  This paper outlines the importance of understanding jets from compact
binaries for the problem of understanding the broader phenomenology of jet
production. Because X-ray binaries are nearby and bright, have well-measured
system parameters, and vary by factors of $\sim 10^6$ on $\sim$ year
timescales, they provide a unique opportunity to understand how various aspects
of the jet physics change in response to changes in the accretion flow, giving
the possibility of looking for trends within individual systems and testing
their universality with other systems, rather than trying to interpret large
samples of objects on a statistical basis.
