The results of Tuesday’s elections, while dramatic, were not particularly surprising. Arizona kept Gov. Jan Brewer, and most statewide offices played out as expected. Nationally, Republicans made huge gains to take control of the House of Representatives, while a smaller shift left Democrats in charge of the Senate.
Now President Barack Obama is tasked with mediating a divided Congress and standing up to his 2008 platform of bipartisan promises.
But instead of seeing this as a two-year stalemate, a divided Congress is exactly what our country needs. The blue tarp pulled over the legislative branch hasn’t brought as much progress as many hoped, and the red ties holding it down have taken a fair share of blame for that. Now both sides have the opportunity to show America what they can offer. True, they can force themselves into gridlock and effectively continue on the same path, but the voters who chose divided government deserve the chance to judge the merits of both parties.
It also gives our president the chance to fulfill his promise of bipartisanship. The only way these next two years will work is if Obama proves to be the smooth-talking orator and mediator he is. And if Obama is able to mediate the poles, then there’s no reason that the volley of legislation won’t help level some of the extreme opposition that oppressive presences have previously affected.
Our country isn’t one that can be run from one side. In such uncertain times, this situation is the perfect opportunity for a healthy battle of the parties that, if not politically productive, can at least help restore a sense of balance, cooperation and compromise that leads to successful laws and getting things done.
One of the largest obstacles and biggest leaps of faith is going to be health care. It’s pretty well known that Republicans want to scrap the health care law that Obama signed in March, reversing the biggest accomplishment of Obama’s presidential quest. There’s also no taking the stimulus back, but an economy in dire straits could use another set of eyes to implement an initiative to bring a greater checked and balanced budget.
If we can lead the people away from their fears of change and learn the value of a divided government, then we may be on the right track. Giving Republicans a chance to be something other than the party of “no” may help, but they have to step up to the plate. Likewise, Democrats can’t fall into the trap of blocking whatever comes from the House.
There is still a lot to get done in the next two years, and there’s no telling how long it’s going to take for the Democrats and Republicans to learn to play nice. Call us idealistic, but the door is open for cooperation. The worst thing that can happen is nothing.
