This commentary is by Paul Dame, chair of the Vermont GOP.

Over the past two weeks Republicans in Vermont and in DC have demonstrated that if voters want bipartisanship, that Republicans are the ones with the skill and experience to make it happen, and if they want ideologically-driven policies that cater to the extremes, they should stick with Democrats.

Before the town meeting break, Vermont’s Senate Republicans were able to push back on the Unaffordable Heat Act and build a coalition of moderate Democrats to oppose the bill, and at least tap the breaks to turn it into a future study. It’s not because this is a Republican policy priority, but because our Senators were able to make the case to a handful of Senate Democrats that the bill before them would have betrayed one of their own core values: supporting the most needy among us. This bill would have instead punished thousands of Vermonters living in poverty, as well as some Vermonters who have made every effort to increase efficiency and reduce fossil fuel use, but still need to buy fuel oil. Republicans were able to build a coalition that ended up providing some protection for Vermonters – which is remarkable given our super minority status. But when we are advocating for common sense approaches, it makes it easier to build bipartisan coalitions.

Paul Dame, chairman of the Vermont GOP

We’ve also seen Governor Scott work in a bipartisan way directly with the State Employees Union to secure a modest, but sustainable, new paid leave benefit. For a few years Democrats in the legislature have been trying to force a highly-partisan proposal and have been completely unwilling to partner with the governor to put something together. So this time the Governor found a new partner to get something accomplished, and is working directly with the Vermonters who plow our roads, print our driver’s licenses, and complete all the work of our state government. This is also building on the progress that Republicans have been making working with organized labor that Democrats have taken for granted.

Nationally where Republicans have a majority – although an incredibly slim one – they are also putting together common sense bipartisan efforts, the likes of which Nancy Pelosi had never seen. Speaker McCarthy recently completed a joint briefing and thanked Democrat Hakeem Jeffries for being willing to come to the table to start working on the debt ceiling and budget crisis. This approach is something Nancy Pelosi never even attempted during her years of constantly kicking the fiscal reality can down the road. As interest rates are putting pressure on our financial institutions, it appears that Republicans are able to convince even the Democrats (as well as some of their own members) that we can’t keep on spending this way forever. And if our borrowing costs start to rise with interest rates, we could face interest payments that are larger than all of our discretionary spending.

While the Democrat-controlled city of Washington, DC pushed ideologically-driven policies that would have endangered the public, Speaker McCarthy was able to put together a bipartisan coalition with Democrats in congress to help curb the foolishness of some of the DC policies to protect the people who live in our nation’s capitol. And Republicans in the Senate have been able to work with a few of their colleagues to get the support needed to back the efforts in the House. All this looks to be leading to passage with President Biden’s signature. Another remarkable feat for Republicans with a small majority in the House, facing Democrats in charge of the Senate & The White House.

Part of the reason that Republicans make better coalition builders is because while Democrats preach diversity, it’s actually Republicans who have the more independent-minded legislators and policy advocates. That is the benefit of a big tent that has ideological diversity. We are used to considering the opinion of others, and trying to make our case with someone who doesn’t like to be told what to do or how to think or vote. Republicans can’t usually win their primaries without demonstrating at least some of this skill. Democrats on the other hand have a very narrow tolerance for almost every issue. Last year in Vermont one long-term incumbent Democrat lost their primary because he was pro-choice for the first 6 months of pregnancy, but was uncomfortable with late-term abortions. Democrats didn’t try to work with him and win him over appealing to his rational side. They just eliminated him. The same thing happens to other independent thinkers who want to do what is right for their constituents, like Cynthia Browning, Linda Joy Sullivan and even Thomas Bock who dared to vote against last year’s version of the Unaffordable Heat Act.

As the one-sided ideological-driven policies of the Democrats begin to bear the fruit of failed promises, independent voters will realize the fundamental problem that Democrats have working with others. This is already self-evident by the fact the Senate leader appointed ZERO Republicans to the committee on Natural Resources which was supposed to be crafting the most important bill of the session. When they refuse to take input from outside their narrow window of acceptable policy provisions, they leave themselves vulnerable to their own biases and hubris.

But when things start to fall apart – like the recent Silicon Valley Bank failure – Republicans will be there to get input from all sides, and come up with the path forward that takes into account not only majority opinions, but also those in the minority.