Party Before Country

To observe America's two-party system in action is to watch absurd human behavior.  For instance, when a President delivers a State of Union speech to both chambers of congress, parties sit on opposites sides of the aisle.  Typically, the party of the sitting President stands in applause to the speech while the opposing party sits like sulking children.   Seems childish to me.  The behavior conveys division, not unity in purpose.

Before President Obama completed his first 90 days in office and while the US economy was teetering at the precipice, the GOP was test-marketing potential opponents for 2012 and looking for ways to subotage his agenda.  Support for or against proposed leglislation was based upon its impact on the 2010 mid-term elections. 

To give the Democrats equal chastisement, when President Ronald Reagan proposed major tax and budget cuts in 1981 to revive a ravaged US economy, the Democrats did not have an alternative plan.  Rather, its only alternative was the failure of the Reagan proposals so that they could regain power.  The Democrats played the Social Security fear card to cut into Republican-controlled seats.   Eventually, the Democrats regained control of power yet Social Security is a ticking financial time bomb that will eventually blow up due to unfunded liabilities.

My exhortation to Congress and President is this: focus on solving America's problems rather than gaining power and obstructing progress.  Find the common ground to get legislation passed for America's good rather than your own party's good.  Who knows, some of our most intractable problems such as Social Security, budget deficits, energy, etc. could be addressed if unified energy and effort was brought to bear.

Here is a novel approach to our political leaders: country first, party second, your congressional seat third in order of priority.