I got to thinking this morning about math, which is somewhat unusual for an English teacher, but bear with me for a little while and let’s see where this goes.

I was thinking about the four basics — addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Those four basics are taught to everyone during their earliest school days. They form the foundation of how we are able to do the math that we need to regularly do.

Have you ever noticed that they form two teams? Addition and multiplication are on a team, and division is on a team with subtraction, of course.

Why would I say that? Because of the results.

When you think about subtraction and division, the result is always less; with addition and multiplication, the result is always more. At least when it comes to basic mathematics. Don’t ask about negative numbers and such.

For example, 4-2=2. The answer (2) is less than the original number (4). Or 6÷4=1.5. The answer (1.5) is less than the original number (6).

As I was thinking about it this morning, I was thinking about the four functions and how I feel about them. It occurred to me that I like multiplication and addition more than I like division and subtraction. More on this in a little bit.

* * *

I did something the other day that I’ve never done before. I voted in an election and I didn’t vote for Congressman Fred Upton. That’s because Fred isn’t running this year. He’s leaving Congress at the end of his current term, for a couple of different reasons. Ever since 2000, when I was first able to vote for Fred during one of his re-election processes, I’ve been voting for Fred Upton.

Now, regardless of how you feel about Fred Upton from a partisan perspective –whether you identify with him or you don’t– it’s hard to argue with his track record of getting things done as a politician. In fact, one of the most impressive things about Fred, if you ask me, is his record of bipartisanship. As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives, and even before such a caucus existed, for as long as he’s been in Congress, Fred’s worked across the aisle to find common ground on issues that appeal to a wide base of voters, critical issues facing the nation.

While most of Washington D.C. is gridlocked by political game-play, bipartisanship is what gets things done — underground and behind-the-scenes. Because this politician occupies this position, and they disagree with that politician who believes something else, collaboration is becoming rarer and rarer.

In fact, what is bipartisanship, really, except for the addition of my solution to your solution, in order to reach a compromise, something greater?

Did you see what I did there? Addition. Math that results in more.

And, in a world that suffers from too much division, Congress is going to be hurting for one less representative like Fred Upton.

* * *

I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed before, but I think our big problem, as a nation, is a math problem. It’s a problem of division.

The thing about division, as I described earlier, is that you end up with less.

I’ve decided that I’ve had just about enough with people who are working to increase the divide among the citizens of the nation. The partisan bickering and the polarized political posturing. It’s disgusting and barbaric and I’m not going to take it lying down anymore.

In honor of Congressman Fred Upton, and in keeping with my unfortunately limited trend of voting for collaborative people as candidates, I am devoting myself to voting for compromisers, moving forward. You’re a Republican? Great. You’re a Democrat? Wonderful. From now on, I just need to know if you’re a collaborator. Are you going to reach across the aisle? Get things done? Compromise with your fellows? Then, you can have my vote.

As many of you know, my wife is running for a position on the local school board where we live, and I’ve got to tell you – it’s been quite the experience. Now, before I go any further, let me be perfectly clear: a position on a school board in Michigan is not a partisan position. You don’t have to declare a party affiliation to run for school board. Your name doesn’t appear on a ballot for school board with party information alongside it.

Nevertheless, you’ve got people these days who want to turn everything into a polarized, political debate.

And, the reason why is simple.

Division.

I am flipping done with it. You know why?

Because, with division, you end up with less.

How much can we accomplish when we’re divided?

LESS.

What kind of a future is there for a divided nation?

LESS.

How much can an organization accomplish when its members are divided against each other?

LESS.

While my wife is interested in doing her best for the people of our town, and for their students in our school district, other people in the town are interested in division. Additionally, they’re gaining a bit of a following –of course– from other people who are also interested in division. The problem is… wait for it… with division, you end up with less.

I don’t know what people think is going to happen if and when they elect people who are interested in division, but if you’re looking for an example of how this all turns out, you need not look any further than the nation’s capital. You know, that funny part of the nation that we all point at and laugh about as dysfunctional and ineffective. We chuckle because it’s all the way over there and it’s not that big of a problem for us.

Am I wrong for thinking that such division should be banned from offices where ACTUAL WORK NEEDS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED?????

When D.C. politics leads to faulty leadership, what effect does it have on me? Sure, we all end up with less, but it just seems so distant. Not as big of a problem. It’s quite a different story when my local school board doesn’t function because division has been introduced. What’s going to happen when divisive elements elect a divisive representative who fosters division in an organization?

I’ll tell you what happens.

Less.