Mac-Coleman

11 November 2014 –

Let’s do it the right way! 

The midterm elections are over.  If you heard the President’s response, only one-third of America has spoken.  But, that one-third’s voice has been loud.  Republicans now control both houses of Congress, over thirty of the governorships, and sixty-seven of the ninety-nine state legislative bodies.   If ever there was a time for Republicans to govern courageously, now is it. 

Since Election Day, the spectrum of political punditry has been predicting various types of future governance.  From The Blaze, National Review, and Fox News to The Huffington Post, National Public Radio, and the major networks, experts and politicians are prioritizing things that Congress and/or the President should do to “get things done” and “help America get back on its feet.” 

The jaded pessimist in me says that such blather is only hides the cyclical electoral battle to control the multi-trillion dollar business called our federal government.  Such talk reminds of me of a similar game we played in the Air Force.  When the Inspector General team regularly showed up on base to delve into, inspect, and grade everything we were doing, they would officially say,”We’re here to help you.”  The local commander would officially respond, ”And, we’re glad that you’re here.”  Save me from those in authority who intrude in my life and call it help. 

   

The naïve optimist in me says that the Republicans’ “bills-to-pass list” for the upcoming session is well thought out and should mitigate the top strategic threats to the safety and prosperity of the United States: our national debt; our porous borders; and our dependence on dubious, foreign energy sources.  The President and top Democrat legislators will see the wisdom of going to the center and will work with the majority to mitigate those threats and get things done.    

The old man in me says that long-term stability does not derive from rapidly passed laws or self-serving executive orders, no matter how pressing political requirements are at the time.  Stability and security result from our keeping the governance process within the strict constraints clearly written in the Constitution.   It’s the U.S. Constitution that makes this country exceptional, not the brilliance, ambition, or popularity of our leaders.  It’s the U.S. Constitution that pragmatically enables the freedoms and natural rights of U.S. citizens—rights and freedoms eloquently expressed in the Declaration of Independence.  Therefore, responsible leaders must operate the mechanisms of governance only under the rules laid out in America’s seminal document.  Right now, neither political party has had a stellar record in that regard.

It takes a lot of focus, faith in our exceptional system, and moral courage to not succumb to the enticements of political power.  Alas, the President, a constitutional lecturer no less, has consistently preferred to get what he wants through unconstitutional executive orders rather than by honoring the articles, sections, and clauses in the Constitution that clearly delineate and limit his power.  Senator Harry Reid, as Senate Majority Leader, has abetted the President’s corruption by refusing to respect the intent, specific duties, and limitations of Senate prerogatives, as outlined in Article I of the Constitution.  Legitimate constitutional governance has ground to a halt in recent years as power flowed into the Executive Branch. 

  

Both Republicans and the President are now in the hot seat.  Controlling the House and the Senate for the next two years gives Republicans the chance to not only to get things done, but also to scour the corruption that has smelled up the Executive Branch and the Senate for the last six years.  For starters, Republicans must pass the first budget in six years and put it and other constitutionally required bills on the President’s desk.  No more continuing resolutions to exacerbate profligate spending.  It then will be up to the President to veto bills or work with Congress to create bipartisan governance.  Congress’s acting within its constitutional limits will coerce the President to do the same.  The President must accept and share in the benefits of Republican-driven governance or officially veto and be solely accountable for rejecting laws that would limit our debt, staunch spending, stop our immigration and border crisis, simplify our tax code, bring trillions of dollars back to the United States, and help us become the world’s top energy producer and exporter. Acting within Constitutional limits will work in the Republicans’ favor, for the benefit of all. 

Finally, the Constitution, who we are as Americans, demands that the process work that way.  Republicans must show the moral courage to trust that our exceptional system will produce stability and strength in society. Governing this way is true reform.  Governing this way is true hope and change.  Governing this way is the exceptional thing to do.  Anything else is politics as usual.