Two weeks ago, three-term Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, announced that she would not be seeking reelection. What is so striking about the announcement is that Sen. Snowe stated that she is not seeking reelection specifically because of partisanship. Olympia Snowe was one of the few moderates left in the Senate.

Ideological compatibility is essential for representation, but citizens should care about more results than principles. Representatives of varying ideological backgrounds make up Congress, making for an entertaining and often-frustrating political process. Small-government conservatives, self-identifying socialists and everyone in between work together to pass a budget.