Dear Editor: I once heard a wise man say there are two things you never want to see being made - sausages and laws. We see the end result, but the general public never really knows what goes into creating them. For most people, it's better that way. If we really understood the reality of what it took to get to the end result, we might just be disgusted with the entire process.

When it comes to our lawmakers, we have to realize it takes a level of compromise and cooperation to get things done in Washington, D.C., and at the state and local levels. Those who have spent any time around politics understand this and have always operated according to this rule. However, 2010 ushered in a new type of elected official; officials who seem to have missed this basic political principle. They operate in the universe of all-or-nothing politics and play for keeps, whatever the costs. This unwillingness to compromise on ideals will make reality harder for us all.

No matter how noble the ideal, the lack of civility and practicality invalidates the argument. If it is impossible to get the business of this country and county done, then the fights mean nothing. We see it in happening in D.C. with the debt ceiling negotiations and we see it locally with our Board of Elections.

But who is to blame? If many of our veteran public servants, from D.C. to Rockdale, have been able to put their differences aside and come together for the citizens of this country and this county in the past, then the blame must lie with the new representatives - the newly elected and appointed who clearly have a personal agenda they have placed above public trust. These are officials who do not intend to find a happy medium for the common good. They only want things done their way.

This hardball game of politics is a very dangerous game to play and the "costs" will be borne by us all.

Tisa Smart Washington
Chair, Rockdale
Democratic Party