Harry Reid's (D-NV) control over the Senate will soon end, and corrupt, pork barrel spending will be his legacy. He has left more earmarks during his brutal reign than Mike Tyson. Hopefully there will be counselors for Dingy Harry and his fellow Democrat Senators to help them transition into other forms of white collar crime.
Obama’s failed policies and his arrogance hurt Democrats. He has worn on people. I am not sure he even gets the window seat on Air Force One any more. During his post-election press conference, he displayed not an ounce of humility and remains bitter, defiant and antagonistic. He seems intent on just continuing down his policy path that voters overwhelmingly rejected.
Democrat candidates ran away from Obama and did not want him campaigning for them in their states. Pretty soon they will start demanding to see Obama’s birth certificate.
Instead, Democrats did want Bill Clinton on the campaign trail with them. I guess the womanizer Clinton is in demand while the socialist statist Obama is not. The lesson we can learn here is that most people would like to fool around, but no one really wants to be forced share his things with others.
It makes sense that "Slick Willie" has more gravitas. Remember, Obama is an unpopular, lame duck president while Bill Clinton is married to the next president.
So what should Republicans do after their sweeping wins? One hopes they will not repeat the mistake they made after their big wins in 2010 by going after gay marriage. They go from being the party of limited government, liberty and individual responsibility to being like the mayor in "Footloose" who wanted to outlaw dancing in his town. It’s not what the electorate wants, and the GOP seems to have learned their lesson about focusing on meddlesome social issues.
The superficial statement that everyone always agrees with is, “Washington needs to work together to get more things done.” I think just the opposite: Washington should stop getting things done and leave us alone. “Getting things done” means passing another bill, tax or law. We do not need them. The Affordable Care Act did not make healthcare more affordable. The Patriot Act did not make us more patriotic. Both were excuses for even more government intrusion into our lives. Unwind, reduce and narrow the scope of government. Let the free market and the people, with their enlightened self-interest in mind, take over. When that is allowed, marvelous things happen. Terrible things happen when the government gets involved.
If they have to, here are a few things the GOP could probably compromise with Obama on and get done now:
1. We have the highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world. Corporations keep their profits and cash in other countries to avoid being taxed here. Create another tax holiday so they will be incentivized to bring $2 trillion in cash overseas back to the U.S. That will help create investment and jobs in America. It's a no-brainer.
2. Amend ObamaCare to allow competition for healthcare coverage across state lines. Competition benefits all consumers. Add tort reform. The fact that Obama did not do it the first time says two things: He is beholden to plaintiffs' attorneys, and he did not really care about reducing healthcare costs. Doctors are forced to practice defensive medicine to avoid being sued. If two tests are practical, they order six so as not to be vulnerable to litigation, and costs increase. Abolish the punitive 3.8% ObamaCare tax. It stifles investment in the U.S.
3. Under this President’s policies, annual middle class incomes have fallen from $55,000 to $50,000 — the biggest drop ever. Unchecked immigration has taken Americans' jobs or reduced what they are paid for them. Illegals pay little tax and send much of their money back home. Pass an immigration bill that protects the borders and reduces the influx of illegals who take social services, education and jobs from the middle class. Cheap illegal labor hurts the middle class, but it helps the rich by saving them $500 in labor costs for building their reflecting Koi ponds.
The only bipartisan bill I am sure will get done is one which funds the war against ISIS. Politicians on both sides agree that it is in their best interest to turn away from our shores a conquering Islamic extremist army that stones adulterers.
Ron Hart, a libertarian syndicated op-ed humorist,award-winning author and TV/radio commentator can be reached at Ron@RonaldHart.com or visit www.RonaldHart.com
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Republicans Win. What now?