Thanks to American voters, Republican Party candidates did very well in the US' Mid Term elections. That sounds so good to write that I will say it again. The Republican Party gave the Democrat Party a thrashing in the Mid Term elections.
And let's be clear - a thrashing is what it was. Leave aside, for a moment, the exceedingly good results in the Senate and Gubernatorial races - since these were not nation-wide then they can be said to not be representative of the 'national mood'. The same cannot be said of the elections for the House of Representatives. These were conducted across America and, given President Obama's assertion that his policies were 'on the ballot', then there was a very clear repudiation of those policies. I suspect that it wasn't just the overt policies - those that head towards the statute book, I think that it was also the modus operandi employed by the Democrats that was rejected (more on this, shortly).
Americans across the country have seen the left-ward lurch under Obama and, in spite of a fawning and therefore uninformative media, they have rejected that direction and have indicated a desire to move back towards more traditional American values and politics.
That said, I sense that this 're-positioning' should not be considered as permanent. By this I mean that the American people have been sorely tested by Obama's economic 'recovery' the failings of Obamacare and the various scandals that would have engulfed any other administration but with the compliance of the media, merely 'stained' this one, but I don't think that Republicans have clearly articulated a coherent alternative. So, .......
When the new Congress convenes in January, they need to hit the ground running. Republicans cannot be Republicans in name only (RINOs). Nor can Tea Party adherents be ideological obstructionists. Both wings of the 'right' need to come together and pursue Republican policies. And this united front needs to be complied with. So no sulking and taking your vote away because your too far right of 'right of centre' idea has been rejected by the majority of the Republican movement. Argue your position and then get behind the decision. America is not your plaything and can't simply wait on you sulking in your tent, nor will America forgive such petulance. The 'right' has an opportunity to pursue conservative policies and push that agenda but that doesn't mean pursuing far right or 'Democrat in Republican clothing' policies. America is in trouble and needs its conservatives to put aside the 'nice to haves' and to focus on the 'have to haves'. To focus on getting Americans back to work, a strong economy and a strong and respected America.
In short, Republicans need to get on with the job for which they were collectively elected - to 'fix' America.
What does that mean? Well, let's consider the current state of play. The Democrats and the President still have a little under two months to push through legislation and then, after January, President Obama has his mighty pen and Executive Orders. Congress after January is obviously though, not without its own power, not least of which is to defund, defund and defund.
In my view, Mitch McConnell, assuming he is elected as Majority Leader and Speaker John Boehner need to come out and publicly state that any inflammatory legislation, e.g. an immigration amnesty, that is rushed through before the new Congress sits, will be opposed and, come January, repealing legislation will be passed. Same applies to any pardons or whitewashes of the various scandals that have surfaced - these abuses of power will be pursued and prosecuted - not to the exclusion of all else, fixing the economy has absolute priority, but for the good of America's democracy.
During the recent campaign, much was made of the number of bills that are sitting on former Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid's desk. The number was in excess of 300. What particularly irked people was that many of these had passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support and some, unanimously so. Therefore these bills, should now move from the Harry Reid waiting room, through to the floor of the Senate and onwards to votes and Presidential signing.
Next, Obamacare. All I have heard of it tells me that this is wrong for America. Certainly it isn't delivering the savings nor the coverage that was touted. Rather than get into a battle over repealing it - Obama will be most unlikely to sign any such repeal into law - simply defund it. Or, if it can be fixed (and Republican thinkers, when they apply themselves are very innovative) then proceed with it but, and it is a big one, there can be no exemptions. Congress cannot pass laws and then exempt itself from the effects of such laws. That might have worked for pre-revolution French aristocrats but not for 21st Century Americans.
The Senate needs to institute hearings on the scandals that have surfaced (VA administration, Fast and Furious, Benghazi and IRS, spring immediately to mind). Such hearings have been blocked by Harry Reid and the Democrats because they will clearly be an embarrassment for the Obama administration. This cannot continue. And if people like the former IRS head, Lois Lerner, plead the 'fifth' then recognise the fact that she is in contempt of Congress and throw her in jail. Same for those people who are busily destroying e-mails!
Fundamentally though, the new Republican Congress needs to work on fixing America. Be very clear, there is a deep disapproval of Congress, by the electorate. My view is that this is because Americans see Congress as more interested in politicking than in getting something done (and maybe also, 'lining their own pockets' at the same time.
Don't look to the White House for support - it hasn't come in the last six years, it won't come in the next two. A job title for Community Organizer sounds like it should qualify you to bring people together but we have seen that the former Community Organizer, occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is only concerned with telling the community what to do and doesn't feel the need to listen to the community.
As said earlier, fixing America means putting aside what divides Republicans and focusing on getting the economy re-built.
I am British and I know this about Republicans. It doesn't matter if they are left of centre-right, centre right or right of centre right or even really right of centre-right, they have common core principles founded on a love of their country and the US Constitution and a belief in conservative values such as small government. Think of those uniting principles in the coming months and focus on restoring America. The USA needs this and so does the rest of the right-thinking World.
