The candidates’ visions of America

On Friday, President Barack Obama and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney both wrote op-ed pieces for CNN.com titled “My Vision for America.”

The similarities in the two pieces go well beyond their titles.

Both candidates have an overwhelming theme of change in their writings, which is ironic for multiple reasons.

Obama and Romney stress the importance of this election and the need for bipartisan action in Washington, a point that needs to be highlighted more in today’s world.

While the President of the United States has a great deal of influence about what happens in our country, Congress is the place in Washington where we need change the most.

Our country has been crippled by gridlock and a lack of compromise in Congress for the last few years, and four more years of gridlock under either Obama or Romney is not something our country can afford to endure.

Whether you agree with Democrat or Republican ideals, our country has gotten to the point where something, almost anything, needs to be done. 

We cannot afford another debt-ceiling debacle like we experienced last August with another fiscal cliff looming in the beginning of 2013.

American businesses are handcuffed by the uncertainty as to what Congress might do, if they ever do something.

Whether it is a liberal or conservative policy, knowing what regulations and laws they must follow is more conducive to the economy than sitting around and guessing what will happen when on Capitol Hill.

What our country needs more than anything is a government that acts rather than refuses to talk or compromise with members of the other party.

Obama and Romney both highlight this need in their articles, and we can only hope they follow through on their promises to make sure the parties in Washington work together.

“I will reach across the aisle to solve America’s problems,” Romney said.

“I’ll work with anyone of any party to move this country forward,” Obama said.

If whoever is elected as the next president firmly believes in and works toward bipartisan action, then the vision of America will be a little brighter.