The following is part of a speech I made recently to the ABT (Action for a Better Tomorrow), an affiliate of the Democratic Party in Lee County. I introduced myself as “a moderate liberal, an independent who reliably votes Democratic,” and presented ideas about how to communicate with moderates and conservatives.

The history of both parties has often been one of failing to speak in the language of persuadable voters, overinterpreting mandates, enacting policies that the public isn’t ready to accept; and then suffering defeat at the next election. The Democratic Party came to an end of this cycle last November. The Republican Party is now at stage one, as it institutes one unpopular policy after another, under the delusion that it has a mandate. The Democratic Party must in my opinion escape that cycle if it hopes to be the voice of the American people.

An understanding of the moral values of liberals and conservatives might help bring about that transformation. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt identifies, based on his research, six moral foundations that motivate people’s religious and political loyalties.

The difference between liberals and conservatives comes down, he says, to which of them they care about the most. Genetics play a strong role in these preferences, which have deep roots in the instinct-driven cores of our minds.

Liberals focus on three moral foundations: One is “fairness” and another is “liberty.” But most of all liberals emphasize “caring,” or what I would call kindness, or a desire to protect people from harm.

Conservatives support all of those plus three more: One of them is “loyalty,” the need for the community to stick together against outsiders. Another is “authority,” the importance of respect for and obedience to those who are above us. Conservatives also support “sanctity,” which upholds purity and distrusts outside influences.

Loyalty, authority, and sanctity reflect, as I see it, a desire for a strong society that provides a safe place for its people.

Conservatives, according to Mr. Haidt, value all six moral foundations equally. Liberals, on the other hand, show little if any concern for loyalty, authority, and sanctity, and concentrate almost exclusively on caring and fairness, and, to a lesser extent, liberty. The liberal disregard for authority, loyalty, and sanctity increases the farther we look to the left on the political spectrum, along with an increasing inability to understand and communicate effectively with conservatives.

This presents a challenge to be overcome if Democrats are to get their message across to a broad segment of the public and expand their base of support. Indeed, Mr. Haidt attributes the political successes of conservatives over the past several decades to their ability to appeal to the full range of moral foundations, and the inability of Democrats and other liberals to do so.

We won’t overcome this barrier by using logical arguments based on our own moral foundations and our own version of reality. We can, however, enlist conservatives in support of change if we work from within their worldview, including the moral foundations that they cherish. Researchers found, for example, that describing LGBTQ people to conservatives as “proud and patriotic Americans who contribute to the American economy” significantly increased their support for same-sex marriage, while appeals to “fairness” had no effect.

This is not a panacea, but it is a part of what we must do to reach the persuadables who voted for Donald Trump in the last election. These are the moderates and non-MAGA conservatives who will listen to reason if it’s expressed in their language and with respect for their values. These are the people who can make the Democratic Party the party of the nation as a whole.

I believe that Democrats can aggressively oppose the policies of Donald Trump while also communicating effectively with moderates and conservatives. That will require us to express opposition in a manner that won’t alienate those voters and won’t energize the MAGA base.

Underneath it all is the need for civility—principled opposition that respects the humanity of everyone and doesn’t ridicule or demonize the people we disagree with. Abraham Lincoln is my role model for that approach: He made it clear where he stood without resorting to uncivil words and behavior. How we express ourselves in the months and years ahead will be as important as our message.

Lowell Harp is a retired school psychologist who served school districts in Ogle County. His column runs monthly in The Ogle County Life. For previous articles, you can follow him on Facebook at http://fb.me/lowellharp.