America Needs Less Politics and More Solutions

America is facing a serious crisis, the problems are mounting and the longer we sit idle, the more difficult it becomes to right the ship. The national debt is reaching epic levels, painting a bleak picture for future generations who will have to pay it off. Further complicating the situation is the fact that the economy is stagnate. It begs the question, who is going to pay off all this debt?

America is also facing questions about healthcare, not only the legality of Obamacare, but also addressing the rising cost of healthcare in general. What is the future of Medicare and Social Security? How will we care for our aging population? So many important issues needing solutions and nothing is getting done.

During the 2008 Presidential campaign, we heard "hope and change" and a promise to end the partisan politics of Washington. We were promised an atmosphere of cooperation between Republicans and Democrats, solutions would be found and America would once again be moving forward. It all sounded good, but in reality there is still no cooperation. The situation is as bad as it has ever been.

This is not a surprising revelation, everyone knows that Washington is divided on pretty much every major issue. Every news program touches on the subject on a daily basis. The problem is that everybody thinks the "other" person is the problem. There never seems to be any attempt to reach out and find solutions to the problems our country is facing. The problem is not limited to one party or another, it is the republicans and the democrats. All the while, the American citizens are left to suffer.

We have a lot of smart people in congress, but they seem to have forgotten why they were elected in the first place. 'We the people' put them in office so they could represent us, work together and find solutions to the problems we face. What we got is a bunch of representatives who are only trying to further their own party agenda and advance their own political careers. The needs of the American people, sadly, hold very little weight.

My message to congress is to forget about your party and do what you were elected to do. Put your heads together and compromise in an attempt to bring America back to greatness. It really is that simple. The American people are suffering because the members of congress are too busy playing politics.

We the American people know that the problems facing this country are daunting, but it really frustrates us when all we hear in the news is how nobody is willing to compromise. We have entrusted our lives, futures and our country in your hands. All we are asking is that each and every one of you put forth a legitimate effort to listen to the other side and open a line of dialogue. The problems we face can be solved, but only if we all work together.

The problems we face are serious, but they will not bring America to its end. We are a smart and determined group of people, we will figure this thing out if we work together. The only thing that can destroy this great nation is if we destroy ourselves through fighting within. Let us put our heads together and bring America back to greatness!

Well, it is no surprise to those who follow politics, that the partisan divide has not diminished. The circumstances have changed, but the net result is still a divided Congress unable to work together.

The only real difference we see is in perception. The Republicans who blocked legislation during the Obama Administration were treated quite harshly in the media, often being accused of obstructing progress because they didn't like the president. Now, that same media hails the Democrats as heroes for blocking President Trump's every move.

This is partisan politics and it has been going on longer than I can remember. We can despise it, but it is not a surprising state of affairs. What really stands out to me is just how partisan the media, which is supposed to be objective, has become. In some ways the media has become a catalyst for the divide.

Republicans use this slant to motivate their supporters, claiming they are fighting a corrupt system that is against them. They tell supporters that this corrupt system wants take away their values and beliefs. It is an effective method of getting supporters to the ballot box.

Meanwhile, Democrats chase after this media admiration. The more outrageous their claims, the more the media cheers them on. This media coverage serves to get their supporters angry and afraid. Again, angry and fearful voters tend to show up at the ballot box.

If we want to better understand the political divide in America, perhaps we should take a closer look at the media. Remember, it is politicians and the media who benefit from division. The American people, not so much.