Congress has cried “Havoc!” and let slip the dogs of war.

Driven by ideology and dogma the Republican and Democratic Parties are tearing at each other’s throats and eviscerating reason from the body politic. Compromise is treated as a disease and collegiality seen as an infection.

And we, the people, cheer on from the hustings.

Beneath us all lies the certainty of our rightness, which we bolster with “evidence” that confirms our beliefs. We’ve abandoned science and reason, and confused beliefs with facts. And we use selection bias to cherry pick proof that solidifies our certainty.

Yet in the depths of our souls, might there not be tiny, niggling doubts that raise questions?

“Can all these other people be completely wrong, and we absolutely right? Are there no shades of grey, no nuance worthy of our consideration?”

Tempted by suspicion, we take reassurance from those who affirm our rightness. We cling to our favorite media personalities and news sources to the exclusion of others, and shun material that challenges our positions. We hate being made uncomfortable.

All of which, as the 2012 general election nears, should give us pause.

When our ballots are counted, will we have elected a Congress that employs reason and honest debate to frame legislation addressing our immense challenges? Will Congress once again become a free market of robust ideas and creative solutions?

Or will we continue to parade behind leaders who march us lock-step under dogmatic banners, framed by special interests and ideologues?

Our problems are too large and the opportunities too great for blunt-instrument thinking. We need women and men in Washington who lead through their disciplined understanding of complex problems and their vision for a future that embraces all Americans, not just a privileged few.