Simply put we must get out of our rut as politically engaged citizens who have an eye on one and only one perspective and visit the rest of the political spectrum. 

It is a rut that I struggle with every morning as I spend time reading 7-9 newspapers and websites, from the Wall Street Journal to the New York Times, from the Detroit News to the Drudge Report.

How to take what is out there and make sense without automatically accepting one train of thought as being the only one is the struggle I deal with daily.

Ross Douthat writing in the New York Times suggests that we need to "shake free of the toils of partisanship, and let your mind rove more widely and freely. . .subjecting the views you take for granted to real scrutiny, changing the filters through which you view" the world.

This is the dilemma that I face constantly while volunteering for community service programs. One person will want to talk about the presidential candidate I support and call me extreme. One person will want to find an excuse not to work on a project because someone else of another political  persuasion is involved.

When I look at my views on issues I do not support increasing the number of charter schools, the proliferation of internet high school education or concealed weapons in our schools or churches, or community colleges granting four year degrees.  

But I like our state representative John Walsh who supports all of these. When working for the good of the community we should put aside our political hat and put on our thinking cap. 

Years ago while serving as a Wayne County Commissioner I was spending my Friday morning, as usual, standing in front of the Plymouth downtown post office. Down the steps came a smiling, bubbly hometown leader of the volunteer community. A staunch Republican.

Up he came with his finger in my face and a smile on his. "I figured you out Bill. You are really a liberal but you smile so much and talk to everyone and we all like you and don't pay attention to your views."

He had me dead to right.

I believed in retail politics with all politics being local. Telling people what I stood for and listening to what everyone had to say. Regardless of party I enjoyed working with my neighbors.

What does that have to do with John Walsh? Simple. I like John Walsh and being term limited he will not be able to stand before the voters on these issues but when he runs for say Mayor, which some suggest, or seeks one day to be President of Schoolcraft College which some suggest, will I look at him as an elected official readily available and easy to work with or will I remember him for the votes he took that are opposite my views.

I just know that when he responds to questions, volunteers to support local organizations, or just calls to say hello it makes it a lot easier to put aside the party hat and put on the thinking cap. 

He is not alone in that regard. Others like Laura Cox and Terry Marecki are people who put aside the political hat and willingly put on their community hat. And when they do it is easier to understand where they come from and what they stand for.

Now that doesn't mean that we always should support people only because they are nice to us or support the programs we do but it does open the door, build a bridge, establish a relationship . .or whatever you want to call it.

We should all try to work together for the good of us all. That's why I guess I read both sides, if only to understand.