Elections normally The results of the November 2nd election were neither surprising nor encouraging to this voter. Clearly many Americans are frustrated and angry over present conditions and the future they project for our country; their votes expressed those emotions. Unfortunately, most candidates that benefitted from those votes offered no programs for improvement, only shared frustration. And the Party that benefitted from this outburst of uninformed emotion was the Party most responsible for the difficulties in which we find ourselves. Logic, anyone?

A confession: I have personally occasionally acted out of anger and frustration; it has never proved a solution to the problems that caused me to do so. Which leads me with some thoughts on what next?

The most likely scenario is an escalation of partisanship between two approximately equal halves of a fractured government, with neither side able to do anything, no matter how reasonable, because the other side will oppose it in a gut reaction to the hated opposition's idea. Certainly, the unfounded charges fired back and forth between the campaigns did nothing to endear either Party to the other, and that hasn't helped America or fostered constructive debate.

So what does Purple suggest? If I was talking to my angry teen-age kid I'd say: "Cool down, grow up, that other person may have a point. Go talk to him/her. Life is short, and blind anger never gets you anywhere."

So with that parental experience, here is what I hope the leadership of each Party does:

(1) Recognize that they were elected to serve the nation as a whole, not just their districts, their supporters, their Party, or their ideology.

(2) Understand that our nation is confronted by a broad agenda of complex problems that need immediate attention, and that solving them involves short term pain to avoid long-term agony.

(3) Discuss these mutual problems with the other Party, calmly and constructively, listening with an open mind to alternatives, seeking consensus solutions.

(4) Have the courage to explain and sell these solutions to the voters who will have to bear the discomfort entailed in implementing them.

(5) Recognize that doing what is right for America now is more important than who wins the 2012 election.

A good place to start will be to act on the recommendations of the President's bipartisan commission now studying how to handle our financial mess – deficits, debt and unemployment. Purple sees no way to manage this other than by a combination of higher taxes (anathema to Republicans) and reduced spending on entitlements (anathema to Democrats), accompanied by reducing military spending, subsidies, and earmarks, all of which will entail political opposition from some segment of the electorate.

Success in working together in Congress will increase the confidence of voters of both Parties in the federal government, which they now feel is broken. And such improvement will make governing after the 2012 election easier and more successful, no matter who wins.

But this option thus calls for great political courage. Don't hold your breath.