While browsing TPM this morning I noticed this post of a comment by Grover Norquist in the LA Times advocating that the White House do all it can not to seek compromise on the issues of the day with the Democrats as if governing is about some Leninist drive to exploit inherent contradictions or something.  When will these people grow up?  Not everything in politics is ideology.  Not everything in politics is a zero-sum game!    Running the country is not some playground where you just pick up your toys and go home if you're not happy with your playmates. 

I think this election has shown the GOP that pursuing a "50+1" political strategy and purposely cutting Democrats out of the national debate while politically successful in the short run has given us a disasterous set of policies that do everything but address the needs of the nation and are often contrary to the wishes of the public. 

My big hope after the last six years of "slash and burn" is that we get back to the consensus that a functioning democracy requires debate and compromise.  Does that mean that I might not always like what they come up with in DC?  Sure, but in general I believe that the best ideas and practices will emerge from the essential interaction of different viewpoints and in the end the democratic process should be about finding what works best for the entire country, not just Grover Norquist.