Long past time to compromise

Michael K. Casler, Las Vegas

Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012 | 2:01 a.m.

War is commonly defined as victory at all costs and no compromise. Governing should be defined as the art of compromise. Our two parties, if viewed honestly, are conducting a war instead of governing, and we are all suffering as a result.

Regardless of how we each feel about certain issues, we should all demand that the war stops and compromise begins. When it doesn’t, and it most likely won’t, we should start punishing both parties at the polls.

We are going to need more revenue, and tax increases on everyone are going to have to be part of any solution. Democrats have part of that correct but are unwilling to raise taxes on everyone. Defense and entitlements are each a large part of the budget. Both Democrats and Republicans are reluctant to find real cuts in the defense budget, and Democrats won’t budge on doing something about entitlement spending, even for new participants.

I have to vote for one of our two main parties or support a third party — even though I know that due to our two main parties, third parties are effectively locked out of any real chance to compete.

It stuns me that here, in my country, all of the above is now the reality.