Bipartisanship

I never liked this term no matter which side promotes it. It involves legislators compromising their principles. I contend that they aren't elected to "work across the aisle" but to promote and act on those principles on which they campaigned and for which they were elected.

Usually the minority party promotes it. Consider the current speaker's comments prior to her party regaining control of Congress in 2006.

"[I would like] to come as close as you can in the political reality to a bipartisan management of the House"

When the party in the minority assumes the majority though, it's fun listening to them change their tone. Consider the current speaker's recent comments.

"We also have the responsibility, if we can't find that common ground, to stand our ground on principles. If we can't find a bipartisan way to do it, we are not going to say, 'Well, if it is not bipartisan, we are not going to do it.' We are going to do what we believe."

This is a welcome comment that I hope the GOP issues when they eventually assume the majority in the cycles of politics. Her party has the majority duly elected by the people, so I would expect them to push their agenda unless in the midst of that elction cycle their constituents strongly petition them otherwise. Each member of that majority must decide how much they will compromise their principles versus how much they desire re-election.

The question before each politician is this: "How many people voted for me to be bipartisan and work together and how many voted for me to advance my principles which will probably involve no bipartisanship?"