And let's be clear - a thrashing is what it was. Leave aside, for a moment, the exceedingly good results in the Senate and Gubernatorial races - since these were not nation-wide then they can be said to not be representative of the 'national mood'. The same cannot be said of the elections for the House of Representatives. These were conducted across America and, given President Obama's assertion that his policies were 'on the ballot', then there was a very clear repudiation of those policies. I suspect that it wasn't just the overt policies - those that head towards the statute book, I think that it was also the modus operandi employed by the Democrats that was rejected (more on this, shortly).
Americans across the country have seen the left-ward lurch under Obama and, in spite of a fawning and therefore uninformative media, they have rejected that direction and have indicated a desire to move back towards more traditional American values and politics.
That said, I sense that this 're-positioning' should not be considered as permanent. By this I mean that the American people have been sorely tested by Obama's economic 'recovery' the failings of Obamacare and the various scandals that would have engulfed any other administration but with the compliance of the media, merely 'stained' this one, but I don't think that Republicans have clearly articulated a coherent alternative. So, .......
When the new Congress convenes in January, they need to hit the ground running. Republicans cannot be Republicans in name only (RINOs). Nor can Tea Party adherents be ideological obstructionists. Both wings of the 'right' need to come together and pursue Republican policies. And this united front needs to be complied with. So no sulking and taking your vote away because your too far right of 'right of centre' idea has been rejected by the majority of the Republican movement. Argue your position and then get behind the decision. America is not your plaything and can't simply wait on you sulking in your tent, nor will America forgive such petulance. The 'right' has an opportunity to pursue conservative policies and push that agenda but that doesn't mean pursuing far right or 'Democrat in Republican clothing' policies. America is in trouble and needs its conservatives to put aside the 'nice to haves' and to focus on the 'have to haves'. To focus on getting Americans back to work, a strong economy and a strong and respected America.
In short, Republicans need to get on with the job for which they were collectively elected - to 'fix' America.
What does that mean? Well, let's consider the current state of play. The Democrats and the President still have a little under two months to push through legislation and then, after January, President Obama has his mighty pen and Executive Orders. Congress after January is obviously though, not without its own power, not least of which is to defund, defund and defund.
In my view, Mitch McConnell, assuming he is elected as Majority Leader and Speaker John Boehner need to come out and publicly state that any inflammatory legislation, e.g. an immigration amnesty, that is rushed through before the new Congress sits, will be opposed and, come January, repealing legislation will be passed. Same applies to any pardons or whitewashes of the various scandals that have surfaced - these abuses of power will be pursued and prosecuted - not to the exclusion of all else, fixing the economy has absolute priority, but for the good of America's democracy.
During the recent campaign, much was made of the number of bills that are sitting on former Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid's desk. The number was in excess of 300. What particularly irked people was that many of these had passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support and some, unanimously so. Therefore these bills, should now move from the Harry Reid waiting room, through to the floor of the Senate and onwards to votes and Presidential signing.
Next, Obamacare. All I have heard of it tells me that this is wrong for America. Certainly it isn't delivering the savings nor the coverage that was touted. Rather than get into a battle over repealing it - Obama will be most unlikely to sign any such repeal into law - simply defund it. Or, if it can be fixed (and Republican thinkers, when they apply themselves are very innovative) then proceed with it but, and it is a big one, there can be no exemptions. Congress cannot pass laws and then exempt itself from the effects of such laws. That might have worked for pre-revolution French aristocrats but not for 21st Century Americans.
The Senate needs to institute hearings on the scandals that have surfaced (VA administration, Fast and Furious, Benghazi and IRS, spring immediately to mind). Such hearings have been blocked by Harry Reid and the Democrats because they will clearly be an embarrassment for the Obama administration. This cannot continue. And if people like the former IRS head, Lois Lerner, plead the 'fifth' then recognise the fact that she is in contempt of Congress and throw her in jail. Same for those people who are busily destroying e-mails!
Fundamentally though, the new Republican Congress needs to work on fixing America. Be very clear, there is a deep disapproval of Congress, by the electorate. My view is that this is because Americans see Congress as more interested in politicking than in getting something done (and maybe also, 'lining their own pockets' at the same time.
Don't look to the White House for support - it hasn't come in the last six years, it won't come in the next two. A job title for Community Organizer sounds like it should qualify you to bring people together but we have seen that the former Community Organizer, occupying 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is only concerned with telling the community what to do and doesn't feel the need to listen to the community.
As said earlier, fixing America means putting aside what divides Republicans and focusing on getting the economy re-built.
I am British and I know this about Republicans. It doesn't matter if they are left of centre-right, centre right or right of centre right or even really right of centre-right, they have common core principles founded on a love of their country and the US Constitution and a belief in conservative values such as small government. Think of those uniting principles in the coming months and focus on restoring America. The USA needs this and so does the rest of the right-thinking World.
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