The United States has not been in a good place politically, economically, fiscally, you name it in the past few years and there is only one thing to blame.

Narrow-mindedness.

Since the time of the first president, the United States has been comprised of two political parties who by definition have absolutely nothing in common and agree on nothing.  In the past 200 plus years, that hasn’t changed.  However, the negative impact these parties have had on our government is getting ridiculous.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that taking a stance on a subject and defending it is vital to making a political system run smoothly.  However, I do not believe that blaming the Liberals or Conservatives is anyway to make progress in a country.  People these days have this astounding ability to voice whatever they want to say and then not give anybody else a chance to voice their opinion.  This is probably the most prominent issue in Congress right now and it gets the least attention.  There is no point in even introducing such matters as rights for gays or gun control if we can’t even have a civil discussion in which both parties argue their point and then listen to their counterpart’s ideas.

One of the most important figures in American history is Henry Clay, known as the Great Compromiser.  Compromise.  What a foreign subject to those in government and almost any person who engages in an argument.  There is no perfect bill or idea.  There is always room for improvement and additions.  We exist in a nation that is run with a bipartisan government, which is supposed to keep everybody happy.  People in power seem to have forgot this simple goal.  Democrats are only concerned about pleasing Democrats and Republicans are only concerned about the Republicans.

What these politicians fail to realize is that if they get their way, nothing is going to be resolved.  The other party is still going to be upset and will continue the effort to try and have it their way.  This is not McDonald’s.  This is the government of one of the most powerful nations in the whole world, and nothing is ever accomplished.  Today’s politicians are comparable to small children who are unwilling to share their chores.  If Democrats and Republicans could just agree to disagree and give and take on certain issues, this nation would be far more productive.

This nation has been heading in a rough direction the past couple of years.  Something has got to give.