The tension Americans face from polarizing social issues is smothering the country and making the political landscape look like a battlefield. Unfortunately, these battles must take place because social issues often impact large amounts of the population.

A few of the most controversial social issues in the United States are abortion, same-sex marriage, the death penalty, euthanasia and education. We see such a wide array of viewpoints on topics like these because solutions can be derived from places that are not equally valued by all. These include religious beliefs, political ideology, personal experience, cultural values etc.

The folks in Washington, D.C. think they know what is best for everyone when they do not. Usually, politicians try to fix social issues only to advance their political brand. Presidents, senators and congressmen get behind fixing the trendiest social issue to make political hay in attempt to show off their progressiveness.  

We should stop touting them as the masters of our universe and give power back to ourselves and local municipalities who actually have stake in our communities.

Not everything can be realistically solved by a local school board or a mayor. However, it would be better to start locally and move upward if necessary than to instantly surrender power to politicians who have proven lackluster in solving them.

According to a 2017 Gallup poll, only 28 percent of Americans hold a positive view of the federal government, which is why these issues should be decided as locally as possible. Communities are much more in tune with each other, so they have a better ability to give people what they want. Instead of blanket solutions to issues, we should have locally-based solutions tailored to what a majority of the residents want.

The burden of having these issues is not so much the problem as is the way we become polarized in solving these issues. Diverse opinions on social issues can be a sign of a healthy and robust society, and there is never going to be 100 percent concurrence on any issue. However, these issues are still problems.   

American politicians, on a federal level, are great about acknowledging these issues, but tend not do so well in solving them. We elect people who we believe share our same values on social issues, and want the people we elect to adequately handle them. The problem in the U.S. is that we are divided deeply down the middle on so many issues, it becomes impossible to do anything about those issues, especially on the federal level.

The only way issues can be resolved in a personally satisfying way is to have stake in determining the solution. It is impossible to be a part of the conversation if the conversation only takes place on the federal level. Let’s move that conversation to the cities and towns where the issues actually affect daily life.

Jacob Maranto is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Plaquemine, Louisiana.