We've all heard Spiderman's famous credo "With great power comes great responsibility." Sometimes, though, the challenge of identifying how to responsibly use power is overlooked by our representatives in their eager quest to push forward their own agendas.

Over these last few weeks, we have seen how stubborn our politicians can be. The stimulus package deserved to be debated. The severity of the problem and the magnitude of the bill being signed into law by President Barack Obama today are unprecedented in recent times. But the debate that should have happened didn't because power wasn't used responsibly.

Although the Republicans are a minority in both houses of Congress, they are very vocal. They argued that the legislation will fail; enough jobs won't be created and those that are will just be temporary. Small businesses won't get the tax breaks they need to survive, forcing more lay-offs. Liberal agenda items relating to health and education shouldn't be included.

With these concerns in mind, Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota proposed an alternate stimulus bill containing $440 billion in tax cuts, unemployment benefits and infrastructure projects. Republicans have the right and even the responsibility to fight for what they believe will relieve the crisis, but they had to realize that such efforts were merely symbolic. Thune's bill failed 60-37.

When the Democrats control the House, Senate and presidency, a Republican strategy focused on combating them as opposed to working with them won't produce the desired results. Thune's legislation was never going to pass, but it allows Republican senators who supported it to claim that they had an alternative. It's an "I told you so" in case the Democrat's stimulus package fails.

Republicans need to recognize what power they do and don't have. They didn't have the power to stop the Democrat's legislation or push through their own. Instead of wasting time on legislation doomed to fail, they should have been reaching out to Democrats, presenting targeted amendments. Although the fact that zero House Republicans supported the legislation created headlines, it won't help the communities they represent.

House Democrats, on the other hand, seem drunk with power. They deserve to lead the efforts on this legislation. The last election gave them that right. People elected them because they promised change, and this stimulus bill is a crucial part of their campaign promises.

But their numerical ability to shut Republicans out of the process doesn't mean it is right for them to do so. After all, a stimulus bill supported by both parties would instill far more confidence in the public than this version will.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's claim that only the Democrats are stepping up to the plate to address the crisis is simply untrue. Republicans were clamoring to be heard throughout the process, some turning to amendments and others to the media. They too were elected by constituencies and deserve to be heard.

This bill may be a victory for Democrats. But the Republican dissatisfaction about being left out of the process in the House will linger. The tension in the House will only make future bipartisan efforts harder.

I'm not asking Congress to come together in perfect harmony. I'm asking them to hear each other out. A spirited, honest debate can bring new, better ideas to light. Even if the numbers won't force a compromise in the final bill, a debate can bring about unique solutions and streamline what is already present.

Democrats must recognize that their power doesn't eliminate their responsibility to be open to diverse ideas. Republicans must learn to use their limited power responsibly.

It's not impossible. We saw compromise on a very small scale in the Senate with Republican Senators Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter. Because their votes were necessary to reach the 60-vote hurdle, Democrats valued them and incorporated their ideas.

Though Democrats don't need Republican votes in the House, taking the time to debate and consider Republican amendments is a courtesy that should be afforded and a process that will lead to better results. Pelosi should look to Obama for leadership and at least encourage honest dialogue between the parties.

Partisan bickering is detrimental at a time when Obama is working so hard to create public confidence in the bill and the government. It is creating the wrong political climate in Washington only weeks into the new Congressional session. The change Democrats promised is present in the text of the stimulus bill, but it wasn't in the process.

Aishlinn O'Connor is a Trinity sophomore. Her column runs every other Tuesday.