If you happened to catch a snippet of the midterm elections press coverage, you probably saw an abundance of proud Republicans. They will finally control the Senate and that will mean an entirely Republican-controlled Congress. Let them rejoice.

Their plans for the next two years may not be that easy. President Obama is still a Democrat, so nothing will truly happen in the next two years unless serious compromises are made from both political parties. It is time that Republicans and Democrats set aside their differences and put their constituents first.

This is not a crazy idea. It has probably been brought up a lot. However, at a time when so many pressing issues are at stake, bipartisanship must be emphasized.

The U.S. is at a place where millions of people who are living in this country illegally might be abandoned in favor of more opportunities for Americans. In President Obama’s immigration address, he announced an executive order to appease this problem. Even his attempt at a middle ground has angered many Republican politicians. As long as a Democrat is president, which could be possible after 2016, nothing will get done.

That might seem like an overstatement, but really think about it. Even with the Senate controlled by the Democrats before this last election, the government shut down. Politicians literally refused to do their job.

Bipartisanship is the only way the U.S. can survive in the years to come. Congress should be a team focused on improving the lives of the American public. Working together may seem like the most obvious way to make progress, but it appears to be the last thing on the minds of our politicians.

A new solution to this debacle may be what the American people want. In Kansas, independent Senate nominee Greg Orman didn’t manage to beat longtime Republican Sen. Pat Roberts in the midterm elections. Orman still managed to get almost 360,000 votes compared to Roberts’ 450,000, a surprise for the republican dominated state. This increase in independent voters should send a message to Congress that the constituents don’t want the duels between the dominant parties to continue.

To be honest, the Republicans were barely victorious. Despite multiple states being won, the voter turnout dropped in 38 states, hitting a low not seen since World War II. In fact, voter turnout hit 36.4 percent, a dismal number for both parties. The standstill in Congress has now leaked into the voting public. This should be a sign that voters have become fed up with Congress.

Let’s simplify this issue. There is not a huge difference between Congress and the group you are assigned to work with on a class project. The big differences are that the future of the entire country is at stake and one person can’t do all the work.