Editor's Note: Al (Alberto R.) Cárdenas is a lawyer and leader of the Latino community in the United States. He held various positions in the administrations of Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush, and was an advisor to the Jeb Bush campaign in 2016. He is a partner in the law firm Squire Patton Boggs and the interest group Cárdenas Partners. The opinions expressed in this comment belong exclusively to the author. More in the Opinion section on CNNE.com.
(CNN Spanish) - Politics in the United States has become so personal, emotional and divisive that it now separates us from one another not only because of our political beliefs but also because of the decisions we make daily in our lives.
A few decades ago, many Americans, like the rest of the world, married someone at their discretion (like love) rather than politics. Today, many studies and surveys indicate that some would not marry someone who has different political beliefs than their own.
We choose to live in neighborhoods where we feel like people who “think” like us live. We agree to wear a mask or not, get vaccinated or not, based on what we perceive as the preferences of our political leaders.
Young employees in politics, the media, or in the government are afraid to interact with colleagues who have different ideologies for fear of future repercussions in their careers.
- LOOK: Trump and Biden tie for voting intention in Georgia
Many people find it harmful to discuss our political beliefs on festive occasions with family, at weddings, or at simple social gatherings, and those who dare to bring up the subject generally regret it.
To summarize, we are no longer a civil society and unhealthy politics is the main cause because it tempts us to behave in a low way and not to bring out the angel in us.
The relationship between colleagues is at risk. Consensus has become a dirty word among elected officials, activists, and supporters of one party or another. It is desirable to want to win at any cost, which in some cases is attractive to foreign opponents.
The United States is so polarized right now that decisions may not end up being made compulsively or by persuasion. The most recent, the covid-19 vaccine.
Every scientist seems to agree that our return to health and economic normalcy depends on the universal application of the vaccine.
Most of those who oppose the vaccine are on both ends: They don't trust pharmaceutical companies or inoculate an external agent into their children's bodies.
The far right has adopted this creed. The government does not have the right to "tell us what we have to do" or "what we have to put in our bodies" (they argue the same for the use of masks and social distancing).
The truth is that for vaccines to work and thus eradicate the coronavirus from our collective lives, there must be a mandate to do things. The number of people it seems impossible to persuade is huge in order to effectively contain the covid-19.
- MORE: Trump proposes immigration bill to & # 8220; make happy & # 8221; DACA beneficiaries
If the government makes it mandatory, it will arouse the fury of those on the extreme left and right. The tenth amendment to the US Constitution protects states and local governments from guidelines without guarantees from the federal government. However, without a national mandate, we will not be able to beat the virus.
Managing a crisis like the covid-19 will be one of the topics to be addressed in the 2020 presidential campaign. The mandatory application of the vaccine will be a huge component in the debate.
But let's not worry. Politicians will surely kick the can (the issue) until the elections are over, when the time comes when they have to take a stand against mandatory vaccines. But when March 2021 arrives, or the date the antidote is available to Americans, government leaders will need to commit to a solution that will surely not be very popular, regardless of their political position.