With the new year we have a new congress, resulting from our ballots cast in the November election. The hope this time around is for bipartisan cooperation. Our 2 party system has served us well for well over 200 years, although there have been the occaisonal populist and third party movements borne largely of frustration created by gridlock. It seems to ebb and flow throughout history, ever since the time of the first Continental Congress. We'll have to see how the new congress handles coming to agreement on issues. It's been an uphill battle in recent years finding common ground. I'm of the belief that there is almost always room to effect at least a degree of compromise. The American people do it everyday as we live shoulder to shoulder and home to home.  So should our elected representatives in govt.  Have a look at the alternative: