Make Their Time And Effort Count

The DC Post ^ | 11/9/10 | J.J Speelman

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By J.J. Speelman

The Election Day victory speaks volumes about the American people’s rejection of radical leftism in our culture. Conservatives, republicans, tea partiers, and independents cheered loudly as they watched their votes materialize into a win for our country. This was a step in the right direction, however, the application of conservative values and fiscal responsibility must begin January 20, 2011.

As Speaker Elect, John Boehner made perfectly clear in his victory speech: “It starts with cutting spending instead of increasing it. Reducing the size of government instead of expanding it. Reforming the way Congress works and giving government back to the people. And for all those families asking ‘where are the jobs?’ it means ending the uncertainty in our economy and helping small businesses get people back to work.”

It is a task easier said than done – especially when President Obama and his democratic majority racked up $3 trillion in deficit spending. The new House majority, under Speaker Boehner, will not use this as an excuse, but rather as motivation to move with urgency and to abolish the new wave of corruption that Obama, Pelosi, and Reid introduced to the beltway. However, the new majority must make this time count and take credit for their accomplishments along the way.

One can look back to the Clinton years and recall the prosperous times of the nineties. To this day, Clinton is showered with accolades and takes full credit for residing over the prosperity brought about by a republican majority led by Speaker Newt Gingrich. This aided Clinton to reelection in 1996. If Americans will stop and scrutinize the success and failures of the Clinton administration, they will see that in the first two years of his presidency, while having overwhelming democratic majorities in both houses, unemployment was at 6.5% – up from the 6.3% he inherited from his predecessor George H.W. Bush. Following the midterm election in 1994, which had republicans winning the majority, business conditions improved and unemployment declined to 4.77%. The deficit was also reduced dramatically after Gingrich and his majority took initiative on government spending. Inheriting a federal deficit of 3.35% of gross domestic product, the six years under the Gingrich majority brought about deficits less than zero with surpluses from 1998 through 2001.

Likewise, Obama has enjoyed a democratically-controlled Congress getting most of his agenda passed. Unfortunately, the American people wanted none of it. Obama has governed against the will of the people and spent recklessly. As a result, unemployment is now at 9.6% and the federal deficit is $13.6 trillion.

A question must be asked: If Obama is this radical in his first term, how much worse would it be should he win a second term and have nothing to lose? Will the positive product of the new republican majority’s hard work result in the reelection of President Obama in 2012? Or will the American people see Obama’s socialist agenda for the failure that it is?

The new majority, under Speaker Boehner, must stand up and make their voices loud and clear. Republicans must deliver their promise to clean up what is hurting this country. But they must also make their time and effort count by showing how it was their fiscal responsibility and willingness to conform to the will of the people that materialized the delivery of their promise. America cannot afford a second term of Obama. Americans are counting on the new House majority to help us through Obama’s first term. With strong emphasis on economic recovery and smaller government, the goal of the 112th Congress must be to preserve America’s heritage and oust this president who apparently cares little about it.

As Americans, it is our job to hold our newly elected officials’ feet to the fire and hold them accountable to their Pledge to America (http://pledge.gop.gov/) in keeping with the Constitution. We must stand unified, just as we did leading up to the recent election, and speak in one voice, “This country is about the consent of the governed, and you will be held accountable to us.” We must also acknowledge the paragon protests the Tea Party utilized to great effect. In this manner, we must take our approach to the new House majority and separate the wheat from the chaff, by voting out those not holding to conservative values. We must remember the promises of the “Pledge to America” and make certain that the voting record of Boehner and his new majority are consistent with those promises.

As long as the Pledge is followed, recovery of the American dream will materialize. Real hope will take place, thanks to the real change delivered by elected officials who understand and love the American way for what it is and always was. As Americans, let’s care enough to recognize who delivers the promises and through which ideals a pride in America will again surface. As we fix our eyes on the 2012 election, let’s focus our efforts on the candidates whose actions had substance rather than a candidate whose words delivered nothing but hot air.

J.J. Speelman is a conservative writer and blogger. He can be reached at JJSpeelman@aol.com.