Point of Order, or Talking Point?

President Obama called a point of order on Washington’s polarized political leanings during his campaign, asserting a new era of bipartisanship would begin if he took the presidential oath.

Throughout the months since the election, I have complimented the president on moves such as his Cabinet selections, which often cracked the door open for bipartisan ideologies. Unfortunately, recent comments by congressional Democratic leadership — including the president — lead me to believe they have stumbled recently in continuing the bipartisan esprit de corps and instead have slammed the door in the face of conservative proposals with the phrase “We won.”

During the president’s meeting on Friday with members of Congress, President Obama put a stop to a tax policy debate with Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) by stating, “I won.” Further, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) responded to a question last week about the upcoming stimulus package by saying, “Yes, we wrote the bill. Yes, we won the election.” Where is the bipartisanship in that?

Pelosi and Obama are both correct — the Democrats won. But to paraphrase Jefferson, “The majority should rule. But it loses legitimacy if it fails to acknowledge the views of the minority … ”

Throughout the country, Democrats claimed victory with a slogan of — a promise for — change, pledging to amend the partisan ways of Washington by working with the other side of the aisle to manufacture the best policy for America. This is a noble promise, but it needs to be more than rhetoric. Right now, Democrats have the prestige to change the polarization of politics; they just need to act on their talking points. I still believe those “points” are principles.

Perhaps the Democrats’ feat is still sinking in, but in an age that entertains an economic crisis, two wars and a politically polarized nation, there is no time to revel in a victory. President Obama was correct: Bipartisanship is a change America needs. But unity cannot be achieved by continually chanting, “We won” throughout the halls of Congress.

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