One Nation by Ben Carson

Author:Ben Carson [Carson, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780698153073
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2014-05-20T07:00:00+00:00

THE ART OF COMPROMISE

Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety.

PROVERBS 11:14

Although we had very little money, my mother would save every penny over several years in order to be able to purchase a new car when the old one she was driving was on its last leg. She did not believe in buying used cars, because she felt that the previous owner probably would not have gotten rid of it if it was functioning optimally.

Once when I was a teenager I went with her to look at a car. It was a beautiful vehicle, yellow with black interior and a black vinyl top. I was quite excited, because I had recently acquired my driver’s license and was already starting to imagine myself cruising down the streets of Detroit in a brand-new automobile. The problem was that the car was several hundred dollars more expensive than the cash she had on hand.

My mother could bargain with the best of people, and after a couple of hours had worn the salesman down to the point that he was ready to make a deal after she showed him the cash. I was absolutely jubilant until I heard several days later that the salesman had lost his job for giving my mother too sweet a deal. I’m certain that if my mother had had more money, she would have been willing to compromise, but she believed in only paying cash for cars and would not qualify for a loan anyway. As a matter of principle, she did not believe in borrowing money to pay for anything other than a house, because she had seen too many people ruin their lives with financial overreach.

Many people feel that driving a hard bargain is a sign of strength and perseverance, and in many cases they are correct. However, my mother and I learned the hard way that it is not always the kindest thing to do. My mother certainly did not intend to get the man fired and offered to give the car back, but for some reason, since the deal had already been consummated, that was not possible. While my mother was pleased she had been able to buy the car, she wished she had not pressed so hard. Sometimes compromise is the best way to go, even when you think you could get your own way without it.

Many people have recently commented on how difficult it is to get anything accomplished in Washington anymore. The art of compromise appears to be vanishing with both political parties adopting a “my way or the highway” attitude. In much of the legislation that has been passed in the last few years, one side is pleased and the other side is disgruntled. This is an acceptable outcome, as long as each side is civil and works honestly with the other. Unfortunately today, both parties seem to be content with gridlock if they can’t get what they want and have stopped giving ground in order to be a part of an important solution.

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