The Polarization of America

It seems to me that the United States is so polarized that little gets done that is productive and beneficial. You see it in the Church (both at the denomination level and at the local church level). The Church spends so much energy on fighting among its members that isn’t going out and making disciples.

The other major area of polarization is in Washington, DC. What really annoys me is that the Republicans had something like 12 years of majorities in Congress, with I think six of those years under a Republican president. And what did they accomplish? Next to nothing.

Now they sit on the sidelines taking potshots at President Obama and the Democrats for actually trying to accomplish something for a change. The Republicans accuse them of ruining this country, but yet what did the Republicans do to improve our lot? Did they address health care? Only once, to implement the Medicare drug plan. Did they step up and try to reform health insurance? No. Energy problems? No. Pollution problems. No. Social Security? Only with a lame attempt with a terrible solution. The list goes on, but you get the point.

While we might not agree with some parts of Obamacare, the fact is, he did something when nobody else did. As far as I’m concerned, we can thank the incompetent George Bush and the do-nothing Republican congresses for what we have today. People really did want change, and they got it. The Republicans had their chance and blew it. Both parties in Washington (and most statehouses) forget that they are there to serve the people, not the party, not the special interests, not their careers.

Although I’m no fan of the Democrats, I’m coming to view the Republicans as a pitiful lot. Their hero is Sarah Palin, and their goal is to dethrone Obama. What the Republicans should do is lead, follow, or get out of the way. Right now, they are just plain irrelevant.

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to cooperate, even with those who may not see eye-to-eye with you; to not be an obstructionist but work for the greater good; and to learn to compromise. Things will never turn out exactly they way you want, but compromise will most likely bring some kind of beneficial outcome. Remember, your ego isn’t important. Was is important is the greater good, consistent with legal, moral, ethical, and Scriptural principles.