| Welcome to The Bipartisan Bridge
Bridging the political divide....in order to form a more perfect union.
The expectations that Americans place on our government and our elected leaders evolve along with the political landscape. Do we want an effective, responsible, fiscally-sound, fully-functional government? Do we want leaders who, despite deep disagreements, will negotiate, find common ground, accept compromise, and work together to move our country forward? Do we want political parties that eschew dogmatic intransigence in favor of solutions that provide the security, safety, services, and sustenance on which we all rely? The choice is ours: |
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer."
“When we understand the other fellow's viewpoint, and he understands ours, then we can sit down and work out our differences."
|
|
BIPARTISAN BRIDGE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
The Bipartisan Bridge was launched in 2006 to provoke thoughts, inspire ideas for bipartisan policy, constructively contribute to the national discourse, and provide a meeting place for all who are dedicated to elevating bipartisanship, post--partisanship, and non-partisanship over the fractiousness of partisanship. As partisanship takes an ever-increasing toll on our governmental institutions, a redirection toward mutually-beneficial collaboration is necessary to stem the tide, before the situation declines beyond repair. While there certainly is a role for partisanship on election day and the month or two leading up to it, it must be contained, so as not to impair our government's ability to function effectively. The competition of elections must be separated from the collaboration of governing.
As a practical matter, bipartisan / post-partisan policies and legislation are valuable because they accommodate a diverse range of views and needs, provide social and economic stability, enfranchise "buy in" from interest groups, mute disaffection from constituencies, and innoculate issues from festering into political flash-points. Thus, government becomes more effective and lawmakers are rewarded for collaborating across the aisle.
BIPARTISAN BRIDGE ORIGINS
The Bipartisan Bridge aims to address our nation's collective feelings of frustration, concern, and hope, which lead to a call to action:
- Frustration over the climate of needless, degenerative partisanship and distrust which impair our cherished governmental institutions' ability to craft vital solutions and sustainable initiatives for long-term, balanced benefit of all Americans;
- Concern that the state of partisan warfare will intensify and become intractable unless strong forces intervene to reverse the trend;
- Hope that common ground can be identified, beginning with a focus on issues where agreement is achievable, generating a renewed willingness to collaborate on balanced, bipartisan public policy initiatives within a framework of partnership for progress; and
- A call for action for public officials and private citizens to generate ideas that reflect shared objectives, solve problems in ways that enhance the quality of life of all Americans, and commit to a willing partnership that collaboratively addresses exigent priorities.
|
The introduction to this website continues at the links below with (1) an overview of the problems posed by partisanship, (2) the basis for evolution beyond partisanship, (3) the rationale for advancing bipartisanship / non-partisanship / post-partisanship, (4) an introduction to ideas and solutions that could usher in a spirit of bipartisanship / non-partisanship / post-partisanship, and (5) the underlying purposes of this communal effort.
Information about Bradford R. Kane, the founder / editor of The Bipartisan Bridge, is provided on the "Background" tab, at the "About the Editor" link. |
