To the editor:
Never has the U.S. Congress been so polarized. It is now almost impossible to pass legislation to improve the state of the nation and its citizens — the parties are more intent on working on self-aggrandizement and the status of their political party. It’s gotten so bad that Senator Olympia Snowe decided in disgust last month not to run again.
It was not always that way. There was a time when the country came first, not the party. Mainers don’t have to look beyond their state for excellent examples of bipartisanship and cordiality. Senators Edmund Muskie, a Democrat, and Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican, were good friends who forged major legislation that benefited the nation and Maine. Later, Republican Senator William Cohen and Democratic Senator George Mitchell worked in unison and harmony to sponsor major bills for the common good. The close friends even co-authored a novel. No wonder that President Clinton crossed party lines to appoint Cohen as his secretary of state.
Out-of-state models of mutual respect and common goals are plentiful. A few examples really stand out. In the 1996 race for the U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, Republican Governor William Weld challenged Democratic incumbent John Kerry. The two moderates agreed to wage a positive campaign based on issues, not personality or party. They even agreed on the financial parameters of their campaigns. The two politicians remained friends after Kerry defeated Weld for the senate seat.
Also, who can forget President Ronald Reagan’s amicable relationship with House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill. The two Irishmen from opposing parties were known for their good-natured ribbing of each other and their collaboration on major beneficial legislation.
This country should follow the example of these effective and intelligent politicians.
Ross Paradis
Frenchville
