Challenged!

12/24/2006

Paul Munnis


As our new Congress is forming and preparing for a hefty amount of work ahead there is intense scrutiny levied by the public. Democrats are under the microscope.


Will they behave responsibly? Are Democrats no better than Republicans? Will it be business as usual? Will the crime and corruption continue? Will ethics reform be so watered down as to be meaningless? Will the Democratic Party clean up its own house and deal with the Party member with a freezer full of cash? Will they get us out of Iraq with grace and dignity? Can they set Iraq on a right path before leaving?


These are questions that it is entirely fair to ask and the answers that people get in the next few months will do more to determine who wins the next presidential election than all of the ad money combined will do to win elections for our Party. Democrats have to stand and deliver or risk a cynical public just giving up on American government.


Democrats know that we live in a glass house. We know that we lost power because we were not delivering needed leadership in perilous times. We were so soundly chastised by voters that we might as well not have even showed up in Washington. We have been given a new chance and we do not plan to flub it.


Nancy Pelosi and Jack Reid have an opening agenda for the first 100 hours of the new Congress that if they pull it off will set the standard for the rest of the year. They are not about passing legislation to tear America apart – they plan to strengthen our nation, strengthen the middle class, strengthen workers, and restore our civil liberties. That is a worthwhile set of goals and we wish them well in their endeavor.


What follows after that marathon is going to be a number of things that move more slowly but that are vital. Crime and corruption must be rooted out, publicized, and punished because to not do that is to condone it.


Oversight of government must be restored.


Ethics must be cleaned up.


A budget must be crafted.


The deficit must be dealt with.


Our national debt must be contained.


Baby Boomers need to be assured of a dignified retirement.


A new foreign policy for America must be crafted.


Against all of that workload and effort - the din of a presidential election will be taking place. No matter. Congress must get its job done and not be distracted from doing the people’s business.


To the degree that Democrats do these things well we will be rewarded. To the degree that Republicans prevent them from getting done they will be punished. So let’s get on with the New Year and may it be a happy one for America.