If we're going to make progress, we all need to work together

No person that I know, or that I ever heard of, is right about everything, all the time. Government is a collaborative effort. We all have our jobs to do; we all have responsibilities and obligations to the people we represent. We should all be as willing to listen as we are to talk.

The Senate, the House and the Administration have priorities, ideas and proposals. As a Legislature, we have a duty to what is best for all the people. We disagree, at times, about how to best serve our districts. Our philosophies and our view of things are as varied as our districts and the needs of our constituents. The governor and his administration speak about broad matters of policy and a general direction for government action.

We seek answers and we search for ways to better serve our areas. The needs and wants of Gary, South Bend, Fort Wayne and Indianapolis are not the same as those of Paoli, Shoals, Campbellsburg, Orleans, French Lick, Linton, and Mitchell. Naturally we are each influenced by where we live and the folks we represent. That's why we are here to represent our friends and neighbors. We are here to advocate for our districts. I ask for the courtesy of consideration for my district from those who ask for help in their home areas.

We all must be aware that there is a larger picture. We must all understand that, with the limited resources we have, we cannot give everything everybody wants in one area, without shortchanging people in another part of our state. We must learn to play nice and share, just like we teach our children when they're playing outside.

This process should be open and honest. Each part of our government should deal openly and honestly with the other. There should be no place in this process for gamesmanship or playing "gotcha." This is serious business, not a game. Perhaps I am naive, but I believe in honest, open government, accessible to the people we serve.

There is no place in collaborative government for personal attacks and subterfuge. We may disagree on some things but that does not make those who disagree with us bad people. Our thoughts may be divergent, but that does not mean that other ideas are baseless or inherently wrong.

We should give respect and deference to the opinions of others, reasonably discuss differing points of view and respect the integrity of ideas. Some of the old way of doing things has got us into this mess. All of us need to be honest in our dealings and honorable in our intentions.

I have respect for the governor and the office he holds. He has a tremendous responsibility and a duty to us all. As Loren Wilson of Greene County says "we only have one governor." He is the governor of all the people of Indiana. I may not agree with some of his ideas, some of his proposals nor his agenda, but I respect his right to present his programs and his plan. I reserve the right to disagree. I will never question another person's integrity and I believe it unbecoming to question anyone's motives.

The serious debates in the Senate and the House are the people's business, and those debates must be based on fact. Neither the Senate, the House nor the Administration should hide facts, skew data or mislead others. People doing the business of the people need all the information available. There is no benefit to the people we serve by following any political philosophy to absurdity.

Ideas and proposals should flow freely and without hesitation of agenda. They should be evaluated on the merits and viewed with an open mind. Democrats cannot dismiss the concepts and propositions of Republicans without consideration and analysis. Republicans cannot assume that all Democrats are evil, deceitful, free-spending demons. We understand economics -- when you don't have money -- you can't spend it.

For the good of our state and the health of our government, we all must stop demonizing people who do not agree with us on everything. Good ideas and helpful insights are not proprietary to either party. Neither party has an exclusive license on the truth.

I will represent the people. I will vote for my district. I will fight for the betterment of our state. I do not believe in name-calling; I will not engage in personal attacks, never have -- don't believe in it.

I will agree with my friends across the aisle when they are right. I will try to persuade them to my point of view when I disagree. Now is the time for us to reason together.

"I see things as they are and ask why? I dream of things as they should be, and say why not?" (paraphrase of Bobby Kennedy).

Sandy Blanton can be contacted at 200 West Washington St., Indianapolis, Ind., 46204, or toll free 1-800-382-9842, or by e-mail h62@in.gov .