During my campaign I talked about how the tone in our politics is the biggest threat to our country. Bigger than any nuclear threat, and I would dare even say our declining economy. After spending my first session in Raleigh I have learned that this is true. I have had some people criticize me for “working with the republicans”. One thing is for sure you cannot accomplish anything if you are not willing to work with people that disagree with you, or you with them. Sure you can magnify your voice and talk about how bad the other side is, and how their view on politics will surely destroy our state or our country. That is fine; however that rhetoric does not make a law, or change any minds within the legislature. In fact, I notice that the folks who make a lot of noise but refuse to work on the other side are people who get nothing accomplished – at least for those they represent anyway. In fact, it is this type of rhetoric that impedes progress and does not serve the citizens of our state well at all.