Take a look at the latest polls, and trending themes for the upcoming midterm elections of 2010. Conservatives nation wide are jumping the shark, openly gleeful that a change in congress is upon the nation. Conservative politicians are prepping for life with John Boehner as Speaker of the House, and there is not much data to dispute their claims of significant gains.
While it is still undetermined just how many seats republicans can win this fall, it is likely that there will be a sizable shift in power to the right. But what if that power shift is more seismic in scope and scale than what is predicted? What if the republican party takes the reins of governance from their democratic counterparts? Will we see an epic effort to repeal health care? Will we see conservatives completely rein in spending, and demand fiscal restraint to cut the deficit?
For starters, a GOP controlled congress would mean one thing. One very big thing: It would mean they’d have to govern. Republicans would have to relinquish their grip on their scorched earth policy, and actually propose meaningful policy solutions. How prepared are they to do that, when much of the past two years have revolved around obstruction and obfuscation? Ousted former senator Bob Bennett openly lamented his party’s lack of direction and ideas, and how their strategy to obstruct progress is tied to party purity. Party purity may foster a groundswell of support within your base, but it’s hardly a substitute for leadership–and it sure as hell isn’t a model to use as a governing tool.
Is the GOP ready to enact these broad policies to cut the deficit and shrink the size of government? The previous records of GOP control in congress reflects poorly on their efforts–or lack of–to tame deficits.
And what of the president? President Obama’s poll numbers are not necessarily indicative of the actual work he has accomplished in a very partisan atmosphere. Those poll numbers do not reflect the policy victories he’s scored–victories which should have hardened his resolve and girded his appetite for engagement. After all, what administration can lay claim to passing sweeping health care reform, financial regulatory reform, resetting relations with Russia and China, and possibly an energy reform bill. All in two years time no less.
Looking through the political prism brings short term good news for the republican party. But they should be cautioned about short term success. After Lyndon Johnson passed Medicare, republicans gained 47 seats. Strong political momentum did not lead to sustained political clout, especially after the success of Medicare–which republicans demagogued as socialism (some arguments are timeless) and their own paranoid partisan foibles bubbled to the surface.
The President is on solid footing to battle a republican-controlled congress should the situation present itself. Given his policy successes, it may be easier to call the GOP’s bluff. Will they really put the deficit first and let the Bush tax cuts expire? Will they be willing to take on the tough choices such as exploding entitlement programs? These are decisions that require a modicrum of leadership that conservatives have not exhibited so far. Leadership extracts a price. Let’s see if conservatives are willing to pay it.
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“President Obama’s poll numbers are not necessarily indicative of the actual work he has accomplished in a very partisan atmosphere. Those poll numbers do not reflect the policy victories he’s scored–victories which should have hardened his resolve and girded his appetite for engagement. After all, what administration can lay claim to passing sweeping health care reform, financial regulatory reform, resetting relations with Russia and China, and possibly an energy reform bill. All in two years time no less.”
Who are the people that are being polled? Right wingers? It isn’t me or the people that I know that are supporting the President.
It’s not me either SouthernGirl. That’s the thing about polls. Everyone’s got one, but they never seem to poll people in the positive camp. I guess it’s better to report negativity than positivity.