What would Batman be without the Joker, Superman without Lex Luthor or Raynor without Kerrigan? The answer: a bunch of nobodies. The only thing worse than not having the antagonist around to give them meaning would be for these characters to join hands with their archrivals, sing "Kumbaya" and sacrifice what they represent for the sake of bipartisanship. Raynor learned that all too well on Korhal, didn't you, Raynor?
Bipartisanship isn't a good idea in the world of heroes and villains; neither is it in the world of politics.
Blasphemy? I don't think so.
The government of the U.S. depends on a system of checks and balances to function properly. Not only are these checks and balances essential among its various branches, but also between its two parties. Whenever a single party runs Washington, bad times are forecast for the country as Congress and the president run an agenda unopposed.
Equally as bad as a one-party country capital is when the two parties sacrifice morals, set aside better judgment and work together.
In the past 10 years, senate-voting records reveal that moments of bipartisanship have given us:
-The blueprints of the recession we find ourselves in stemmed from deals between Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress.
-The unfunded "No Child Left Behind Act" was passed with 91 votes in support of the bill, eight votes against it and one member declining to vote on the bill.
-The Patriot Act was passed with 98 votes in support of the bill, one vote against it and one member declining to vote on the bill.
-The resolution supporting use of force in Iraq was passed with 77 votes in support of the bill and 23 votes against it.
The list goes on.
Currently, the Democratic Party controls the presidency and has a secure majority in the House of Representatives. Only the Senate isn't being held in Democratic hands.
I hope like hell that the Republicans don't just let Democrats do any little thing they want to do. Likewise, I hope Democrats don't give Republicans any political handouts against their better judgment.
Politicians need to stick to their guns. Win some and lose some, but don't make poorly conceived compromises, don't give in and don't get pushed around just for the show of bipartisanship.
This isn't a call to all-out political warfare. Members of Congress shouldn't close their ears to new ideas and blindly vote along party lines. Every congressman needs to decide which values are most important to them, then fight diligently for those values.
If a Democrat doesn't believe in wiretapping, then don't vote for the Patriot Act so you can call home and say, "Look at what a good bipartisan I am." Similarly, if a Republican doesn't like a bill that will encourage high-risk home loans, they shouldn't agree to a political deal that will allow it.
At least with partisan politics, only one party has the opportunity to screw the pooch. With bipartisan politics, 100 percent more people have an opportunity to make a mistake that could lay the foundations of a costly war, a questionable constitutional act or the nation's next recession.
Aggies, the moment you see your congressman sacrificing values on the alter of bipartisanship, pull out a pen and paper and write them a letter. Let your representative know they were elected to go to Washington and fight for the values they believe in, not to throw those values under the bus with a grin and a Gig'em.
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