Texas Faith: What value should we place on compromise?

Whether they are Republicans or Democrats, compromising their integrity for political gains is bad; that is screwing America.

They should not have positioned themselves by digging their heels. Newt Gingrich's call not to compromise is dumb. He should have shown leadership with America's interest in his heart calling for research and advising his party to do what is right for America, and not what is right for the GOP in 2012 - Mike Ghouse.

When it comes to making big decisions, probably most of us like to think that we are guided by a set of principles. They provide a moral, ethical compass. So, I welcome your thoughts on the value we should place on compromise. In some ways, it really is a dirty word. But without some compromise, society can't function. How do we deal with this conundrum? - Bill McKenzie, Dallas Morning News.


Eleven Texas Faith Panelists address the issue at: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/07/texas-faith-what-value-should.html
and here is my take:

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

President Truman famously said, "Give me a one-handed economist! All my economists say, on the one hand on the other." A French proverb is more decisive, "One bad general is better than two good ones." Both of these statements are expressions of exasperation and impatience.

We don't need an economist with one hand nor do we want a bad general. Thank God for the turmoil we are going through, I rather see the Congress, Senate and the Administration exhaust themselves debating, fighting and accusing each other on raising the debt ceiling and cutting the expenditures. At stake are $2 trillion to $4 trillion, along with the larger $14 trillion debt. This has serious implications and these men and women have taken responsibility to find the answers. Let them work for a change, let there be passions exchanged, ultimately the average Joe should win.

America is better off with diversity of opinions than slam dunk political decisions that we have to endure. Thanks to Hannity, O'Reilly and their ilk for stoking fears about the impending changes in political philosophy. It puts the burden on the administration to find answers.

Compromising their integrity for political gains is bad; that is screwing America. They should not have positioned themselves by digging their heels. Newt Gingrich's call not to compromise is dumb. He should have shown leadership with America's interest in his heart calling for research and advising his party to do what is right for America, and not what is right for the GOP in 2012.

The winners should be the ones who compromise from their untenable positions for the good of America, that's who should ultimately win; Americans, and not Democrats and not Republicans.

The American public restored the checks and balances in 2010 by not giving both the houses to the same party. It was the Republican unilateralist war that bolstered our deficits and heaped irresponsible consequence on an average American family, and it was the Democratic unilateralism that pushed for the unproductive bail outs that has accelerated the ruin.

A decision is sustainable if all parties debate and own it and see its benefits to America. Let us intimately learn about the consequences of their decision through the endless debating rather than positioning. American public should not be underestimated by the politicians, whoever compromises for a political gain will be routed out, hurting America once again with unilateralism, which is responsible for the current fiasco.

Eleven opinions at : http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/07/texas-faith-what-value-should.html