Let’s rise above our differences

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November 8, 2012

Let’s rise above our differences

Anonymous For the Kokomo Tribune The Kokomo Tribune Thu Nov 08, 2012, 12:22 AM EST

Kokomo — We can all breathe a sigh of relief now that the election is over.

The democratic process isn’t always pretty, and there were certainly some low points in the campaigns. Both sides in the state and national election campaigns aired some advertising of which they can’t be proud.

The good news is that we should have at least a brief respite from campaigning. Indiana has no election in 2013, and the year off should give all of us a chance to focus on finding solutions to the problems facing our state and nation.

At a national level, we’ve had two years of partisan gridlock, with Republicans and Democrats finding themselves at loggerheads even on seemingly routine matters. Both sides blame the other, and both accuse their colleagues across the aisle of being unwilling to compromise.

Sadly, the result of Tuesday’s election could spell more of the same. Democrats are again in control of the U.S. Senate, and Republicans are still in control of the House.

This country can’t take two more years of partisan warfare. It’s time for a truce.

Here’s the thing both sides need to remember: No one won election Tuesday with the promise of maintaining the status quo. The voters chose candidates who professed a willingness to work across the aisle.

The voters clearly didn’t like everything that either party had to offer. They want the two sides to meet in the middle, to give as much as they take.

If the past two years have proven anything, they’ve shown that neither party can solve this nation’s problems alone. We need leaders who will undertake an honest search for solutions.

President Barack Obama has said he’s willing to work with anybody to find answers to the challenges facing this country. Now that the election is over, we hope Republicans will take him up on his offer.

There is a reason that voter perceptions of Congress are at historic lows. It’s time for an end to the foolishness. Both sides must acknowledge that they cannot win every fight.

The political process relies on the occasional election, and campaigns are an essential part of the process. Now that the voters have spoken, though, it’s time to give politics a rest and get on with the business of governing.

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