Moderate voters must speak out

Politics has been called the art of compromise. But in the past decade or so, the mindset in Congress increasingly has become one of “us versus them.”

Republicans have been dubbed “the party of No” for opposing any proposal put forth by Democrats, regardless of the merits. Yet the president himself steps in to cut a deal with Republicans that extends tax breaks to all Americans and benefits to millions out of work, and guess what. He starts taking flak from members of his own party for “caving in” to the opposition.

We pay those so-called “leaders” to make the tough decisions. We should demand that they start doing so and stop behaving like a bunch of kids bickering over whose turn it is at bat.

Here's a suggestion to all moderate voters, who far outnumber the extremists on either side.

Make a new year's resolution to contact all of your elected representatives in Washington. Tell them to start behaving like true statesmen and reach across the aisle to craft workable, acceptable compromise solutions for the problems that are hobbling our social and economic progress and diminishing our status as a world leader.

Then pray that they may be blessed with the wisdom and courage to do so.

Dan McGuire

Bensenville