Partisan views on important social issues such as health care are too often reviled by those on opposite sides of the debate. As Americans, we can be grateful to the framers of the Constitution, which encourages dissent and protects the rights of conflicting views.

While often messy and time-consuming, negotiations lead to better-thought-out decisions. Liberal legislators seem to decry top-down management in business, but embrace it enthusiastically in government.

Conservatives, on the other hand, often favor strong corporate management but less government control on social issues such as how to care for their families’ health.

A middle ground can be achieved, as envisioned by our county’s founders, even if the solution requires taking more time, or even starting over again.

Furthermore, any solution can be revised and improved by new administrations, voters, and/or Supreme Court decisions.

Democratic government is often messy but, like a good marriage, enduring.

God bless America’s form of government.

Philip Rea, Auburn