Partisan purity is derailing our country

We all have moments that stick with us forever, crystallizing our view of something we've long cared about. Here's one of mine, from several years ago: then Sen. Jim DeMint, a Tea Party-leaning solon from South Carolina, announced that he'd rather see the Republican Party shrink to 30 members who are "right on the issues" rather than have a 51-plus Senate majority that included GOP moderates.

As a longtime Illinois Republican activist, I was astonished and dismayed. To me, this senator evinced little or no interest in solving our country's problems, which, as we all know, requires cooperation among various coalitions.

DeMint soon retired. But sadly, his all-or-nothing, litmus-test philosophy has spread, infecting our national dialogue and gridlocking Congress. The same virus afflicts both the left and the right. Rather than linking arms to take on big challenges, we retreat to ideological bunkers and reaffirm our views courtesy of Fox News or MSNBC. The country's biggest needs - immigration reform, infrastructure renewal, retirement security, to name just a few - go unaddressed, year after year.

Despite these discouraging trends, there are glimmers of hope. I urge my fellow pragmatic, progress-seeking Americans on both sides of the aisle to help broaden them. A good place to start is to get to know the No Labels group, with whom I've been active for several years. They inspired the creation of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives. It's already making a difference.

Nearly 50 U.S. House members - evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans - have dared to work across the aisle to tackle tough issues and even change the House rules to empower bipartisan efforts.

What have these results-oriented lawmakers received in return for their courageous steps? Condemnation from party leaders for "working with the enemy," and threats of campaign reprisals from their parties' ideological fringes.

Here's the hard reality that ideologues on the left and right ignore: In our divided, checks-and-balances system of government, no party can pass anything of importance without help from the other party. It's impossible, because neither Republicans nor Democrats can amass the super majorities they'd need to ram legislation through the House, Senate and White House without opposition-party votes.

I've seen proof that bipartisan efforts can still succeed, even in this toxic atmosphere, regardless of whether it generates big headlines. And the Problem Solvers Caucus is leading the way.

Starting in early 2018, the caucus's Republican and Democratic members crafted a plan to force several changes in the House's operating rules at the start of the next Congress. These changes would make it easier for bipartisan legislation to get to the floor, even though at the time they didn't know which party would be in control.

This was no easy feat, because the majority party usually imposes its will on the minority party, no questions asked. But the caucus members stuck together, despite heavy pressure from party leaders. They forced a rule change that makes it harder for small fringe groups (on the left or right) to threaten to depose a House Speaker who refuses their uncompromising demands. Another change prevents party leaders from killing legislation that has considerable rank-and-file support in both parties.

Then, last summer, the bipartisan caucus resolved an ideological impasse that was keeping much-needed humanitarian aid from reaching the southern border during an immigration crisis. Several doctrinaire groups and individuals vilified them for reaching this common-sense accord.

We cannot begin to resolve our biggest needs until we make the political world safe for such elected officials. This means speaking up for them, perhaps sending them campaign contributions, and getting involved in local or national groups similar to No Labels.

I've served as Illinois finance chair for the Republican Party, and I remain a proud Republican. But in recent years, I've also contributed to a few bipartisan-minded Democrats who are willing to work across party lines to get things done.

Partisan purists might call this disloyalty. But their approach will only lead to a more gridlocked Congress and a demoralized public.

It's not too late to rally behind lawmakers who are willing to make reasonable and essential compromises. If we can protect them from political recriminations, their numbers will grow. Then our government can start addressing problems the way the Founders intended, and the way the American people deeply need.

Alexander D. Stuart is president of North Star Investments, a Lake Forest-based investment firm. In addition to his past role with the state party, he was a longtime president of the Lake County Republican Federation. He wrote this essay in conjunction with the No Labels organization.