Bipartisanship or Compromise? PDF Print E-mail
Jul 30, 2009
Today Senator Lamar Alexander the republicans number three man in the senate leadership backed down from his responsibility as a defender of conservative principles and the party he represents. He broke party lines and pledged his vote for the moderate Judge Sonya Sotomayor’s conformation to the Supreme Court bench.

He did this as he would say because it’s the presidents constitutional right to nominate Supreme Court justices. Has he forgotten his responsibility to hold the president accountable to his responsibility to appoint non partisan judges to the bench who interpret the constitution?

The Republican Party has recently heard the voices of some supposedly friendly members within its own ranks claiming that the Republican Party must be careful of being too conservative. Lindsay Graham the senator from South Carolina recently went on a tirade against liberty minded republicans and claimed that they have no place in the republican party because of there radical right wing leanings. Has the senator considered the possibility of it being better to be known as extremely loyal to ones convictions and party lines than to be known as a party line playboy? John McCain’s former campaign aid recently spoke out at an event admonishing republicans for not embracing a more moderate approach to issues especially the issue of gay marriage. He communicated that if the Republican party is to thrive and progress in this new day that we are in they have no choice but to change there conservative platform.

How does a party that seems to hear division of purpose among its obviously hesitant members find solid ground to forge ahead? Who will step up to settle this growing turmoil? The question begs an answer that I do not have but I do know that prolonged quarrels, disputes, and a lack of conviction for ones party platform may be hailed by some as bipartisan and a sign of reaching across the aisle in good faith. Yet in the end it will destroy any party’s ideals and vision for the future and there effectiveness to there own and the next generations. No matter what political party you vote for or what principles you believe in you must make a solid foundation that you can speak from and draw lines that you and others will not cross. I would caution that we the people must not fall prey to the age old proverb “for want of a battle the kingdom was lost” there is merit in bipartisan actions and yes working together will achieve results but we must never confuse bipartisanship with compromise.

Micah Cavanaugh