Come together: why does the middle of the road so often get the middle finger?

• Author: Kinney, Ben
• Position: UPFRONT - Viewpoint essay

"The middle of the road is all of the usable surface. The extremes, right and left, are in the gutters."--Dwight D. Eisenhower

Arnold "The Terminator" Schwarzenegger cited that quotation when asked which Republican he was endorsing for president in 2016. I wonder what would have happened had our current president taken him up on his challenge earlier this year to switch jobs. President Trump sent a few tweets blaming the "A man" for this season's low Celebrity Apprentice ratings. Arnold responded by offering to swap jobs, saying that Trump could run the show, while the former California governor led the country. I'm not sure what kind of president Schwarzenegger would be, but I would love to hear his thick Austrian accent cut through a press conference with, "I must leave you now for Camp David. Get to the choppa!"

With the debates about the repeal and replacement of the Affordable Care Act and House Bill 2 in our state, the Eisenhower quote resonates with me. As publisher, I am fortunate to have a firsthand look at how business is conducted in North Carolina. I read in our magazine about how deals get done. I've talked with business leaders about how they work with customers, employees and vendors to keep companies running smoothly. I've listened to economic developers discuss tactics to attract business. The one constant theme is compromise.

Compromise is the means by which things run smoothly in business. Hardly anyone goes into a deal and comes out completely pleased or totally ticked at the outcome. It's give-and-take as much as possible. This process should make sense in our political system as well. Lately, that hasn't been the case. Our leaders on the left and right seem to be pulling our state and country further and further apart.

There are many reasons for the...