Here in South Carolina, we love the Fourth of July. It isn’t just the cookouts, the fireworks, the time with family, and the revelry marking the start of summer – although we fancy all of those things, of course. It’s also the chance to share the unbridled love for this Nation that unites us, that makes us proud and honored to be a part of this great experiment in governance. You all know that what inspires the work we do as members of the No Labels community is one part frustration with the status quo, and five parts optimism that our joint efforts can make things better. We have all marveled at the fast work our problem solver allies did in Congress in getting a historic bill passed into law to make our communities safer in the wake of deadly shootings in New York, Texas, and elsewhere. That was a textbook case of how two-party solutions are possible even in the current polarized climate when Democrats and Republicans are willing to sit together and dream about the possible, rather than letting the extremes of both parties effectively exercise a veto over what can get done. As we head into the holiday weekend, what I want to celebrate is what has happened in the aftermath of President Biden signing the safety bill into law. Or, really, what hasn’t happened. There have been no threats made against those in both parties who supported the package, no finger pointing, no handwringing about whether the measure went too far or not far enough, no saber rattling about what might happen next in retaliation from either polarized side. Instead, we have seen uniform support in public opinion polls for what was accomplished, bipartisan words of praise in both directions for the substance and tone of the negotiations, and a feeling that problem solvers who come up with strong, unifying policy ideas can carry the day when it matters. In other words, independence from the tyranny of the extremes. We know we still have a lot of work to do to change our political culture and the incentives in the system, so that victories for our communities like we just saw are the norm rather than the exception. But for now, I would say: This win is worth celebrating, and savoring. Before you jump in the car (or, fingers crossed, catch a flight...) and go have some fun, would you please send this link to at least ONE friend or colleague who is not currently a member of No Labels and encourage them to join up? The bigger we grow, the more victories we will have. It’s that simple. And now is the time to capitalize on our momentum and get others on board. For all of us at No Labels, I wish you a safe, secure, sparkling, and festive holiday weekend. Margaret White
Co-Executive Director | 
