Western Courier

Issue date: 9/28/05 Section: Opinion

The division of party lines was a heated topic in last year's presidential election. Even further back it was a topic in the 2000 election, but is it George Bush dividing America or America dividing itself? It remains forefront, as a new chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court will soon be appointed. The only issue that has brought the two majority parties together is the FEMA catastrophe that stems from Hurricane Katrina.

During a congressional committee on Tuesday Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays (R.) questioned whether former FEMA director Michael Brown did everything he could have during the disaster.

"That's why I'm happy you left," Shays said, "because that kind of, you know, look in the lights like a deer, tells me that you weren't capable to do the job."

It is not surprising that people are questioning the qualifications of Brown, but what is surprising is that Republicans are berating a former appointee of Bush.

Are Senators and Congressmen listening to their constituents or are they voting on party lines? Looking at voting records, it seems as though they are voting on party lines. According to the Associated Press, all 55 Republican Senators will be voting to approve Bush's selection of John Roberts to the Supreme Court.

Shouldn't both parties be looking closer at the choices Bush is appointing at all levels of government, especially Supreme Court nominees?

It is not a question of what party affiliation appointees fall under, or even where they came from. It is a question of whether or not they can perform with some sort of expertise in the positions that they are filling.

When both parties work together it seems that more is accomplished. Party lines were not drawn as Hurricane Rita went through Louisiana and Texas. Politicians saw what was needed and reacted efficiently. Party lines were not drawn when New York was devastated on 9/11.

We cannot wait for another disaster to bring both of the parties together, they need to learn to work together in questioning motives behind appointees and not rush the process of confirming.

What this country does not need is for party lines to be drawn when the rebuilding process is underway. While it is understandable that questions need to be raised on costs and distribution of bids, we cannot delay the construction and renovation of hundreds of thousands of homes.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools