Whatever one’s political persuasion, those who view themselves as Americans first and foremost must have experienced sinking feelings not long after President Barack Obama and Republican leaders agreed Tuesday on specific areas in which they could collaborate and make meaningful progress.

The meeting to agree on bipartisanship seemed to unravel into the usual political antics before day’s end. Republican House Leader John Boehner, in a press gathering, immediately questioned the president’s resolve in cutting runaway spending. The president held a surprise press conference to assault what some label Republican obstructionism, then said he might use a constitutional provision to put executive branch nominees into posts without Senate confirmation.

Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea if everyone just froze in place in the huge blizzard blasting Washington, D.C., this week. Not much productive is going on there anyway.

Yes, many of us have firm views on health care reform, the budget deficit and national security. Yet, as Americans all, is it not right to ask if many of our leaders, on both the left and right, are playing our cherished constitutional system for selfish ends? Should we not ask if they aren’t possibly engaging in divisive politics for short-term personal gain, even as it further alienates us from our neighbors?

The constant sniping by Democrats and Republicans sometimes suggests a Middle East peace summit, where negotiators with no real intention of dialogue simply dig in and continue sparring, even as citizens suffer. In America, most of us elect the president and lawmakers to treat one another with respect and to work within a democratic system to get things done.

We’re glad the president has belatedly decided to embrace bipartisanship, even if we worry about dubious allies such as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — a concern we expressed well before his inauguration. We’re encouraged by those Republicans who seem intent on working with Democrats, though we worry about their readily giving in to impulses to play to narrowly focused special-interest groups.

Bipartisanship means both sides being flexible in upcoming talks, whether it’s the Feb. 25 summit to wrestle with the thorny issue of health care or a bill to create jobs through tax incentives, now being crafted by U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah. Give-and-take is something most of us must practice in our daily lives, whether in the workplace or at home.

We are all Americans. Let’s pray we get beyond this tiresome charade of blaming one another for past actions and scoring cheap political points. The rancor serves neither us nor the generations of Americans yet to come.