signalmankenneth
Verified User
Republican Agenda: Can You Figure It Out?
Midterm elections have a certain logic to them. The party out of power wants a seat so they can "force the President to the table," so they can bring moderation to what is seen as an extremist agenda. Such was the force behind President Reagan's midterm defeat in 1982, when Democrats made big gains after Reagan's first round of tax cuts worsened, rather than improved, unemployment.
Similarly, the 1994 "Contract with America" was a repudiation of all things Hillary, and supposedly forced Bill Clinton's agenda to the center.
This year, we get none of that. Republicans are not bothering to profess a willingness to work with President Obama, nor do they talk of a plan to bring Obama's agenda to the center. Here's what the Republicans themselves have said they plan to do. Remember, these are the Republican's own talking points, an agenda they've clearly said they will set in motion (see sources below):
1) Shut down government in order to repeal Obamacare, and force a battle to privatize Social Security.
2) Scale back financial reforms meant to prevent a repeat of the 2008 economic meltdown.
3) Oppose preferential tax cuts for small businesses and middle class families, push for an end to the IRS, and in its place, establish a nationwide 25 percent sales tax on all purchases.
4) End unemployment benefits (many Republican candidates call them unconstitutional)
5) End Medicare (also called unconstitutional by many high-profile Republicans running this year)
6) Issue "subpoena after subpoena" investigating all things Obama, from his citizenship, birthplace, supposed connections to ACCORN and some nonsense that he's part of a new Black Panther party.
7) Reverse all global warming legislation. Every major Republican candidate this year has claimed that global warming is a myth made up by liberals.
8) Kill Food Stamps. Again, most high-profile Republican candidates regard Food Stamps as... you guessed it...unconstitutional.
9) Continue holding up Obama's executive appointments.
These are staff positions the President needs to fill in order to run federal agencies, everything from Parks and Forest services to regulatory agencies, Veterans' services, Medicare and Social Security services as well. The Republicans have used a legislative trick called a "secret hold" 146 times to thwart bill passage, legislative appointments and emergency legislative. During the Bush years, Democrats used the hold 16 times.
Have the Republicans proposed anything that will actually create jobs, address our health care crisis, prevent an economic meltdown similar to the one that cost us trillions of dollars in 2008? The Republicans are expressing a visceral urge to undo everything and anything Obama has done. Beyond that, are they proposing anything positive?
By MIRIAM MILNE
