GOP, Show That You Can Govern: Pass Good Laws and Defy Obama to Veto Them

National Review ^ | 11/7/2014 | Charles Krauthammer

[SeekAndFind]

Memo to the GOP. You had a great night on Tuesday. But remember: You didn’t win it; the Democrats lost it.

This is not to say that you didn’t show discipline in making the election a referendum on six years of Barack Obama. You exercised adult supervision over the choice of candidates. You didn’t allow yourselves to go down the byways of gender and other identity politics.

It showed: A gain of probably nine Senate seats, the largest Republican House majority in more than 80 years, and astonishing gubernatorial victories, including Massachusetts, Maryland, and Illinois, the bluest of the blue, giving the lie to the Democrats’ excuse that they lost because the game was played on Republican turf.

The defeat — “a massacre,” The Economist called it — marks the final collapse of Obamaism, a species of left-liberalism so intrusive, so incompetently executed, and ultimately so unpopular that it will be seen as a parenthesis in American political history. Notwithstanding Obama’s awkward denials at his next-day news conference, he himself defined the election when he insisted just last month that “these [i.e. his] policies are on the ballot — every single one of them.”

They were, and America spoke. But it was a negative judgment, not an endorsement of the GOP. The prize for winning is nothing but the opportunity for Republicans to show that they can govern — the opportunity to seize the national agenda.

Five weeks ago, I suggested a series of initiatives that would be like the 1994 “Contract with America,” but this time post facto. It’s not rocket science. Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate majority leader, and House speaker John Boehner are already at work producing such an agenda.

[twoputt]

I wouldn’t mind seeing Louie Gohmert with the gavel either.

[InterceptPoint]

The wave vote on Tuesday was not about “center of mass” my FRiend, it was about turning the ship around. McConnell and Boehner are not strong enough leaders for that kind of work. I’ll take Cruz and Gowdy too!
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Yes, it was about turning the ship around. But, like it or not, we needed the Left Half of the GOP to help us pull on those ropes. The Mark Kirk fans in Illinois were right there with us.

So I’ll accept your argument that McConnell and Boehner are weak. That could well be. But you are not going to get the other half of the GOP to vote for Cruz and Gowdy. You need to select their replacements from the middle not the far right. That’s real life in politics.

[uncitizen]

I think that the left side of the GOP needs real conservative leadership to give them confidence to move further right. When they see how the people respond to real conservative leaders, maybe we will see they are not so far left as they seem to be.

This is the time for bold moves. The electorate has said “go for it!” and they should.

[InterceptPoint]

This is the time for bold moves. The electorate has said “go for it!” and they should.

I'm with you there. The iron is definitely hot right now. I'm hoping for two years worth of "Popcorn Time".

[EQAndyBuzz]

Repubicans need to take each and every bill that died on Harry Reid’s desk, chunk them down to smaller, single item bills, pass them and send them to Obama.

First bill, immigration. Seal the border. Hand it to Obama. When he cries for a comprehensive bill, Republicans should say it is comprehensive, but they are doing it one piece at a time to ensure there is no confusion or markups.

Next up. Keystone. Put America back to work. Every item the Americans wanted but Democrats let die should hit Obamas desk every day.

Every day send Obama something for signature. Every bill must help Americans and every bill must force Democrats to go on record.

Most importantly, keep Social issues off the menu. We should be fighting this war in our churches, schools and communities. By keeping it out of Washington we take away their base. Plus we take the MSM out of the game.

Unfortunately we are all use to seeing the GOP steal defeat from the jaws of victory. Hopefully they learned a lesson.....hopefully.

[1Old Pro]

I agree with Charles here, position to take the oval office in 2016 THEN we can make real change.

[pfflier]

The submittal of individual bills on their own merits is a paperwork blizzard. But, each one requires a response to justify a veto. Obummer would have to interrupt his golf game to write 300 of those. He is too lazy to do it.

Even the idol worshiping MSM cannot ignore 300+ vetos. It would force the stalemate argument away from congress and to the chosen one's office where it really belongs anyway.

[JoeFromSidney]

Mitch McConnell, the incoming Senate majority leader, and House speaker John Boehner are already at work producing such an agenda.

With McConnell's pre-emptive surrender on Obamacare, it doesn't look like these two "leaders" are going to change much.