WASHINGTON (AN) — The political problem I've noticed especially among young people like me and in far too much social media is a relentless focus on an us vs. them mentality. When talking politics, it tends to get heated.
I'm Swiss-American, from the Swiss capital Bern, and I've been spending this fall in the U.S. capital, taking some courses at a community college, having just graduated from a Gymnasium, the Swiss equivalent to American high school, and turned 18 this year. Now I can vote as a citizen of both countries! What a year it is to gain that privilege and responsibility.
I was excited to read an article (in German) on Saturday in Swiss newspaper Blick headlined, “As a mayor in Pennsylvania, a Swiss man unites Democrats and Republicans,” about another Swiss-American, Peter Urscheler, of Phoenixville, which "seems like an island in a sea of hate."
"Because of my Swiss roots, I always had the feeling that a mayor has to be neutral and bring people of different origins and party affiliations together so that everyone feels comfortable,” Urscheler says.
In my time in the U.S., I’ve noticed people’s enthusiasm for politics makes for highly engaging discussions. Questions about the U.S. Supreme Court's ethics and recent decisions on presidential immunity and abortion "dominated national politics," says Stockholm-based International IDEA, which supports democracy worldwide.
But an Oct. 23 report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe says its monitoring team for the U.S. elections sees "an intensely polarized political environment" over the leading issues: immigration, abortion, trust in government, the economy, and climate change.
Sometimes, it feels like U.S. politics is a competition – but that also means Americans take their civic duties seriously. This kind of lively debate is inspiring, especially for someone like me, who’s new to voting!
I watched U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris deliver her big speech at the Ellipse, where she drew a crowd of 75,000 people – almost one-fifth the population of Bern. Several times she mentioned the need to turn the temperature down on the political debate.
"The fact that someone disagrees with us does not make them the enemy within," she said. "It is time to stop pointing fingers. We have to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms. It is time to turn the page on the drama and the conflict, the fear and division."
To me, Americans are more excited to vote than the Swiss, and voting also seems to carry more significance than it does in Switzerland, where people are more likely to keep to themselves and avoid conflict.
Despite the polarization and arguing, Americans paradoxically seem more open to each other, and maybe that's why it seems easier to make a friend or have a random conversation with a stranger in the U.S.
On my way home after the speech, for example, I ran into an 87-year-old former U.S. Army instructor named Phil who shared how he drove 200 college students to the Virginia polls in 2020 so they could participate.
Debating the issues before picking candidates
The United States took the idea of direct democracy from Switzerland, giving people the ability to vote on ballot initiatives, but Switzerland basically copied the U.S. idea of federalism. Though Switzerland traces its history to 1291 and its independence to 1815, the Swiss Constitution of 1848 includes core elements of the U.S. Constitution of 1789.
What I felt and experienced when I first arrived here in the U.S. in late August, little more than 10 weeks before Election Day, was a sense that people who belong to a political party don't want to deal at all with people who are for another political party and don't think the same.
Swiss political discussions can also become intense, but the focus on consensus may lead to a more measured dynamic compared to the more confrontational style often seen in U.S. politics. I think there’s a lot both countries could learn from each other – maybe Switzerland could benefit from the U.S. level of engagement, and the U.S. might find something valuable in Switzerland’s tradition of neutrality.
In my two political science classes at Northern Virginia Community College, we learn how the U.S. political system works, how it compares to other systems, and how to compare non-U.S. political systems.
Every other week we have to come up with new questions to ask in class that are based on the textbook and other sources like the PBS NewsHour and BBC News. We get to hear and answer questions fielded by fellow students. I like doing that, because then you get to see how other students think and what insights they might have about a particular topic.
What I've noticed is a lot of the questions focus on differences between the two major political parties and presidential candidates, and what they might do in the White House. This is quite different, backwards even, to what I learned about politics as a student in Switzerland, and to how I think the Swiss approach politics.
The Swiss seem to first consider the issues – immigration, the economy, foreign policy – before taking into account how different parties might handle them. I find it kind of weird, or illogical, for the U.S. to first focus on how political parties view things.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank, talks about how the audience for the U.S. presidential election is global. "As Americans go to the polls, their choices have ramifications for the world," CSIS national security expert and Georgetown University professor Victor Cha wrote.
"The U.S. election takes place at a moment when the demands of two wars in Europe and the Middle East, China’s assertiveness, and coalitions of autocratic leaders are putting unprecedented stress on the rules-based international order."
It is incredible to see how many U.S. decisions impact people globally. The Swiss are aware of how Americans affect global issues like climate change, trade, and security. I feel lucky to be part of a Swiss-American community where I can witness – and participate in – both perspectives.
