This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

"Political ideology: A belief system that explains and justifies a preferred economic and governmental order for society, offers strategies for its maintenance or attainment and helps give meaning to public events, personalities and policies."

Generally speaking, there is an "ideological right" and an "ideological left" within politics — but much variation on both sides. For example, someone who considers themselves politically conservative might believe that the "war on drugs" should be dropped, believing that it infringes on personal rights while other conservatives believe there are moral boundaries that should not be crossed, including the use of harmful, illicit substances. Reasonable people can disagree, a concept that seems to be getting lost.

It truly is possible to work with others and not compromise principle, but you'd never know it from the screaming happening in today's public square. Sometimes it's voters doing the screaming. Sometimes it's the politicians. It is especially bad during campaign season, when ideological litmus tests are applied in the most strident way possible. We see it in races at every level, even non-partisan races, where partisan purity tests are used to judge — and defeat — good candidates. We see it right now with the 3rd Congressional District race. There are even billboards proclaiming a certain candidate the "One True Conservative." How arrogant.

To some, especially the loudest voices, ideology is very black and white – you are either with them 100 percent or you're against them. There is no room for differences of opinion, even if the fundamental principles are the same. Seeking real solutions and a willingness to work towards them – collaboration, in other words – has become "bad."

It's "selling out," we're told, to work on making real changes if we have to do it incrementally. It's all or nothing – and more often than not, we are left with nothing. It's the "Hail Mary" pass, every single down, rather than a willingness to work on getting a first down.

In reality, politics is a dance. It requires working together to find common ground and moving forward from there. It is the art of compromise – but not the compromise of principle. Those two principles are not mutually exclusive. If people are willing to talk to each other — and more importantly, listen to each other, there are generally many ways to reach a solution.

Edmund Burke sagely pointed out: "All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter." The very founding of our country, from the Declaration of Independence, to the adoption of the Constitution, to the Bill of Rights was based on compromise. None of these documents sprang fully formed from the minds of their authors. They were haggled over, argued over, negotiated over until those founders arrived at the documents we have today. Some of them walked away. Some had to swallow hard when slavery was not addressed explicitly. Abigail Adams and other "Founding Mothers" wanted the right to vote. In the end, those Founders worked together until they hammered out a new, appropriately balanced government.

Those same Founders also knew the Constitution would have to be changed as the country evolved and included a process to do so. I am certainly glad that Abigail Adams plea to "remember the ladies" with the right to vote was finally realized and that no one is considered three-fifths of a person anymore.

Voters who think that the best way to get politicians to listen is to scream at them and send them death threats need to realize they are part of the problem. If "We the People" want less screaming and more collaboration in the political arena, "We the People" need to stop electing screaming obstructionists. Even if it's the President.

Holly Richardson is a former Republican lawmaker who believes that the best solutions to most problems come when everyone has a seat — and a voice — at the table.