Progress or Purity: How Ideological Litmus Tests Are Killing Collaboration

By: Rebecca Witherspoon, April 11, 2025

In today’s hyper-polarized political landscape, collaboration is becoming a lost art. While both parties draw lines in the sand, Democrats have increasingly adopted an “all-or-nothing” mindset, insisting on total ideological alignment before they’re willing to work with others—even on shared goals. Meanwhile, Republicans, though no less ideological, have shown a greater willingness to collaborate when the destination is mutual—even if the path is different.

This purity-over-pragmatism approach isn’t confined to Washington. It’s happening in school boards, county boards, and even non-partisan village governments like mine. As a Trustee, I’ve seen board members block initiatives they otherwise support simply because the wrong person proposed it. Not because the policy was flawed, but because the politics weren’t pure.

For many Democrats, ideological purity has become the price of admission. Disagree on one issue—be it climate policy, social justice, or healthcare—and you risk being labeled regressive or not progressive enough. This rigidity has created internal gridlock, stalling progress and fueling factionalism between moderates and progressives. The Build Back Better saga was a textbook case—torn apart not by Republicans, but by Democrats unwilling to compromise with their own.

This fixation on ideological conformity creates paralysis. Instead of asking, “Do we want the same outcome?” the conversation becomes, “Do you believe everything I believe?” And in politics, that question kills momentum.

Republicans, by contrast, often prioritize strategy over purity. While they have their ideological battles, they tend to unite around shared objectives. If a Democrat backs lower taxes or border security—even partially—Republicans are more likely to work with them. We’ve seen it in bipartisan efforts like criminal justice reform and pandemic business relief, where Republicans crossed the aisle without demanding total agreement.

That’s not to say Republicans are saints or Democrats are villains. There are pragmatic voices on both sides. But as a trend, the Left’s insistence on perfection has stalled progress, while the Right’s focus on outcomes has allowed for coalition-building and real results.

If we want to move forward as a nation, we need to value collaboration over conformity. Progress doesn’t require full agreement—just enough common ground and a shared willingness to get things done.