I have given everyone a rest, for the most part, but now it is time to get back to work. Here in Milam County Tuesday night was a good night to be a Republican as we carried the load for the GOP by taking 10 out of 11 local races and carrying Milam County for every elected spot on the State and Federal ballot including all four spots on the 3rd Court of Appeals. Even Mitt Romney carried nearly 70% of Milam County.
But even with the great success Tuesday night was for the Milam County GOP, the United States is still in turmoil. And NO, it’s not just because as a country we re-elected Barack Obama as President, but because for all the talk of a faltering government in Washington, we voted as a country to essentially send the same people back to Washington to do the same job (or lack thereof) that they have not been doing for many years that has the United States in such a mess.
What we needed was a new direction in Washington and since Tuesday all we have been hearing is more of the same. It is true that we are approaching a fiscal cliff the likes this nation has never seen; unfortunately, we have a dysfunctional leadership vacuum in Washington that appears to still remain even following the most expensive elections ever on record.
Now I am a principled Republican and I agree with the conservative principles of the GOP for the most part and while I am unmovable in my core beliefs, I also understand that we have a country to run and we must do what is best to govern; that is not what has been happening for at least the last four years….actually, more like the last 8+ years.
We all get it; the Republicans are conservative and the Democrats are liberal; the Republicans believe in plan “red” and the Democrats believe in plan “blue.” But let’s be honest, neither of those two plans are going to make it through, what we need is a plan “Purple” that blends to two plans into an agreeable national plan that allows our country to improve and not to regress as we have the last few years.
And it is possible – It’s Called COMPRIMISE!
Compromise has been given a bad name in recent years as it is thought of as giving up on your ideals – BUT IS IT? Can’t we see compromise as a spirit of cooperation to create a successful piece of legislation that will get through the legislative process and help govern the country?
No one has to sacrifice their beliefs on an issue, just maybe take the time to compromise a little in the negotiation process to move forward. You bring your ideas and beliefs to the table as a basis for the negotiations and then you agree to create legislation that will accomplish what is best for the citizens and the country.
This can be done and has been done before. In the 1980’s, President Reagan learned to work with a democrat legislature by passing tax reforms and immigration reforms that occurred even with the “Iran-Contra” affairs having taken place. In the 90’s Bill Clinton was able to work with a Republican Legislature that passed welfare reform and balanced the budget even after he had been impeached.
THIS CAN BE DONE!!
What we need is leadership – Good, Positive Leadership!! We need positive Leadership from the President that seeks to work with the congressional leadership in a bi-partisan manner that benefits America and not demigod a certain class, race, sex, or any other demographic for political expediency. We need Leadership from Senator Harry Reid that allows the Senate to vote on legislation coming from the House regardless of his feelings on the legislation and how he believes the senate will vote on it. We need Leadership from John Boehner that doesn’t just tote a party-line but reaches across the aisle in a manner that shows that he can treat the Democrats in the House in a manner that the Republicans in the Senate would like to be treated. As a matter of fact, we need all of this from all the leaders in Washington.
THIS CAN BE DONE!!
As Americans, we agree to disagree about certain issues and to have enough respect for those differing opinions that we do not degrade an individual for having them, but work with those individuals to find common ground and work in a manner that benefits us all.
No one came out of last week’s election with a mandate; everyone came out of the election still an American and as such we need to work together to make this the country we all want it to be. President Bush had a mandate early in his presidency as did President Obama – it doesn’t exist anymore.
Following last Tuesday’s vote, the government in Washington is truly a government of the people; and the government of the people needs to govern for the people – not for themselves or their parties.
THIS CAN BE DONE!!
I’ll put my soapbox up now,
Bill
