Why Can't We Get Along?

In a recent video circulating on social media by another Republican US Senate candidate expressed frustration with the political divide, asking the question: "Why can't we just get along?"

This individual openly shared their history of crossing party lines to vote with Democrats in hopes of securing funding. Russ McAlmond in his bid for the U.S. Senate seat from Oregon considers this video to be naive and by someone who does not understand the political polarization in the US Senate and the core values at stake. Republicans cannot ever compromise on core founding values. 

We all want effective governance that delivers for all Oregonians. However, as McAlmond's campaign emphasizes, the reality at the U.S. Senate level is far more complex - and compromise isn't always the answer when values are at stake.

The issue lies in the extreme polarization that has gripped the Senate. We see this with Merkley and Wyden today and their hate. We also see their positions promoting leftism such as socialism and collective identity classes. 

The national stage amplifies ideological chasms. Democrats and Republicans aren't just debating policy details; they're operating from worldviews that are often polar opposites. The Republican worldview is to continue with founding values that have made this country so successful. The Democrat's worldviews are coming from Europe and are the same old classism and collectivism. 

Take, for instance, the Democratic Party's aggressive push for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. While presented as progressive reforms, these initiatives divide society along lines of race, gender, and identity, fostering a form of European-style collectivism that prioritizes group hierarchies over individual merit. It creates classes of people in the USA. 

This approach dehumanizes Americans by reducing them to categories rather than recognizing their unique potential and individuality. 

Republicans like Russ McAlmond see this as a direct threat to the American ethos, where success stems from personal effort and innovation, not state-mandated quotas or redistribution schemes. At the heart of this divide is a non-negotiable commitment to individual human rights and identity. 

Republicans know these rights are inherent to the individual - rooted in the Founding Fathers' vision of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This isn't about following a collective state directive or subordinating personal freedoms to the "greater good" as defined by bureaucrats. Nor is it about creating moral hierarchies where some groups are elevated above others. 

We cannot compromise on these principles without eroding the very foundation of our republic - "We are all created equal with unalienable rights." 

Imagine yielding on issues like free speech, Second Amendment rights, or parental authority in education simply to "get along" and unlock funding or favors. Such concessions would empower the collective over the individual, creating identity-based hierarchies that echo the failed socialist experiments of the past.

Too many Democratic policies promote this collectivism, from expansive government overreach in healthcare and energy to mandates that stifle economic freedom.

McAlmond's campaign rejects this path outright, arguing that true progress comes from empowering people, not pitting groups against each other. Now is not the time to be wishy-washy or compromising about our values.

The Democratic Party has veered sharply to the extreme left, embracing radical agendas that prioritize ideological purity over practical solutions. From open borders that strain resources to inflationary spending sprees disguised as "equity," these positions have pushed the extremes far from the rational center.

Candidates like the one in the video, are compromising with extremism to get short term gains. Instead, we need strong leaders like Russ McAlmond to stand firm on the very values that made the USA unique in the world. 

As a long-term Oregonian with a background in business and community service, McAlmond understands the state's needs: bolstering timber industries, protecting family farms, and ensuring energy independence without burdensome regulations.

He won't sell out core values for short-term gains; he'll fight for funding through principled negotiation, always prioritizing individual rights that the state cannot infringe upon.

In responding to that video, McAlmond's message is clear: Unity isn't about surrendering principles; it's about rediscovering America's founding values.

We can "get along" when both sides commit to founding values where individual liberty reigns supreme, not collectivist mandates. Oregon deserves a US Senator who will defend these values in Washington, ensuring that federal dollars serve people without compromising their freedoms.

Vote Russ McAlmond for U.S. Senate: Strong on values, strong for Oregon.