Obstructionist versus Constructionist
People will wax philosophical about the give and take, the ebb and flow of political battles, especially in our entrenched, two-party system.
Typically a battle will play out between two diametrically opposed sides, with fringe members of either group courting each other to ensure the smooth passage of a bill by throwing in earmarks or concessions or a combination thereof.
What bothers me is that here in Indiana, the sides that are opposed are always obstructionist. They never hear the other side out, evaluate the plan, and offer enhancements or changes. they're just against it either due to misguided political ideology and/or ego. Most major bills that make it through the Indiana legislature are voted upon by party lines. Think budgets, school funding, gambling, environmental regulations, etc. OK, that's seemingly obvious, but I can't understand why the underdog side doesn't push the majority side to do more, especially on the environmentalist side.
Our local government and statehouse are no friends of the environment. They sat on the sidelines hoping for 50 jobs while BP was ready to pollute Lake Michigan, ignoring that two other states use that lake. My theory does not relate to that tidbit, but that fact provides some interesting background.
The I-69 extension project has been contentious here in Indiana, with environmentalists opposed, most Democrats thinking that the existing infrastructure, like US-41 through Terre Haute and Evansville should be fixed, and the rest of the Republican and Democrats in the hand of the business and/or union construction lobby, pushing for the new highway. Those opposed, instead of working creatively, simply sat opposed.
There were far more creative ways of being opposed; things like stipulating 100 trees were planted for each mile of highway paved, stipulating that 15-35% of the cost of the highway be put in a fund for public transit, something sorely lacking regionally. Something like putting parts of the project in place to help fix US41 and other smaller regional highways and not just building a new I-69.
Instead, those opposed were opposed, with no real sense of compromise or willingness to set alternate goals to ease the pain of a plan that would be passed by a simple majority. This is all too typical in Indianapolis by either political party. Neither is willing to hear the other out. Neither is willing to compromise, they all want to do things in their own best interest.
We need a new ethos in office. We need to be Constructionists. We need to build on successes and view opportunities and not just hold onto buddies clothed by an elephant or donkey.
