The climate of compromise in Washington

The climate of Washington this hot July resembles more a World War I battlefield, then the political seat of power for the country. With partisanship becoming more, and more entrenched, how can compromise be reached? As a progressive, I have become more and more worried on the issue of how far this compromise will go. I can accept that spending cuts are necessary, that eliminating the "fat" from the entitlement programs would improve our economic prosperity; however, I cannot accept that the muscle, that is our entitlement programs can be affected.

 

Democrats are appearing more and more willing, to negotiate on these positions, making tougher choices that affect their base. According to Russell Berman of "The Hill", Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev), is drafting a 2.7 trillion dollar deficit reduction package, without new revenue raising demands, on the condition that the debt ceiling is raised through 2012. These cuts would meet and exceed GOP demands. President Obama, continually is placing more and more of the "sacred cows" of the Democrats values for the country on the table. Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid are fiercely defended principles of the Democratic party. These programs speak to the prosperous vision that left leaning Americans have for our nations. Allowing Republicans to have a Democrat, willing to help their long time ambition of minimizing these programs, is irresponsible to say the least. President Obama, has asked if their is anything Republicans can say yes to, however, he is also forcing Progressives and Democrats to ask; is their anything that Obama will say no to. John Nichols, Washington correspondent of "The Nation", stated in his blog, that Obama's over compromising is causing a stir in his party. With, approval ratings among many liberals at all time low, and causing many including, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) to call for the need of a primary challenger to appear, a good idea. Maybe, a primary challenger to President Obama, might bring him more perspective of the obstacles he will face in 2012. Obama's belief that his base will follow him, no matter what could be a critical error in assumption. 

 

President Obama, Speaker Boehner, House Majority Leader Cantor, Senate Majority Leader Reid, and their counterparts in legislative leadership in our country have the prosperity of our nation in their hands. This moment in history, more than most others can make or break the government of our nation. If a house divided on itself cannot stand, only compromise can breach the rift. In the regards to the prosperity of our nations, Theodore Roosevelt said it best in a speech he made, in Louisville, KY in April 1912: "Prosperity can permanently come to this country only on a basis of honesty and of fair treatment for all. Those men of enormous wealth who bitterly oppose every species of effective control of the people, through their Governmental agents, over the business use of that wealth are, I verily believe, most short sighted as to their own ultimate interests." The prosperity of our nation demands compromise, by both parties. Will we see a figure like Henry Clay emerge from this, or this continued posturing that leads to nothing but default. August 2nd will come, but will the legislature, and executive come together first. W