Partisanship (or Lack Thereof) at MGA: Shaping the Future of American Government

Partisanship (or Lack Thereof) at MGA: Shaping the Future of American Government

Caroline Gage - YMCA Arlington-Washington-Lee

Today’s government is polarized by party affiliations. Two parties dominate the political sphere and make passing legislation a huge, difficult endeavor. At Model General Assembly, however, emphasis is placed on the lack of party divisions. Very few bills are struck down due to strong opposition from a different party and bills tend to stick to fairly similar political philosophies, a sharp contrast to the government of Virginia or the United States. Many Model General Assembly participants don’t find that this is harmful, however. Rather, they believe that the lack of party labels fosters better debate among peers and shows them how the government could be in the future.

A Pew Research Center study found that the political differences among Americans have “reached record levels,” especially on issues such as “gender, race and ethnicity, religious observance or education” (2017). Because of this, law making has become more and more difficult.

MGA’s Youth Governor Tommy Dannenfelser believes that the lack of this cavernous divide makes MGA special, saying, “We debate on the merits of the issue at hand.” Dannenfelser highlighted this in his campaign last year and believes strongly that by focusing purely on issues rather than personal beliefs, MGA students are able to practice true debate on the basis of facts and subsequently apply these skills to school, activities, and future careers in government.

Another MGA attendee and reporter, Daisana Pittman of Bethel High School, also believes that “whether you’re a Democrat or Republican, you’re going to get a great experience from the stimulating environment.” She feels that party wouldn’t matter even if it was a part of the MGA experience because all students will end up with similar mentally stimulating experiences by the end of the weekend. All MGA students can leave MGA feeling that they learned more about the process of legislation.

But outside MGA, parties do exist. It is important to note that political compromise is (unfortunately) harder to come by in the Virginia General Assembly, as well as in the federal government. One could say that MGA gives students a view of law-making through rose-colored glasses, but it may be the contrary. MGA students see what law-making is meant to be; over the course of the weekend by learning the importance of compromise, friendly debate, and communication.

References:

 “The Partisan Divide on Political Values Grows Even Wider.” Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 1 Mar. 2019, www.people-press.org/2017/10/05/the-partisan-divide-on-political-values-grows-even-wider/.