The Bank of Good Will

The House of Representatives voted, 244 - 148 on the President Obama’s Economic Stimulus package yesterday. The bill passed the House without any Republican votes (and without 11 Democratic votes).

The $819 million House Bill now goes to the Senate where there will be some modifications and additional programs including added tax cuts. The U.S. Senate will vote on the package early next week.

The President’s work to reach across the aisle and help end partisan politics, as we discussed yesterday, did not bring any votes with it. Even following the vote, the President hosted a cocktail party in the White House for the Congressional leadership of both parties and both houses.

There is a good chance the Senate version of the economic stimulus package might bring some Republican support. Senate Republicans tend to be more moderate than their House colleagues and the Senate Democratic Leaders are making some modifications requested by their GOP colleagues.

The time and effort spent by the President and his senior staff to reach out to GOP members was more of an effort to build long-term good-will and cooperation than solely to achieve support for the immediate legislation moving through both Houses.

When campaigning, it is easy to call for an end to partisan politics and return to civility. And when the campaign ends and governing begins, it is just as easy to use the power of the majority or the unwillingness to cooperate of the minority to slip back into the business as usual mold.

To break out of this partisan box and to begin a cooperative dialogue, someone has to cross the line and make a long-term investment to begin a thaw. In politics at all levels, you have to invest some good will into the bank before you try to make a withdrawal.

You can’t expect compromise on any one measure, especially at the 11th-hour when you realize you need other party’s votes without having that relationship before you need it.

President Obama’s efforts have begun a long, slow process to invest good will in the bank. Hopefully leaders of both parties will follow his lead.

Isn’t that what the voters in the U.S. wanted when they voted for change and for President Obama?

Isn’t that the best we can all hope to do as we have the opportunity to serve our constituents when we govern?