Peoria Academy Journalism Club: Red and blue make purple

As reported by Pew Research, the second biggest problem in the United States according to the public is the lack of bipartisan cooperation. Bipartisan means cooperation between two political parties that usually have opposing policies. As the election is coming up, we want to remind you that, no matter your political party, we all have the same end goal — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Knowing this, please treat everyone with kindness and respect. Even though our opinions on how to accomplish our goals are different doesn’t mean we can’t work together.

On the ballots this election, we will have the Democratic and Republican parties. The Democratic Party nominated current Vice President Kamala D. Harris for president and current Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for vice president. They have been running since President Joe Biden dropped out in July. In the Republican Party, we have former president Donald J. Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance for vice president. Trump was also nominated by the Republican Party in the 2020 election.

Republicans and Democrats have had a difficult time working together, but in more recent years it has become worse, and working together is crucial to make our government the best we can for the American people. When Democrats and Republicans don’t work together it causes too much fighting which can lead to problems for the rest of the American people.

An example of this is the farm bill, which was last updated in 2018. This bill impacts farmers in the U.S., the environment and animals living in the U.S. This bill holds policies and points on which both the Democrats and the Republicans agree. But both parties have something they disagree with about the bill. Since the Democrats and Republicans have not been able to work together, this bill has been pushed back for six years causing the bill to become extremely outdated. With new inflation rates the bill has become inaccurate and is not helpful to the American people anymore.

This is only one example of why Democrats and Republicans need to work together for the American people. Another reason why Democrats and Republicans need to work together is because too much fighting between parties can lead to rioting by the American people and could eventually cause a possible war within the United States.

Bipartisanship is becoming more and more essential for passing bills. According to the New York Times, 95.8% of passed bills are bipartisan. There are several committees, and organizations in Washington D.C., working together toward even more bipartisanship. The Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) aims to combine ideas from both parties. In 2022, a BPC poll revealed that 59% of voters thought that full bipartisanship was unattainable. Despite this, the organization has recognized a 14.9% increase, from 81.6% to 95.8% of bills being bipartisan.

Ultimately, as the future generation of this country, we just want what is best for it. We all have different ways and opinions on what that means and how to do such tasks. But we need to learn how to listen to each other and try to see our perspectives because each and every one of us come from different backgrounds and what you need might not be the best for someone else. We might have disagreements, but that does not mean we can’t have basic respect for each other. Let’s work together to make our country a place we are proud to be a part of.

— By Ammini Guzzardo, Matilda McKean, Sean Mortoti, Iyla Robinson, Emelia Stevenson



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