What happened to bipartisanship?

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Story Published: Jan 28, 2010 at 8:29 PM MDT

Story Updated: Jan 28, 2010 at 8:29 PM MDT

By Ian Parker

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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- President Obama is calling on both parties to make compromises so the country can move forward.

But that's easier said than done.

Why has Washington become a town where bi-partisanship is now a dirty word?

"[Congressmen] have lost interest in serving the house and the senate," said David Adler, a political science professor at Idaho State University. "It's not a pleasant place to work. Ideological differences spoil the opportunity of working together. Many individuals in congress have decided their own fortunes are better served by following their own constituents' interests as opposed to seeking nationally bipartisan consensus solutions."

And then there's the filibuster, Washington's way of creating a stalemate where nothing can get done.

"Those are the rules of the game now. I don't think we're going to get away from it," said Trent Rose, a political science professor at Brigham Young University in Idaho. "I think it's going to continue to be something that's important. And I think that's why he spoke about it last night. Hopefully he can get both sides to see that they need each other, and they need to make some compromises."

But who has the responsibility to start the compromise: Democrats or Republicans?

"The Republicans have an opportunity to exert leadership on this issue. They can say that for the national good, we'll suspend this everyday use of the filibuster and that we will try to work with the Democrats. That would be handing the Democrats an olive branch."

Professor Rose disagrees. He says it's the Democrats who need to make the first move.

"Maybe they need to give a little bit and not just just try and ram things through, even though they have a strong majority."

Congressman Simpson believes the President's reach across the aisle last night is a good first step.

"I consider it an initial offer to Congress in what I hope will be a bipartisan dialog that leads to real action," said Simpson.

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