Compromising With The Immoral

We hear many ideas about what is wrong with politics today. All will talk about the lack of civility. All will talk about how it used to be that at the end of the day politicians of all stripes, would socialize and spend time together.

Many reasons are given for the changes,none of which almost all agree, are for the better.

First and easiest to see is the pervasive influence of money. Ninety five percent of our politicians are forced to be in constant money raising mode. It used to be rare for a Senator or House Member to leave Washington while in session. Now each weekend most return home or travel the country to raise money. When home it is not uusally to tend to constituents but to raise money and hobnob with the monied interests there as well. Most wives and families stay behind. Thirty or Forty years ago with families intact in Washington socialization was common. Now the men, and women, in Congress are much more like paid mercenaries for the speical interests who put them there, with no pretense to being the family men citizen legislators we so often admired.

Another reason not usually given but which should be examined closely is that in the debates of today the other side is not mistaken or even wrong. It is morally wrong and reprehensible. As I have heard quite often in the last year when those in the know lament this issue it is hard to compromise on Tuesday with someone who on Monday you called immoral.

I have friends who are Republicans. I respect them. We agree to disagree on certain issues. We all however agree on more than we disagree on. I have often thought that those who said that laymen could do better in Congress than those who are there now were wrong, surely experience is needed and neccesary. Having lunch with my Uncle Bob at Panera Bread this weekend as we talked I told him that I thought he would be a better Senator or even President than those we have now. Our people we send there become too influenced by money and lose touch with what I like to think our good interests and motives in the beginning.

The art of compromise would be a good place to start.