"It seems that those involved in lawmaking today don’t understand the old saying of, 'Win some, lose some.'"

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Don’t be a political sore loser
By Heather Stanek, September 20, 2014

Public policy has become a game of see-saw, and the amusement is wearing thin.

I remember a time when, once a bill was passed, the law stuck and people lived with it. If you didn’t like it, you waited until the next election and spoke with your vote.

Facing legislation you liked or didn’t like was part of American politics, it was part of the compromise that was supposed to be such a crucial part of our governmental system.

Not anymore. It seems that those involved in lawmaking today don’t understand the old saying of, “Win some, lose some.” Unfortunately, those caught in the middle are the constituents, and they suffer the most for it.

There are two prime examples. The first is Wisconsin’s voter ID requirement, which was once again upheld. But wait, an appeal has already been filed. It’s only the most recent act in a long performance of clap on, clap off. Meanwhile, our municipal governments are caught in the middle. Do they prepare for the changes or not? Will we all need IDs at the November election, or not?

The second is gay marriage. Both in Wisconsin and across the country, the people have watched as courts have swung back and forth on saying yay or nay to gay marriage. I’ve lost track of how many stories I’ve read about a gay marriage law being enacted...no, nevermind, it’s been banned again...or is it?

Where we each stand on political issues doesn’t matter. This column isn’t for or against gay marriage, nor is it about voter ID. It’s about something far greater and more important: Our ability to compromise and practice good sportsmanship.

I’m not saying anyone should give up their stance. Part of what makes us American is our ability to have views and share them. But there comes a time when you need to yield. Like another old saying goes, “You can’t always get what you want.” That’s a fact of life.

Sometimes, acceptance means learning to adjust to a law’s existence. At other times, it means waiting until the next election and voting for the people who will try to make a change. It shouldn’t involve appeal after appeal after appeal. By dragging out legislation, our leaders can’t move on to other tasks. Granted, sometimes these same leaders are the ones who cause the endless court proceedings, but the blame also falls on special interest groups and ourselves.

It’s time to do what all good teams do after a game: Shake hands and accept the outcome, at least until the next scheduled match.
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