The Republicans should seize this opportunity. The Democrats are in the bottom of a ditch and rather than circling around it to celebrate their misfortune, we Republicans have to fill it up with soil and plant a tree right there on that very spot. It’s easy, especially when in the minority, to do nothing but complain about Obama and the Democrats and celebrate when they fail. That’s what we’ve done with Obamacare. “We were right,” you hear Republican pundits say. But what good does that do? Do you want congratulations for the other guy’s failures?
We have to win with new legislation, bipartisan legislation that can pass with Democrats holding the Senate. Put it to the president and his lackeys: You can’t do it, but we can.
This whole idea that Obama won’t negotiate and pushes bills along heavily decisive partisan lines is quite true. But how are Republicans different? The GOP looks good now, but unless they seize this opportunity to put forward their version of healthcare reform (Health Savings Accounts, Catastrophic Insurance, etc.) to replace Obamacare, this will surely be short-lived.
Obama has set an example of aggressive, venomous, decisive politicking to push his agenda. And yet he complains that Republicans won’t help out on Obamacare. I get it, the president created this cultural mess in DC. But Republicans should shock us all and step up to the plate with real bipartisan legislation for healthcare, immigration, and education.
Part of the problem is that Republicans have no consensus, and little leadership. That’s the problem. And because of that, we, the Republicans, have become the party of no and the Democrats, the party of yes. The party of yes will always see more support, and appear more hopeful and full of goodwill. It is after all, the brilliant slogan that won Obama the Presidency. Republicans are negative nancies, it seems: no new taxes, no Obamacare, no gay marriage, and no immigration reform. This simply won’t win elections. You can’t hang laurels on someone else’s defeat. It’s not prudent, and it completely loses sight of what our politicians are supposed to do: pass laws that better our country, together, for the greater good.
So who is this leader that will take the Republicans through the next generation with Reaganlike fervor? I know who it isn’t, that’s for sure. It’s not the plethora of antsy hopefuls, staking claims on the presidency years in advance. Forget Cruz, Paul, Christie, and Jeb Bush. They’re jumping the gun, running, and have not risen above the tasteless political environment Obama has created.
The consensus is that we need a Governor to step up, someone with real CEO-type experience. I’d like to think he or she is out there. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio has made it known that he wants the presidency, but at 61, he’s rather flat and doesn’t seem to garner national attention. I like Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada. He’s young, fresh-faced, and can take back some of the Hispanic vote. I’d like to see him step up to lead the party, not run for the presidency three years in advance. Easier said than done. It’s Boehner’s job, Cantor’s job, you’ll say. But what have they done? Where have they brought the Party of No? Who is our Obama-esque leader who will invigorate and unite the nation, to lead the party to a better place? I don’t have an answer, but it’s a question we need to be asking.