Wanted: Bipartisanship

On the first day of my internship with the US Senate Agriculture Committee, I walked into a simple office in the Russell Senate Office Building. "Here's your desk," the Deputy Clerk said, "the other 4 interns will be here next to you - we're expecting another democrat and 3 Republicans."  I must have exchanged a glare of disbelief. "Yes," she replied, "the minority and majority interns sit together in this Committee."

The US Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry has a longstanding tradition of bipartisanship. But sitting with the opposing party's interns? Isn't that like showing the other team your playbook? After all, my spring at Ohio State was filled with canvassing against Donald Trump. I participated in the feverous sharing of anti-Republican blog posts to draw attention to the growing racial, social, and economic prejudice emerging between the parties.

Shortly into my second day, I met the Minority's Staff Director, an Ohio State alumna whom I had long admired. Before I stepped out of his office, he reached into his briefcase for a thin book. "Here," he said, "I want all of our new interns to read this." Staring me back in the face was the title - Is Bipartisanship Dead? A Report from the Senate.

Over the weekend, just before the fateful Monday my Republican friends were to arrive, I cracked open the book on my townhouse porch. Maybe there was a point to be made. Within the first chapter, the Senate Agriculture Committee was used as an example of true bipartisanship - a climate in which staffers on opposing sides actually speak (what??). The book cautioned away from the romanticized bipartisanship American pundits crave, but the bipartisanship of discourse and dialogue in a professional setting. Perhaps I'd take on Monday with an open mind.

In meeting the new interns, they were exactly what you'd expect - type A, driven, and intelligent students. In small talk to ease their transition, we discussed football teams, college classes, majors, hometowns, favorite restaurants, and even favorite baked goods. By the strike of 6:00pm, I left smiling and proud to work for the Senate, just like any other day, but this time, I had 3 new intern cohorts. I quickly realized there was far more that brought us together than that which drove us apart. Not once in the day did we talk about Donald Trump's comments, their opinion on a woman's right to choose, or their view on GMOs. We were just interns, lost on the Hill, still pretending that we knew where the bathroom was.

This bipartisan understanding has continued into all facets of my work - I answer calls for Republican staffers, and talk to them in the office. I had a candid conversation about coursework and Buckeye football with Chairman Pat Roberts. I tell my Republican counterparts what I'm working on - and explain why the Democratic Party sees the issue as a priority.

Bipartisanship and discussion between parties are necessary when working on the Hill. The Committee staffers I work with are on the front lines of compromise, and spend hours in negotiations. In an increasingly polarized environment, being able to hold a civilized discussion and make movements towards compromise is a delicate and sought after skill.

More importantly - those who intern with you may very well be your colleagues someday, and building these relationships today paves the way to positive interactions across the aisle. 

Today's political climate dehumanizes those in the opposing party. We should never sacrifice humanity for professional advancement. Always smile, always be welcoming, and always assume the best.

-Mikayla Bodey