Future must be bipartisan for success
Politicians must reach across aisle in all directions to heal
Today, America will honor one of its greatest traditions – the inauguration of a new president and vice president. Every inauguration of a new president is a chance for change, a time of hope with a blank slate for new beginnings – regardless of which side of the aisle one leans toward.
President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will be sworn into office at noon ET
(10 a.m. in Yuma), although the event will actually begin 30 minutes earlier with the National Anthem.
After Biden is sworn into office, he is expected to deliver an inaugural address outlining his vision to “defeat the pandemic, build back better, and unify and heal the nation,” according to the Biden Inaugural Committee website.
The theme of unification and healing is one that is needed in America today.
The rifts in America are too numerous lately, and the animosity runs deep at a variety of levels.
Political divides, racial divides, socioeconomic divides – all stretched to their limits by a pandemic that is, at the moment, raging through our nation.
For years, we’ve lamented the partisan politics at our nation’s Capitol, as stubborn politicians on both sides of the aisle dug in their heels for party and not for the benefit of their constituents.
Today, there is Democratic control of the House, and the Senate is a 50-50 split, with Vice President-elect Kamala Harris as the deciding vote, just barely giving the Democrats control. And yet, it’s as critical as ever that all voices are heard – Democratic, Republican, and everyone in between.
Our nation still must have thoughtful, meaningful conversations and debate about issues that matter, because the reality is, no “Democratic” or “Republican” solution is perfect for the country as a whole – the answer really lies somewhere in the middle, when the two parties work together for the betterment of our nation.
And that’s our hope for the future. Two parties, reaching across the aisle, and finding forward progress in a bipartisan way built on constructive conversation and compromise.
That’s how we move forward, how we grow and how we heal. Maybe we’re being idealistic, but we certainly hope not.
It’s time for our politicians to set the example, together.
The inauguration will air on the major networks today, including ABC, CBS and NBC, or you can stream it live online for free at bideninaugural.org or on YouTube.
Unsigned editorials represent the viewpoint of this newspaper rather than an individual. Columns and letters to the editor represent the viewpoints of the persons writing them and do not necessarily represent the views of the Yuma Sun.