The United States of America is a unique democratic republic, in which nearly 350 million people from virtually every culture on Earth come together under the protection of laws that prioritize rights over powers. This reality has been imperfectly realized through American history, but it is clear and resonant enough to have drawn millions at all times to American shores. 

Rights are guaranteed not according to peculiar conditions or narrowly construed privileges, but by being recognized as universal and guaranteed to all people in all cases, without exception. All Americans have a right to expect that government will not, in any case, attempt to throw out or ignore the Bill of Rights.

For this reason, Americans of wildly divergent political views often find themselves in the same relative political position, as citizens with an interest in 1) prioritizing the protection of fundamental freedoms and 2) curtailing the arbitrary exercise of power. Let’s be honest about this: We spend far too little time recognizing this common cause, even though we have all signed up to it and talk about it frequently, in our respective ways. 

Liberal vs. conservative is a myth, fomented by political propaganda. Left vs. right may be less of a myth, but its real meaning has been greatly distorted by political propaganda. 

• Conservative generally means a person wants to conserve standards and conventions that have existed for some time. The word is often conflated with traditionalist, or with wanting to preserve the old model of distributing power (think: aristocracy, instead of democracy), though neither of those are a blanket defintion, and modern American conservatives generally believe they are pro-democracy.
• Liberal generally means favoring a system that recognizes the rights and freedoms of individuals. In American politics, it has come to be associated with a specific set of ideological and policy views, and partisan alignment, but most Americans are actually liberals, in most of their views.
• The term ‘The Left’ emerged during the French revolutionary period, and referred to the left-hand side of the national legislature, which favored a free and democratic republic. ‘The Right’ were considered to be those loyal to the monarchy, and who wanted more of an aristocratic, even theocratic rule.
• 99% of Americans are, in this sense, ‘The Left’, because almost no one calls for scrapping the Constitution and returning to monarchy. In fact, procedurally, there is no way to do it within the rule of law. Americans should recognize and honor that unifying commitment to the Constitution and to democratic rights and freedoms.

Liberals can be conservative, too. Many people favor personal liberties, free enterprise, the right to education, and universal opportunity. These are liberal values that together make up what is commonly known as ‘The American Dream’. 

The term has its origins in part in the skepticism of ‘old guard’ British aristocrats, who believed American democracy was folly, and that most people could not be trusted to engage in robust, participatory self-government. It became a source of pride for Americans across the political spectrum, as a non-partisan vote of defiance—a heartfelt patriotic belief that we can, in fact, make democracy work.

Main Street “mom and pop” shops, labor unions, and unicorn start-ups are all part of the American Dream. So are political campaigns to tighten regulations to ensure more people enjoy more safety and everyday liberty, as well as political campaigns to lighten regulatory strain on free enterprise. They are all part of the heat and light of liberal American democracy. 

Being predisposed to “conservative thinking” or “conservative values” does not put one at odds with this deep tradition of diverse American liberalism. On the contrary, conservatism in America is part of the liberal democratic story.

Parents may want to have a say in how their kids are educated, so boards of parents are formed to work with schools, so-called Parent-Teacher Associations. 

• This kind of association is envisioned by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
• Such cooperative endeavors have given richness, texture, and democratic process to countless communities.
• In the 19th century, the American tendency to form such non-governmental open associations was celebrated by Alexis de Tocqueville as a hallmark of American democracy, and a great cultural innovation that would allow the new way of running a free society to stand the test of time. 

The whole point of a democratic society is that the complexities of each person’s human experience and perspective can play a role in shaping a better way forward. Liberal processes and open associations can replace aristocratic power and rule by fiat, and conservative-minded citizens can argue that their town or city should proceed carefully when considering structural innovations or major new investments.

If you are a self-described conservative, and you value your personal freedoms, you are also a liberal. If you are a self-described liberal, and you don’t want your personal data handed over to generative AI companies, you are also a conservative. Americans who want to make sure their children learn good and honorable values are expressing both liberal and conservative aspirations—the liberal view that we have a right to a good education, which should reflect the values of a society where universal laws and rights have primacy, and the conservative view that ideologically interested people should not be able to undermine that moral education.

The millions who voted for Donald Trump in 2024 make up only 22% of the American population. Nearly 4 of every 5 people you meet did not give their vote to this administration or its policies. Nearly everyone—whether politically engaged or not—still wants government to honor universal values and remains averse to ideological or partisan power grabs; we just need ways to mobilize that common purpose.

This is why we hear increasing calls for ranked choice voting, which allows voters of all views to select in order of preference those candidates they believe are best positioned to serve honorably. This is also why we are seeing court cases calling for a return to ‘fusion’ voting, where voters can overrule extremist or corrupt partisans and endorse more moderate, less ideological, or service-oriented candidates.

As was famously said, now 21 years ago, we are not a collection of “red states” and “blue states”. Cities that elect self-described liberal politicians are not “godless”, and rural areas are populated by all kinds of people, with all kinds of views, needs, human experiences, and priorities. We should never let political campaign rhetoric sort us into rigid factions that cannot think freely or cooperate to solve big problems. Our personal and collective freedoms depend on our ability to be ongoing collaborators in the team effort of self-government.