Seeing the Whole Picture

For the first time in eight years, Republicans will have control of both chambers of Congress. A November storm of red swept across the nation, pushing out many Democrats. President Obama can expect oppositional party bills to flood his desk as soon as the 114^th Congress convenes session in January. Conservatives have the long-awaited ability to drive an agenda and pass any legislation they like. Thank goodness for Democrats.

Republicans in Wisconsin built on their majority in statewide elections, outlasting the competition to earn another term. Governor Scott Walker (R-WI) led the charge, solidifying his standing as a conservative superstar and presumptive 2016 presidential contender. Thank goodness for Democrats.

Even with all the recent success, Republicans need Democrats, if only to temper partisan ambition that can get carried away. Absolute power of one side creates dysfunction and blindness towards the other. Respecting and understanding differences of opinions builds strength of ideals and a completeness of vision. Our nation cannot set an optimal path with one eye shut.

With all parties in perpetual attack mode, hostility and suspicion reign. When Gov. Walker toured five state technical colleges following his re-election, Scot Ross, Executive Director of progressive non-profit One Wisconsin Now, questioned the motives.

 “[Walker’s] political photo-op tour of technical college campuses doesn’t answer the question of whether will Walker actually reverse course to help hard working students get their education and job training,” said Ross. Walker later committed to investing in jobs training, saying of the next two-year budget that technical colleges are going to “play a big role.”

In the partisan bickering, conservatives are hardly innocent, accusing progressive groups of compromising the integrity of elections. Reporting on parking violations by volunteer shuttle staff, the MacIver Institute highlighted an ongoing suspicion among conservatives that Democrats + Shuttles = Voter Fraud. There would be no other reason to dedicate over 700 words to a story about illegal parking.

The distrust continues and neither side can stand to look at each other. Toxic partisanship has tainted the well.

Each eye isn’t the other’s enemy. Only when both lenses are focused on an issue does the entire picture come into view. Thank goodness we have two perspectives. Republicans and Democrats are not political enemies; we are civic partners. Our duty should not be to serve our own ideologies, but to create solutions for everyone. When we work together with respect, we might be able to finally see the whole picture.

(Also published at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Purple Wisconsin)