The loudest voices often suggest that our differences are irreconcilable, that politics is a blood sport, and that empathy is a sign of weakness. In local government, the abstract arguments of national politics quickly fade when you are dealing with the real, everyday needs of a community. I saw neighbors checking on neighbors during storms, and community leaders pulling together across political lines to find solutions for economic growth and better education. Now, I am under no illusion that community work is always easy or harmonious. That is why I am launching this column, which I’ve chosen to call Common Good.