(KM&G-Morris, Creative Commons)

“Republicans in the Senate Thursday dealt President Barack Obama the third in a string of defeats on his stimulus-style jobs agenda, blocking a $60 billion measure for building and repairing infrastructure like roads and rail lines.”

Why was it that the measure was destined to fail? Even though it would have created “tens of thousands of construction jobs” while simultaneously repairing damaged and failing infrastructure throughout the country, and contributing to lifting “the still-struggling economy,” the bill contained a tax on the wealthy. And of course, we can’t raise taxes, even by a little, on the wealthy – they can’t afford it.

Democrats returned the favor by killing a Republican infrastructure plan that involved, surprise, not raising taxes, but cutting spending from other domestic programs.

It seems that the two parties are locked in an ideological battle leaving no room for compromise. Hopefully our officials enjoy watching the country fall apart around them, because that is what is going to happen, literally and figuratively, if some sort of agreement is not reached.

No matter what political convictions one holds, the fact is that people are out of work, infrastructure throughout the country is crumbling, and Congress needs to come up with a plan to begin work on rebuilding the nation. An agreement cannot be reached, let alone can an attempt to implement any program upon which Congress agrees be made, if members of Congress continue to be so fixedly polarized.

The point of forming a republic was to create an environment in which differing viewpoints and plans of action can be respected, debated, and ultimately, in which a compromise can be reached. Such a compromise would be more likely to result in a more effective and satisfactory plan of action.

It does not seem that in the present political climate that any compromise will be reached. And the entire country is suffering for it.

Reach Senior Opinion Editor Cara Palmer here or follow her on Twitter.