Opinion: Put People Before Party
Former South Dakota state senator Nancy Turbak Berry argues that party loyalty has become more important than public service and calls on voters to put the common good ahead of partisan politics.
By: Guest Columnist Nancy Turbak Berry
Editor's Note: This article is part of South Dakota Voices, Turn South Dakota Purple's guest opinion series. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Turn South Dakota Purple.
George Washington was no fan of political parties. In his Farewell Address, he warned that although parties may “now and then” serve popular ends, they are likely to be used to defeat the public interest and “subvert the power of the people...to usurp for themselves the reins of government.” James Madison wrote in Federalist 10 that parties – “factions,” as he called them – would harm the common good and rights of others.
So, while it may be unpopular to say so, I’m in good company when I say I have never liked political parties or party politics. Sure, identifying voters by party offers an organizational means to create slates of candidates and conduct elections, though in our state that means largely excluding over 25% of voters, registered as independents. And as power has been concentrated in the Republican Party over decades, people increasingly register Republican for practical reasons that have little or nothing to do with political ideology.
Until my legislative service, I didn’t really understand that parties don’t exist just as outside groups interested in government. They are ingrained in law and the institutions of government, giving parties more power than they deserve. At least in South Dakota, essentially a one-party state, the Republican Party has proven Washington’s warning to be true: we have a party that, especially during legislative sessions, subverts the power of the people and usurps for itself the reins of government.
The effects are similar with respect to our congressional delegation. Cocooned by the security offered in a safely Republican state, our Senators and Congressman have focused more on satisfying the bizarre whims of the national head of their party than on listening to or answering to constituents here at home.
Naturally, one could defend Mike Rounds for taking positions on policy issues reflecting the relatively conservative nature of South Dakotans, whether one agrees with those positions or not. But there is no defense for Rounds consistently approving cabinet and court nominees who are blatantly objectionable not because of their ideology but because of obvious and dangerous incompetence or demonstrably awful character.
When Rounds left the state for D.C., he presumably did not leave behind the South Dakota common sense he once had, nor forget everything he surely learned as governor about the value of professionalism. Nevertheless, he nods like a bobble-headed doll at every nominee to come before the Senate, no matter how obviously unfit they are for the jobs.
An anti-vaccine activist with no medical credentials? No problem – make him Secretary of Health! An insecure bully with a drinking problem and loose lips, intent on using our military to prove his own masculinity by proxy? Great idea – make him Secretary of Defense! A DOJ lawyer who says subordinates should tell federal judges “f*ck you” when they issue unfavorable rulings? Hey, put him on the Federal Appellate bench for life!
A social media junkie with no FBI experience, but an amazing penchant for high-brow travel, partying, and hogging the limelight whenever there’s a podium, a mic, and cameras rolling? Hey—an FBI Director! An investments lawyer with no experience in national intelligence? Well, he’ll likely help the party in the midterms by cooking up complaints about election integrity, so make him Director of National Intelligence!
Only a limit on the appropriate length of this writing cuts the list short; pages could be filled with details of obviously terrible nominees to which Mike Rounds has nodded dumbly in blind, partisan assent. He and John Thune were in a better position than most to stand up with integrity and conscience to provide guardrails on an out-of-control administration – conduct that would have made South Dakotans of both parties proud. But they haven’t. Apparently afraid of being ousted for choosing country over party, they affirm the wisdom of Washington and Madison about the danger and destructiveness of political parties.
So, what can we do when parties usurp the reins of government and harm the common good? We can step back and recall that parties should be a means to an end, not ends in themselves. Were it up to me, I might suggest we could just as well organize ourselves by eye color or Zodiac sign. After all, there are more than two views on any issue, and we have long since passed a time when all who agree on one issue will also agree on the next issue.
Party membership as an identity is about as useful as stars on the bellies of Dr. Seuss’ Sneetches – a means to divide people and invite some to feel superior, but otherwise of remarkably little value. When it comes to the election for South Dakota’s U.S. Senator, it’s time to set party aside. Everyone – Democrats, moderate Republicans, and Independents – should get behind Brian Bengs’ effort to unseat Mike Rounds. The power of people needs to be taken back from the power of party.
Julian Beaudion is an intelligent and honorable person, an experienced law enforcement officer, a bold entrepreneur, and an excellent restaurateur. He should be thanked for having the courage to run as a Democrat for statewide office – something I could never bring myself to do. But through no fault of his own (other than his choice of party), he cannot win. He should bow out of the race now, urge his supporters to get behind Bengs, and – as both Washington and Madison would urge – put the common good above political party and all else.
About the Author
Nancy Turbak Berry is a Watertown attorney, former Democratic member of the South Dakota Senate, and founder of Turbak Law Office. She has been involved in South Dakota law, public service, and civic life for more than four decades.