Urge Congress to seek solutions together

America's most contentious, cantankerous and vitriol presidential election has finally ended. Hallelujah.

In Donald Trump's election night acceptance speech he said 'it is time to bind the wounds of division.” Let's start with Congress.

Democrats remember the edict of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on the evening of Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration to make Obama a one-term president by obstructing his agenda. This blatant divisiveness lasted, at the public's expense, for eight long years. Democrats must not emulate McConnell's immature act with president Trump.

Congress, and not the president, initiates and passes laws and budget appropriations before a president can approve or veto legislation and authorize expenditures. So, has the root of America's problem of being in a slow-to-no-growth pattern for the past seven to eight years resided with President Barack Obama or Congress? Political historians most likely will suggest the preponderance of guilt lies with Congress.

To 'bind the wounds of division,” I propose that every Iowa registered voter contact their U.S. senators and representatives and call on them to work with President Trump and their across-the-aisle counterparts in the spirit of cooperation, bipartisanship, decency and respect.

Trump, an experienced negotiator, must frequently meet with Democratic leaders to determine where there are areas of agreement, persuade Republicans to cooperate on these issues and iron out compromise where differences exist. Perseverance with patience and empathy will be his ally.

Trump has a golden opportunity to work with over 80 Democrats and Republicans in Congress who have signed on to House Resolution 207 and Senate Resolution 199. These identical bipartisan initiatives call for the creation of a National Strategic Agenda focused on four goals: 1) balance the federal budget by 2030, 2) secure Social Security and Medicare funding for the next 75 years, 3) make American energy secure by 2024 and 4) create 25 million net new jobs over the next 10 years.

Probably very few Americans realize Trump pledged during his campaign to support the National Strategic Agenda; his opponent, Hillary Clinton, did not endorse the concept.

Congressional leaders already have said they are on board to tackle five other significant economic issues with the new president: individual tax reform, corporate tax reform, criminal justice reform, regulatory reform and immigration reform.

And, interest rates are in Trump's favor. The cost to service the interest and principal on the national debt has fallen to its lowest level in 50 years. Low interest rates give Trump and Congress an opportunity to boost infrastructure, education, workforce development and entrepreneurship.

With 535 elected representatives earnestly cooperating and actually working across the aisle, Trump's legacy as the 45th president could go down as the Era of Bipartisan Compromise. Please join me in holding our elected representatives accountable to bipartisanship behavior.

' Steve Corbin is one of 12 district leaders in Iowa for the nonpartisan and not-for-profit group No Labels. More information: www.NoLabels.org. Comments: Steven.B.Corbin@gmail.com