This weekend’s reviews of the life of Bob Dole reminded us of a time when politicians could disagree on the issues but still get along and treat each other with respect. Much of that, I suspect, was due to the fact that, like Dole, many of them served in the armed forces during World War II, when one was thrown into contact with Americans from different backgrounds and cultures. For the most part, today’s Congresspeople have not had the same exposure to people unlike themselves, including those who served in the military. More and more, we live and interact with our own tribes, an unfortunate situation that is only made worse by the new identity culture.
