A New Tone - "Date Night" at the State of the Union

(Please view previous post for more detail.)

Bipartisan Seating – “Date Night" at the State of the Union.

Many members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives are trying to change to tone of politics as usual.  Tonight there will be Republican members sitting with Democratic members while listening to the President of the United States’ State of the Union.  This may be the beginnings of civility in our nation’s capital, and it could be a one night event.  Nearly 60 legislators have volunteered to be part of this historic opportunity.  The author Senator Udall (D-CO) and Presidential Candidate, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) will be sitting together.  Other participants include:: Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and Representative Tom Petri (R-WI). 

Historically, this event has taken place in January each year since President Woodrow Wilson in 1912.  Even before President Wilson, our first President, George Washington addressed legislators to update them on the “state of the union.”  Never before have Congressional members mixed together to listen to the President’s address.

Where does this leave the State of Wisconsin?  Will we see Republicans, Democrats and Independents sitting together when the Governor gives the State of the State on February 1^st? 

What kind of impact could this have on dialogue at our local level? The City of Madison Common Council meetings tend to have a collegial tone, with a few exceptions.

As an independent running for a non-partisan, part-time office to represent the residents and businesses of District 1 in the City of Madison, I hope that this is just the beginning. I hope for the sake of Wisconsinites and Madisonians we will see our elected officials crossing the aisle.  I can envision members at the federal level, state level and local level talking with other legislators that they have differ on with issues and opinion.

This is a good first step to establish a new level of civility in our dialogue.  And as the famous saying goes, “We must work to understand that we can disagree without being disagreeable.”  Another important phrase that may be appropriate is, “all politics are local.”  I’m hoping our local politics can also be civil.