Well, my political Christmas Came and went. I had hoped that a late breaking trend toward Republicans would stave off the Democratic tide. However that didn't happen. As it turned out, all I got was a lump of coal.Come January, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid will be leaders of the House and Senate. With this victory, the Demos will have actually stand for something now, instead of just being anti-Bush.
Obviously, the American people were very dissatisfied with the war in Iraq. While they may have supported our going into Iraq in the first place, they are tiring of the way the battle has been waged. The constant daily attacks in the Mainstream Media have taken their toll. The President will now have to consider some new strategies in Iraq. I'm not saying he will give up, and cut and run, but they may need to shift how the battle is being waged. Perhaps even additional troops are needed to get the job done. I hope he doesn't just give in to the Democrats.
Essentially the Republican controlled congress has blown a great opportunity the last 4 years to get things done. It had been nearly 50 years since there had been a Republican President, Republican House, and Republican Senate. They frittered away their chances to get things done. So much was left on the table. Meaningful immigration reform. A real energy policy. Social Security Reform. Making the Tax cuts permanent.
Of course, the rules of the Senate didn't help much. You basically have to have 60 votes to get anything through. Tom Daschelle and Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate Minority Leaders, did their best to obstruct at every turn.
Then there were the Republican obstructionists, John McCain being chief among them.
There was the opportunity to use the "Constitutional Option", to eliminate the shameful and unprecedented use of the filibuster to prevent judicial nominees from getting a vote on the Senate floor. But McCain and his Gang of 14 obstructed that maneuver, throwing several judicial nominees to federal appellate courts under the bus in the process.
Then again, there were some bills that were passed that needed osbtructing. Like the so called "Campaign Finance Reform Bill", co-authored by our pal John McCain, Thehuge farm subsidy bill, the Medicare Prescription entitlement, and elements of the No Child Left Behind Bill.
Now congressional Republicans are paying the price for their ineffectiveness. Unfortunately America will now pay a price too. The prospects of getting much done legislatively in the next two years are slim. Both sides will be mired in positioning for the 2008 presidential election .
Frankly, I am not comforted by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi's assurances that they want to work together in a bipartisan manner. To them, bipartisan means having it their way. Anything less than caving in to their demands is considered being "divisive".
Let's hope President Bush will find his long-lost veto pen. He's going to need it.
I hope my "real" Christmas turns out better than this one!
Obviously, the American people were very dissatisfied with the war in Iraq. While they may have supported our going into Iraq in the first place, they are tiring of the way the battle has been waged. The constant daily attacks in the Mainstream Media have taken their toll. The President will now have to consider some new strategies in Iraq. I'm not saying he will give up, and cut and run, but they may need to shift how the battle is being waged. Perhaps even additional troops are needed to get the job done. I hope he doesn't just give in to the Democrats.
Essentially the Republican controlled congress has blown a great opportunity the last 4 years to get things done. It had been nearly 50 years since there had been a Republican President, Republican House, and Republican Senate. They frittered away their chances to get things done. So much was left on the table. Meaningful immigration reform. A real energy policy. Social Security Reform. Making the Tax cuts permanent.
Of course, the rules of the Senate didn't help much. You basically have to have 60 votes to get anything through. Tom Daschelle and Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate Minority Leaders, did their best to obstruct at every turn.
Then there were the Republican obstructionists, John McCain being chief among them.
There was the opportunity to use the "Constitutional Option", to eliminate the shameful and unprecedented use of the filibuster to prevent judicial nominees from getting a vote on the Senate floor. But McCain and his Gang of 14 obstructed that maneuver, throwing several judicial nominees to federal appellate courts under the bus in the process.
Then again, there were some bills that were passed that needed osbtructing. Like the so called "Campaign Finance Reform Bill", co-authored by our pal John McCain, Thehuge farm subsidy bill, the Medicare Prescription entitlement, and elements of the No Child Left Behind Bill.
Now congressional Republicans are paying the price for their ineffectiveness. Unfortunately America will now pay a price too. The prospects of getting much done legislatively in the next two years are slim. Both sides will be mired in positioning for the 2008 presidential election .
Frankly, I am not comforted by Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi's assurances that they want to work together in a bipartisan manner. To them, bipartisan means having it their way. Anything less than caving in to their demands is considered being "divisive".
Let's hope President Bush will find his long-lost veto pen. He's going to need it.
I hope my "real" Christmas turns out better than this one!
2 comments:
Oh, how I agree with you! If they were interested in working with the Republicans they would have been doing it the past several years. I have to say that I did laugh when Murtha was not voted in for what ever position it was that Nancy Pulosi wanted him in for. That was my only bright spot throughout this whole thing. It is even worse for me being in the district with Jim Matheson, GRRRR!
I think most conservatives feel about the same way, abandoned by those who claimed to support the same agenda. I was always afraid the wicked witch of the west when watching the Wizard of Oz; now I know that her name was Nancy, "I've got you now my Pretty!"
Post a Comment