Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Washington, are you listening? The nation’s governors sent a message to you this week. At the National Governors Association (NGA) meeting in D.C. that ended Monday, governors from throughout the nation made it clear just how fed up they are with congressional gridlock. Some were extremely vocal, and bold enough 
to ask members of Congress why they could not reach agreement on critical issues that impact the economic prosperity of every region in the country.
They urged members of Congress to put aside the partisanship that is causing roadblocks on every major issue.
- The NGA asked federal officials to allow states more flexibility as they test innovative solutions.
- One governor even suggested that if states had more flexibility from the federal government, they could likely take less federal funding and accomplish more with it.
The requests the NGA made are not new. These issues have been discussed for years – chief among them that Congress should not saddle the states with increased costs as they attempt to reduce the federal budget deficit. 
State officials also don’t want any unfunded mandates and they would like to see less federal bureaucracy.
The nation’s governors gather periodically to discuss common problems they are trying to solve – improving education, creating more jobs, dealing with health care issues and funding transportation and infrastructure. They share their experiences and discuss innovative solutions.
It is hard to disagree or find fault with anything the governors are saying. However, it is interesting to note that public officials at the local levels of government would make almost identical requests of state leaders and governors.
Local leaders don’t want legislation that reduces state budgets at the expense of regional government. They don’t want cuts in education programs and they don’t want unfunded mandates. And, local officials could easily point to maddening bureaucracy at the state level of government.
Governmental officials at every jurisdictional level are grasping for options. They all see the problems. But, they have different perceptions of how government should solve these critical issues. And, the fact that elected 
officials cannot come to a consensus is extremely costly to all Americans.
The country is losing ground and something needs to change. Many well-intentioned elected officials genuinely want to find remedies. The problem is that collaboration between the diverse cultures is almost non-existent and remedies do not seem to be forthcoming.
Private citizens and taxpayers are so frustrated they don’t know what to do. They have trouble understanding why collaboration and consensus is not possible. Many hard-working citizens have totally checked out of politics because they are so disenchanted.
Problems are being solved by consensus in every workplace in the nation, as well as in most families today. Americans in every walk of life are being forced to negotiate and collaborate. In fact, most American adults realize that a commitment to collaborate is the glue that holds most organizations together.
People will never totally agree on everything … but, respect and commitment to causes bridge chasms and produce solutions.
Sometimes it is hard to understand why that truism is not resonating in government today.
Mary Scott Nabers is president and CEO of Strategic Partnerships Inc., co-founder of Gemini Global Group and author of ‘Collaboration Nation.’ Contact Mary at mnabers@spartnerships.com.
