From DeLay to November

The Opinion Journal ^ | April 5, 2006 | The Opinion Journal

[libstripper]

Tom DeLay's decision to resign from Congress removes one large Republican liability this election year, but it hardly ends the party's political vulnerability. One pressing question is whether the GOP majority is going to use the few productive weeks it has left to establish a 2006 record and 2007 agenda that are worthy of re-election.

Recent evidence is not reassuring. GOP leaders seem determined to avoid any meaningful legislative fights, lest their own internal fissures show. Instead, they're promising to make the election a "choice"--rather than a referendum on their own governance--and thus mobilize voters by claiming that Democrats would be worse: that they'd raise taxes, impeach President Bush and cut and run from Iraq if they win. And as a desperation strategy, fear does sometimes work.

[libstripper]

Some good sugggestions for what the Pubbies ought to be doing.

[rellimpank]

--good suggestions , all requiring backbone and leadership in the legislative and executive branches, as well as a cohesive party determined to win--

[Edit35]

I would bring up a new energy development plan (ANWR among others) every week until November, with press conferences detailing how Democrats WANT to raise the price of energy to satisy that party's enviro-wackies.

Of course it goes without saying that the GOP should launch a proposal to begin building a security fence along the southern border. The promo should be headed up by Americans of Hispanic heritage.

[CharlesWayneCT]

Of course, the house that he says is doing nothing just passed a sweeping immigration bill that shows the party's differences. It's the senate where we have the real problems.

[Colonel Batguano]

"Of course, the house that he says is doing nothing just passed a sweeping immigration bill that shows the party's differences. It's the senate where we have the real problems."

HERESY ALERT!
This just shows how clunky and inefficient our system of government is becoming. Having TWO legislative bodies is like having two cooks in one kitchen or two queen bees in one hive. It only leads at best to nothing getting done, or fierce conflict at worst. Another analogy would be the Pushme-Pullyou of Doctor Doolittle fame; a beast with a head at each end, and it doesn't know which way to go. If we MUST
have 2 legislative branches (IMO that's open to question) I'll paraphrase Rex Harrison (the star of the one GOOD Dr. Doolittle movie BTW): "Why can't the Senate be more like the House?" If you've seen My Fair Lady, you'll get the joke.

P.S. Some people in our movement favor abolishing direct election of US Senators and returning to the days when they are appointed by state legislatures. Terrible idea; that would only make the Senate even less responsive to the general will than it is now!