I know, I know, another political article clogging up your computer screen. I get it. And by now, I’m sure you’ve probably heard more than enough about what I have to say about our current political situation. But this one is a little bit different. Hear me out, okay?

The answer to all of our problems is not with the liberals.

Now before my right-leaning friends start celebrating and doing backflips, continue reading.

The answer isn’t with the conservatives either.

The best answers to our problems lie in the middle. They’re hiding behind compromise, education, and tolerance.

If you know me in person or have read a few of my articles here, you know that I love talking about politics. I think voting, open discussion, and the sharing of views and opinions is important to the success of our political system. If you’ve seen my articles before, you probably notice that a lot of my views fall to the left - in fact, I spend a fair amount of time criticizing typically conservative points of view.

That being said, I honestly don’t think that the Democrats have all the answers correct. I also don’t think that the Republicans do either. So where does that leave us? In the middle, where the answers to some of our most pressing political, social, and economical questions lie.

We’re in an interesting place in this country politically. Right now, support for each party is neck and neck, with a sea of independents bridging the gap. Within each party, some politicians toe the partisan line, while others hug the absolute outer edge (I’m looking at you, Tea Party and Alt-Right). The American people have just as diverse views as the politicians that represent them.

Growing up, my parents were both Republican. I frequently heard my father and his friends joking about the “evil democrats” at best and cursing them under their breath at worst. After I left my hometown a grew up a little bit, I found myself aligning with a lot of the other young democrats around me. Many of them - myself included - spend a decent amount of time complaining about straight, white, conservatives and the damage they do to our cause. That same divisiveness reaches all the way into the highest positions in our government, yet does no service to anyone. Because if a service, or legislation, or solution only works for one party, it only works for half of the country - and that is not a solution at all.

Personally, I think that the democrats have the right idea on a lot of problems facing this country. I know lots of people who think that it’s the other way around. The thing is, we have to start thinking about what works for the most people - not just our political party. We need to think about compromise, and the sharing of knowledge, and working together.

It’s through cooperation that maybe we can convince Republicans to stop worrying so much about who marries who or what women can do with their bodies. It’s through understanding that we can convince Democrats that all Republicans aren’t hateful bigots. It’s through compromise that we can move this country forward in a time that has seen nothing but spite and stubbornness that has stalled the progress of this country.