A more perfect union of hearts and principles

As our nation celebrates America 250, it’s worth asking what it really means to be a citizen of the United States.

The Constitution is built on a simple but powerful idea: people should be free—free to speak, believe, assemble, act and worship. It protects our ability to make choices, even when others disagree. That freedom is not accidental.

The framers also separated power—legislative, executive and judicial—because they understood something deeply human: we are imperfect. Unchecked power tends to be abused. So they built guardrails, not around perfect people, but around real ones.

The Constitution itself was born from compromise. Large states and small states. Different economies. Competing interests. Deep disagreements. The founders didn’t eliminate those differences—they worked through them. Today, compromise is often dismissed as weakness. But peacemaking is not weakness—it is strength.

We often talk about politics as two opposing sides, but that oversimplifies reality. Within each party are a wide range of ideas and perspectives. You will never find a leader—or a neighbor—you agree with 100% of the time. And that’s OK.

Scholar Yuval Levin, in American Covenant, puts it this way: the Constitution answers a central question—how can we act together when we don’t think alike? His answer is not uniformity, but cooperation. The system works by requiring negotiation, bargaining and coalition-building.

I see this firsthand in my role in county government. Our council includes members from both parties in nearly equal numbers. When we work together, outcomes improve. When we dig in and fight, progress stalls. The system works best when leaders work with each other—not against each other.

Congress was designed with this same purpose in mind: to force opposing sides to negotiate and find common ground. The frustration many feel with today’s political climate is not because the Constitution has failed, but because we are drifting away from how it was meant to function.

Instead of persuasion, we often see performance. Cable news and social media reward outrage, not understanding. The more inflammatory the message, the more attention it gets. The more attention it gets, the more it spreads. And the more it spreads, the more it shapes our perception of reality.

When we “like,” share and financially support politicians who attack, vilify or refuse to work with others, we are reinforcing the very behavior we say we dislike. We are, in effect, incentivizing division.

Peacemaking, by contrast, is quieter. It requires listening, humility and a willingness to move forward together. It does not mean abandoning truth. It means recognizing that in a diverse society, progress often requires cooperation. Without compromise, we don’t get purity—we get paralysis.

Yet today, there is enormous pressure to divide into “us versus them.” Instead of seeing neighbors, we see opponents. Instead of truth, we see spin. Instead of compromise, absolutism. Instead of charity, contempt.

We can change that—but it starts with us.

First, be principled, not tribal. Care more about what is right than who is right.

Second, seek truth. Be thoughtful about what you believe and share. If your news diet is dominated by one outlet—or your social media feed is filled with outrage—it will shape how you see the world. These platforms profit from strong emotional reactions. Don’t reward that model with your attention.

Third, speak with civility. You can disagree without being disagreeable.

Fourth, work with others—even those you don’t fully agree with. Relationships matter more than winning an argument.

Fifth, participate. Vote, engage and serve. Too often, only the loudest and most extreme voices are heard.

And finally, lead with charity. Remember that every person you disagree with is still worthy of respect.

The Constitution can only do so much. It creates a framework, protects rights and structures power. But it cannot make people virtuous. That responsibility belongs to us.

We live in a time of division—but also a time of opportunity. An opportunity to be better citizens. To use our agency wisely. To defend freedom with responsibility. To build unity without demanding uniformity.

If we do that, we won’t just strengthen our nation—we will help create a more perfect union of hearts and principles.