Bipartisanship is a dream; a glorious fantasy thought up by politicians who wanted to turn the public against their opponents. In all practicality, it doesn't exist.
All people with strong beliefs are, by definition, partisan. When partisan individuals share similar beliefs, as they often do in our two-party system, these beliefs develop into "partisan issues." And when an individual holds a belief that doesn't fit his usual partisan paradigm, he is hailed as a bipartisan hero.
President Barack Obama is demanding bipartisanship from the Republicans. This means that he wants them to support his agenda whether or not they agree with it. For some reason, Americans overwhelmingly desire bipartisanship from their politicians, even though in any other discipline but politics this would be called "selling out."
Yet, liberals demand this from conservatives. They want them to abandon their conservative principles and embrace moderate (read: liberal) Republicans like Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gov. Charlie Crist. Alligator columnist Matthew Christ on Monday went so far as to call the moment Republicans sought principle instead of the big-government status quo was "when the modern Republican Party died."
Republicans already tried big government. We just went through eight years of unprincipled, big government, big spending chaos under former President George W. Bush. The results of the following election: epic fail.
The last thing Republicans need is bipartisanship. They need a one-sided, no compromise derailing of the federal leviathan. Conservatives believe that the big government that Obama has determined to create will make our country worse off, and only by acting steadfastly in their opposition can they defeat his policies.
Yet when Gov. Bobby Jindal says this, everyone touts it as the end of his political career.
Yes, Jindal gave a poorly delivered speech. The southern bumpkin thing doesn't work that well for him. Get over it.
Jindal's speech, which is an excellent speech in writing, stressed a willingness to cooperate, free market principles and hope in American ambition. The speech was hardly the end of the Republican Party. Republicans are far from dead; they are alive and kicking. Liberals are quick to hop on a mistake as the death of their opponents, and use this to demand acquiescence and "bipartisanship" from the demoralized GOP.
Now this would be the death of the Republican Party. The Republicans cannot be a "me too" big government party; they will only succeed where they meaningfully differentiate themselves from the Democrats. They must fight big government uniformly and make it their primary election issue.
Most Americans are not ideologues; they are self-interested pragmatists who vote for whoever fosters the economy. If the GOP can successfully blame the country's problems on big government, then they will retake power overnight. If they give in to bipartisanship, then they become "Diet-Democrats" who stand for nothing.
So go out and proudly call yourself a partisan. It shows you have convictions, beliefs, and a willingness to do what you know is right for your country.
Johnathan Lott is a political science and economics sophomore. His column appears on Thursdays.
