Why Bipartisanship Leads to Winning for All

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For many years, bi-partisanship has been the reasonable desire to get things done in the Congress for bills which are written to benefit ALL Americans. No matter the party which originally wrote the bill.

Not anymore.

Since Donald Trump was first elected president and took office in 2017, several Democrats have made it a point to vote against anything Trump  was for. And since his re-election, the lack of bi-partisanship has reached a crescendo.

Most recently, Senate Democrats' decision to let a key surveillance authority lapse comes as they are increasingly emboldened in their legislative fights against President Trump, blocking even traditionally bipartisan bills as they push back against his policies and personnel.

The posture is an escalation from a year ago, when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was widely criticized within his party for a spring vote with Republicans to keep the government open. Since then, Democrats have forced government shutdowns, slowed Trump's nominations and now blocked the bipartisan intelligence law as they seek leverage in a Republican-led Congress.

The risky strategy has consequences when government programs go dark, and Democrats have little to show for it so far in terms of policy victories. Republicans say it is a grave threat to national security to let the surveillance law, which aims to prevent terrorist attacks, expire just as millions of people are entering the United States for World Cup games and as celebrations for the nation's 250th anniversary get underway.

And who is at risk with all these temper tantrums? Only the American people, you know, the Members of Congress are supposed to work for.

It is the Democrats who continue to block any chance for compromise, while complaining about all the “ills” which Americans face each day. But they offer nothing of any consequence to fix them all.

They only continue to complain and offer only negativity.

It is time to find the middle ground by leading with bipartisanship, rather than stalling what needs to be done. Fighting for “my way or the highway” will ultimately fail. Rather, to “have half a loaf is better than none of the loaf” is the greater choice.

It is time for the Democrats to understand this.