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Opinion

Country votes for bipartisanship 

David Salinas
Opinion Columnist

A week ago, it seemed like America would be in for an ugly election. Election officials reported voting machine breakdowns during early voting. Officials in Virginia called in the FBI to probe reports that citizens in Democratic districts received phone calls warning them that they would be arrested at their polling place if they were registered in another state. 

As Election Day approached voters feared the country was heading into another partisan storm. Fortunately, those clouds never fully formed and by Wednesday morning Americans had made their choices. While citizens’ voices gave Democrats a majority in both the House and Senate, they weren’t hoping for Democratic victory; they voted for change and progress, which can only be achieved through bipartisanship and a move towards the middle.

Americans across the country voted for moderation. While writers on liberal Web logs erupted with joy Tuesday night, they misinterpreted what Americans wanted. While some saw America moving left after spending six years in the clutches of right-wing zealotry, independents in this country overwhelmingly voted Democratic because they were tired of political one-upmanship and nothing being accomplished. 

If those on the far left of the political spectrum believe this was an ideological victory, they need look no further than the Democratic candidates in the Senate and House who put the party over the top. 

Democrats can be pro-life and against strict gun legislation, too. Four out of the six Democrats who won seats held by Republicans in the Senate aren’t typical liberals. 

In Missouri and Montana, voters chose Claire McCaskill and Jon Tester, respectively, both of whom are strong supporters of gun rights. Tester is a gun owner and farmer. 

In Pennsylvania, pro-life Democrat Bob Casey Jr. defeated Rick Santorum. In a close race in Virginia, voters elected Democrat Jim Webb, who had endorsed George Allen for the Senate in 2000. In the House of Representatives, Democratic candidates such as Heath Shuler, Brad Ellsworth, Joe Donnelly and former Congressman Baron Hill were all elected to the House; all are pro-life.

From Connecticut to California, Americans chose candidates who had accomplishments regardless of party. In the "liberal bastion" of California, Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger won by a margin of 17 percent by moving toward the middle, garnering bipartisan support on efforts to limit global warming, increase the minimum wage and reduce the cost of prescription drugs. 

In Connecticut, voters ignored out-of-state attacks from the laptop brigade at dailykos.com and re-elected Joe Lieberman. They may have disagreed with him on the war, but they knew one issue didn’t wash away his three decades of accomplishments. Connecticut also re-elected Republican Congressman Chris Shays for the same reason. Americans don’t care about political labels; they just want progress.

The federal government accomplished more from 1995 to 2000 then from 2001 to 2006; a two-party government is more productive. This weekend, Newsweek magazine published a series of post-election polls asking Americans what they want the new federal government to achieve. Seventy-five percent of Americans want the government to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies to lower drug prices; sixty-eight percent want an increase in the minimum wage, and 60 percent want an investigation in government contracts into Iraq. 

Unfortunately, a majority of Americans don’t believe any of this will be completed. Fifty-four percent say partisan bickering will prevent work from getting done. Hopefully, things will change. 

While some campaigns, especially in Virginia, tried to disenfranchise voters, Americans rose above those vile attempts to retain power and took control of their government. This country needs the ability and willingness to change and accept suggestions from both sides for the country to move forward. 

Bipartisanship isn’t accepting one side’s opinion over the other, it is realizing that Democrat and Republican are just labels. They don’t mean anything. We aren’t born with the letter "D" or "R" stamped to our chests. Understanding this, above all else, will be the key to the next few years.

Salinas, a political science senior, 
can be reached at dcsalinas1@yahoo.com