA
Nearly 8 out of 10 Americans would prefer to buy an American-made product over a foreign import. That option is quickly fading though with more and more companies sending manufacturing overseas. The issue to resolve is how to bring manufacturing back to the USA and keep products affordable for the middle class?
4. Fair Pay
You put in a hard days work, you deserve a livable paycheck that matches your contribution and skill level. It’s as simple as that.
5. Affordable And Quality Healthcare
This has been one of the most talked about issues for the past 20 years and while more people currently have healthcare than they did several years ago, the issue is far from resolved. Whether it’s government healthcare or a third party provider, quality healthcare shouldn’t be limited to only the wealthy.
6. Easier Recycling
Just about everybody thinks recycling is a noble effort on some level, a lot of people simply don’t want to bother with the logistics of all that separation. Our lives in the 21st century are already complicated enough, shouldn’t taking out the garbage be at least a little less complicated?
7. Factual And Unbiased News
Remember when fake news was something you read about in Mad Magazine? Blame it on the internet, blame it on cable news, blame it on talk radio, whoever the culprit may be it needs to stop. Because nobody wants to tune into the news and feel they’re being lied to.
8. Equal Treatment For Men And Women
Quick question: Did a woman give birth to you? If you’re not some sort of outer space pod person and the answer’s yes, then chances are you’re all for men and women being treated equally.
9. Trust In Elected Officials And Businesses
Ouch is that graph by the Gallup Poll disheartening. The same rule that applies to our media should hold true to our elected officials and businesses. Nobody likes being deceived or feeling that they’re getting a bad deal, whether it’s from their local official or local bank.
10. Get Money Out Of Politics
And while we’re on the subject of trust in politics, there’s really no way you can have much trust in politics or corporations when they have their hand in each other’s pockets.
11. Care For Veterans And The Elderly
Nobody wants to worry about growing old and not having enough food to eat or an elderly neighbor sitting alone in a freezing apartment. Both conservatives and liberals alike can agree that veterans as well as the elderly and disabled deserve care and support.
12. Low Unemployment And A Healthy Economy
We all want a healthy economy with good paying jobs, because that’s kinda what makes a lot of the other stuff on this list possible.
And you though that liberals and conservatives had nothing in common.