Be the Party of Know

The Republicans have had the moniker of the Party of No for the past two years.  The left has also characterized them as standing in the way of passing legislation.  While that meme is completely false, for the first year in office Obama's policy agenda needed not one republican vote to move forward.  That changed slightly after the election of Scott Brown, but since the senate contains quite a few moderate republicans, it was relatively easy to pick off Brown, Snowe, Collins, or Graham had they really wanted to. 

Moving forward, in January, the republicans will now have that same luxury to pass anything through the house; not one democrat will need to be on board to pass something.  In the senate, the dems will have to get at least one more republican senator and the list above in order to move forward with any legislation.  Compromise will be necessary on both sides of aisle.  Many are saying that their should be no comprise whatsoever or that republicans should show the same type of compromise that dems showed over the past two years. 

Is this really what is best for the nation?  Our unemployment still hovers at just under 10%, much higher in some states.  Entitlement spending is out of control, we have people who have been collecting unemployment for years and there doesn't seem to be an end to the continuation of these benefits.  One could argue that this just increases unemployment, but what do you do about the person who is really looking and can't find anything?  The foreclosures show no signs of leveling out and the housing market is probably years away from a substantial recovery.  The country is in need of solid policies that will create the environment that the private sector is willing to start investing, this will then spur growth.   

The republicans had better have a clear understanding that the country is expecting results.  I am not advocating going back on principle, because I am not.  What I am advocating is passing common sense legislation with very thorough explanations of what that legislation will accomplish.  If President Obama or the democratic run senate choose to stop the legislation, that is their choice.  But they must put actions to the words over the past two years. 

Americans want solutions to the very real problems that our country is facing.  We are not interested in the infighting that goes on between the political class inside the beltway.  We want economic stability, we want to see the foreclosure to go away, we want to see the local strip malls full of life again; instead of the windows that are full of Lease Available signs.  We want the government to stop printing money out of nowhere, as we understand that inflation is not far behind. 

The election results from the past few years were very clear, we are tired of the status quo.  If we don't get the change that is necessary we will kick you out too.  Many are already stating that Obama cannot get re-elected in two years.  Wasn't that said about Dubbya six years ago?  Wasn't that said about Clinton in 94?  It is very difficult to beat a sitting president.  Re-election happens more often than not. 

If the true goal is rid the country of a second Obama term, we need to realize that a willingness to make the tough choices is what is in order.  President Reagan once said that comprise doesn't mean letting go of your core principles.  A lesson that Boehner needs to embrace.