Understanding & Respect

We have reached it, the last blog I will write before Election Day. It is a time when so much feels wrapped up in the choice we will make that it touches every aspect of life. As such, I have written recently in this place about what some of the financial and tax picture aspects of the decision could be. And whichever way one leans, it is now time to make a choice.

I try my best to remain nonpartisan in this space because when it comes to policy and what it means for one’s finances, there are genuine debates to be had over what is fair, what is necessary, and what should be done. It then becomes our job to help our clients work within the ground rules that are set. This does not have to be done with great emotion – we have worked under different rules in the past, we work with one set of rules now, and we will work under different rules in the future.

This does not mean, however, that one should not hold passionate beliefs about what those rules should be. Again, there are some genuine differences in belief that cover a wide range. I believe that everyone owes it to themselves to be informed in a way that allows them to make an educated decision on policy matters.

Part of seeking that information should then necessarily involve knowing where the other side falls and what evidence informs their final answer. You do not then become obligated to agree with their decision, but you at least then can appreciate how someone arrives to it.

So no matter where things fall, let us embrace that spirit of understanding. True ignorance only lies in thinking there is only ever one undeniably correct answer. If that were the case, we would have been able to find it in a history of thousands of years of democracy. Instead, different times call for different actions.

It is easier – and flashier- to look at extremes and find how much those views can polarize those on the opposite end. In between those, however, is much more that draws us together that pushes us apart. Let us embrace that instead of the division and try to make it ring as loud as the differences.

For no matter how you feel about who gets elected, and you can feel it strongly, you are going to have to deal with some people who disagree with you. And in that relationship, a little respect can go a long way.

Warmly,

Josh Bousquet
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