The $4 billion the country spent on this last election should be looked at as a little boom for the economy. Political consultants, media buyers, the hospitality industry, and others tied to the various campaigns got a little boost in revenue. So, that's good. You see, we can find money to spend when we want to.
While we had to suffer through the nauseating attack ads that are now part of the norm, we watched a country tell its government it wanted a change in direction. This was by no means an embracing of the Republican Party as the devout Republicans would like to think. It was the independent citizens telling the government they didn't like the direction the country was heading and wanted change. The level of trust in government is at an all-time low- for both major parties. In two years if we're in the same place, the same thing will happen- we'll have another change.
Now that the Republicans are driving the bus (or at least near the front) they now have an opportunity to step up to the plate with specifics on what they intend to do. They have been exceptional in the complaining department (and have brought up justifiable concerns). It's just they have been woefully short on the specifics of their alternatives. They now have the chance to show what they can do.
Repealing the health care reform legislation is becoming a central battle-cry for the "new government." Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is leading the charge as he explores his presidential run for 2012. On CNN he once again denounced the "takeover of health care by the federal government" and instead wants to rely on the "free market" to do its magic- but there are not a lot of specifics beyond that. Michelle Bachmann (R MN) has jumped on the bus as part of the Tea Party movement commenting during her debates that she believes allowing consumers to purchase health care across state lines will solve the problems we have in health care. This is all great political-speak for the free-market purists, but, exactly what are you going to do and exactly how will it work? I guess they haven't got that far yet.
Solving our health care crisis is an economic issue, it is a debt issue. It is no longer simply a campaign debate. Health care (even before the reform legislation) was dragging our economy down. We seem to have lost this fact in all the political talking points we've heard over the past year. Medicare/Medicaid spending are the two biggest components of our growing national debt (along with Social Security) and is only going to get worse as the Baby Boomers create a tsunami within the Medicare system. The same is true for Medicaid as the rolls of recipients expand as a result of our depressed economy.
Regardless of what one thinks about the legislation that was passed earlier in the year (Pawlenty called it "the worse piece of legislation passed in modern times") it brought the issue of health care near the top of the national agenda- where it should be. Our health care system is (and has) impacted the competitive positioning of employers and thus impacts jobs- this is nothing new. It has economically wiped out average citizens and created hardships for many others with the fragmented and costly inefficiencies that are part of it today. Everyone agrees the health care system we have today is unsustainable for the future.
As Republicans assume their new role it's time they move beyond the broad generalities outlined in the Pledge to America and through the campaign rhetoric. They will likely find once again (as Democrats found in 2010 and as Republicans should have learned in 2008) that campaigning and governing are two totally different animals.
Americans are open to new ideas. Instead of focusing on the campaign message of "Repealing Obamacare" let's hear what your specific alternatives might be. The health care crisis is not going away.
Americans are listening and waiting to hear what you have to say. You've got two years.
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