In a political climate growing increasingly bitter, the march to the midterm Nov. 6 election could be a turning point not only for our political system, but for our nation as a whole.

In short, it’s time to make a decision: Do we want to lead by example or fall by example?

Which road we take is on the shoulders of the politicians who will lead the way. In order to take the high road, they have to decide that blind obedience to party can just as easily take us down the low road — a darker path that grows increasingly dangerous for a country that is used to leading.

We sat down with First Congressional candidate Jim Hagedorn for an interview published in the Herald on Oct. 27. Hagedorn told us:

“People see that whoever controls the House and Senate, it’s going to make a big deal as to which direction the country goes,” Hagedorn told the Herald. “We’ve told everyone all along this is an important election. My opponent, Dan (Feehan), he’s going to vote with the Democrats in the House and that will set in motion how they interact with the president and what kind of policies they pursue. I’m going to vote with the Republicans and try to work with the president.”

A couple things first. We are in no way using this as an example to urge readers to vote against Hagedorn, any more than it is to vote for or against Dan Feehan. It also doesn’t imply a certain leaning one way or the other as far as political parties go. Democrats are just as guilty as Republicans when it comes to the stubborn adherence to party.

We’re also not suggesting that either Hagedorn or Feehan, whoever should be elected Tuesday, will never work with the opposing party.

But within the tide of partisan divide, those words and words uttered by other politicians are troubling. It stands as an example of how dangerous partisanship is and how easily it divides. The political process has always worked better when two sides come together as one to make this nation work, to make it better.

Just this year, a bill designed to address the opioid epidemic received support from Republicans and Democrats in both the House and Senate. The bill contained measures both on law enforcement and public health sides, and while there is still more left to address, it was an important step in the battle to fight opioid addiction. The bill was later signed by President Donald Trump in October.

And it came about when both sides came together to fix a problem.

The easy option of following the party line just because you are worried about what the other side will do should they fall in the majority does nothing for the country. It immediately eliminates ideas that might otherwise come to light.

Fewer ideas equal less progress.

This is an issue on both sides of the aisle, this idea that only one party or the other can save America. From where we sit, the one-sided nature of politics today hasn’t made America better, but it is making it more uncertain.

Ideas are always better when there is more than one voice. To have values is a fine thing, but to accept the values of others and work together is a better thing.

Politicians need to return to a time when the aisle was easily crossed. We understand there will always be somewhat of a division. Any time a group is split into smaller groups, a division is present, but that does not mean walking alone leads to something better.

If America is truly going to take a healthy step forward, it needs to let go of this follow-the-leader attitude.

It’s time for a team approach.

Work together, understand the merits of each side, disagree, then work to fix the problem so voters can rest easy in the idea that their vote mattered and they can truly see that politics and government can work.

Anything else wastes the potential of this nation.