Most people would agree that America is broken, divided into two political factions, “Us” vs. “Them.” We (myself included) sometimes just don’t understand people on the “other side.” It’s easier to stereotype and point fingers than try to reach common ground. In this column, I’ll address what might be done on the national front to narrow the divide. In next week’s column I’ll focus on the local front.

Move to a popular vote for president. One person, one vote. Simple and right. Can you imagine if we had the equivalent of the electoral college when voting in state elections for, say, governor or senator or in city elections for mayor?

Establish term limits. This move isn’t so clear cut. Some people argue that elections serve to enforce term limits, but history suggests that it’s extremely difficult to oust a sitting member of the House or Senate. Too many people vote for the person whose name they know. And too many politicians spend too much time raising money in order to get reelected.

Abolish redistricting. The diabolic maneuver known as “redistricting” effectively creates “safe” seats for members of Congress, giving them no incentive to work with members on the other side of the aisle.

Overturn Citizen’s United. Limited space precludes a description of the pros and cons of Citizen’s United (established in 2010), but this ruling seems to have put votes up for sale to the highest bidder.

Vote! In the last four presidential elections, only 55-57 percent of eligible American voters took the time to cast their vote for president. That sad turnout — below that of most other developed nations — speaks volumes about voter apathy and irresponsibility, especially considering that presidential candidates spent over $1 billion dollars on the 2016 campaign. (NOTE: Don’t blame the low turnout in the 2016 election on unappealing candidates, because voter apathy has been evident for decades.)

Preserve the separation of Church and State, especially during political campaigns. Many Americans maintain, wrongly, that America is a “Christian nation.” It is not now, nor has it ever been. Assess a candidate’s true character, not his/her self-proclaimed religious affiliation. Give me a leader who truly cares about the common good any day of the week — including Sunday — over someone who preens for photo-ops while entering a church — or synagogue or mosque or temple.

Favor candidates who will put country over party. If members of Congress won’t work together to solve problems, we all lose. The Republicans were the party of “No” during the Obama administration. Not surprisingly, the Democrats have become the party of “No” in the early weeks of the Trump administration. That dynamic must change.

View news with a skeptical eye. Freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, much to the chagrin of certain officeholders. That said, the proliferation of fake news and alternative facts make it imperative to consider the source when getting information from the media.

Those are my thoughts, for what they’re worth, on possible changes on the national front to make America the “United” States of America again. Given the power of big money, entrenched interests and general inertia, I’m skeptical that any of these changes will come to be. But ya gotta keep trying. Next week, I’ll address the local front.

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary or suggestions for future columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.