State of the Re:Union is committed to bringing our country back together, and our organization, No Labels, is working to make that goal a reality. No Labels is a national citizens’ movement of Independents, Democrats, and Republicans that urges bipartisan cooperation in the interest of common sense solutions. It is people like the readers of State of the Re: Union who will help change the culture of gridlock in Washington and move our country forward.

The political debate in Washington is at its most partisan in decades. No matter the topic – whether it is health care, the debt ceiling, or anything in between –politicians today are under the command of their political parties. This results in a government that is dominated by ideological extremes, which is both inefficient and unrepresentative of the average, moderate majority of Americans, 56% who believe that compromise yields the best solutions.

No Labels was formed in 2010 and represents these Americans, ensuring they do not get lost in the offensive politics of hyper-partisanship. The fiscal crisis is an issue that can affect all Americans, and a deal on the national debt should not fall victim to the myopic partisanship of lawmakers.

In our most recent No Labels national poll, 92% of Americans fear the fiscal crisis will negatively impact their financial future and 68% see the crisis as a threat to their job security. While this crisis keeps Americans up at night, Congress is scheduled to take more days off than working days before the August 2 deadline. Our latest campaign, No Deal, No Break, lets Congress know that inaction is unacceptable. No Deal, No Break calls on Congress to not take any vacations until a deal is reached on the national debt, with 83% of those surveyed agreeing with our campaign.

Both chambers of Congress have now heeded our call. Last week, the Senate decided to shorten their July 4th break, and today the House announced the cancellation of their upcoming mid-July recess.

At a time where politicians use toxic rhetoric to nurture pet projects and stall legislation, voters need to make a stand for bipartisanship. Americans acknowledge defaulting on our debt would be highly destructive to our already-fragile economy. A majority of polled Democrats, Republicans, and Independents said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who works with colleagues from across the aisle to reach a deal on the debt. The tide has turned in favor of bipartisanship across America. Now is the time to ensure Washington gets the message.

To learn more about No Labels, please visit our website at nolabels.org where you can sign our No Deal, No Break letter to congress. No Labels: Not Left. Not Right. Forward.

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State of the Re:Union is thrilled to be working with No Labels. Politics can feel so toxic at times and can be a source of division. So many of these political battles are played out on a national stage, but from spending time in so many wonderful communities throughout the country, we know how much the end result of this type of partisanship can hit locally. Although No Labels discusses D.C. a good deal, their reach, their message, their mission is permeating through communities small and large throughout the country. Be sure to look for their pieces, appearing regularly on the State of the Re:Union website.

Our politics are incredibly toxic, and at times, conditions only seem to be worsening. But look around and it’s possible to see the emergence of a competing set of conditions–what I’ll call the New Civility. I say it’s “new” because the old civility is about people holding hands and singing “Kumbayah.” We’re in need of something more potent and realistic.

One signal of this “New Civility” is Republican Jon Huntsman’s recent announcement that he was running for president. Huntsman has gone to great lengths in setting a decidedly productive tone for his candidacy. He is upfront and clear about his differences with President Obama, while pointing out that he doesn’t question the president’s love of country or commitment. They simply disagree on a host of issues and governing philosophy.

Of course, many Washington pundits and news media outlets have questioned the seriousness of Huntsman’s approach, saying he is running only on style and not substance, and that he will be eaten alive by his tougher, and nastier Republican opponents. Or put another way, those who were better equipped to play by the rules of toxic politics.

But Huntsman is not alone in his approach. One can feel any number of political leaders seeking to move toward a New Civility, including at times House Speaker John Boehner and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Just yesterday Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney joined in, calling for political leaders to “work across the aisle.” For me, the latter example is a sign of Romney reacting to the pull of the new civility and hedging his bets. But it is telling that he feels pressure to do so, and suggests there is a growing power around the idea that we need a different way of working together.

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But, change comes about when there is an emergence of a competing narrative, which grows out of nascent pockets of change that point to the possibility of a different path.

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Now, I can hear many of my friends getting antsy, even downright uncomfortable with me saying these things. But, wait a moment, please! It’s clear to me that our dominant political narrative right now is one of division and acrimony, self-dealing, and self-promotion. I get that. Yesterday’s conviction of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich is Exhibit A in politics run amuck. But, change comes about when there is an emergence of a competing narrative, which grows out of nascent pockets of change that point to the possibility of a different path. We are seeing the early signs of such pockets, and the early emergence of the new, competing narrative that reflects them. I’m not naïve, I know these signs aren’t the dominant story, but to deny their existence is to enable the growth of further cynicism and to forfeit the opportunity to change course.

The substance of the New Civility is not reflective of the civility movement of the past ten or fifteen years, in which proponents adopted the oft-repeated Rodney King refrain: “Why can’t we all just get along!” The new civility is not about being friends, or “liking” each other.

Rather, it is about building respectful relationships so things can get done. It is where tough issues are put on the table, and where philosophical differences are not washed away or diminished, but understood and worked with. The New Civility is one where our opponents are not evil, but where there is a real battle to win the debate. It is where tough choices must be made, and where real trade-offs exist. It is where “progress” and “hope” are earned only over time, based on the hard-won renewal of belief that we as individuals and collectively have the ability to get things done.

Seizing on this new civility will require us never to lose sight that we are engaged in a competition between the old and new – and that we must strategically target opportunities where existing, nascent pockets can be strengthened, and new ones created. We must place a spotlight on emerging victories, and not lose spirit when current conditions prevail. And we must remind ourselves that amid toxicity and destruction there is the opportunity to grab hold of real hope.

*Image from Etsy by Orange Moon Toys

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A dynamic public speaker, Rich Harwood is a frequent keynote for foundations and national organizations. He is an expert contributor on national and syndicated media outlets including MSNBC, NPR, The Christian Science Monitor, CNN’s Inside Politics, The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Special Report with Brit Hume, C-SPAN, and many others. He is also the author of Hope Unraveled: The people’s retreat and our way back (2005), Make Hope Real: How we can accelerate change for the public good (2008) and numerous studies, articles and essays chronicling vital issues of our time. His most recent written work, Why We’re Here: The Powerful Impact of Public Broadcasters When They Turn Outward, is being published and distributed in Spring 2011. You can follow him on twitter @RichHarwood and facebook.com/richharwood.

You can read Rich’s posts every Tuesday on State of the Re:Union’s website.