To the editor:

The bumper sticker with a picture of President Bush included the words “Not My President.”

WRONG!

He is my president, reaffirmed by voters Tuesday. So also is Brownback my senator and Moore my representative, regardless of the votes I cast.

Partisanship has been a bane in the last 25 years: I’m right and you’re wrong. I suggest a solution.

When a member of Congress or the Senate takes the oath of office, no longer is that person to be identified as Republican or Democrat when working in that chamber. Seating emphasizes party loyalties by having seats on separate sides of an aisle. For example, applause in the State of the Union address is punctuated by the loyalists standing and the others remaining seated. That’s a divided country.

I suggest removal of the center aisle (maybe install two aisles for easier access.) Seat senators and congresspeople by seniority, or by age, or by Social Security numbers, or by random numbers or by height (give those short ones a better view). Mixing the members of different parties among one another could produce interesting conversations, discussions and maybe insights and friendships.

I propose this for our House and Senate (in the state also). Party caucuses will continue, as will other formal and informal meetings.

Mr. Bush, you are my president. We urgently need now bipartisan discussions and legislation. How do we get there?

Don Conrad,

Lawrence