House Minority Leader John Boehner (D OH-8) informs Republicans that in order for the GOP to regain the majority, it will take some sacrifices on their part. The first of which is a 1 year moratorium on earmarks for all Republicans. He also is advocating the creation of a panel to review the process according to The Politico “including the abuses that have occurred, and a litany of smaller guidelines to curtail wasteful earmarks or member-requested projects that benefit campaign contributors or other private entities.”
A simple solution to this whole problem is out there. How about attaching members names directly to the earmark being proposed. At this time, the leadership in the House does its best to prevent the release of the proposing member’s name. The earmark process is broken because it does not include the American people.
Boehner goes on the record telling fellow Republicans,
“We’re here today to ask ourselves: Are Republicans the party that can fix Washington?” Boehner asked his members Friday morning, according to excerpts of his speech. “If so, what sacrifices are we willing to make to PROVE we are that party? We cannot do this without being bold and putting forth fresh solutions.”
“The American people believe Washington is broken. Middle class families see the cost of living rising. They see more and more of their hard earned dollars being eaten up by college costs, health care costs, housing costs, food costs.”
“With all this happening in their daily lives, they’re watching the news — and they see politicians in Washington WASTING their money. While families are struggling to make ends meet, they look up and see politicians using taxpayer money to build monuments to themselves … funding hippie museums … letting entitlement spending spiral out of control. ”
“Our mission is simple, if we choose to accept it: show the American people we’re different. Americans believe Washington is broken. They’re right. We need to show them we’re ready to fix it. The mission is simple — but that doesn’t mean the mission is EASY. ”
“We’re here today to ask ourselves: Are Republicans the party that can fix Washington? If so, what sacrifices are we willing to make to PROVE we are that party? We cannot do this without being bold and putting forth fresh solutions. ”
“In 1994 we made sacrifices. We gave up perks. We gave up privileges. We took risks. We thought big. We rolled dice. We need to go through this process today and tomorrow with the same mentality.”
“If we woke up suddenly tomorrow and found ourselves in the majority, would we be any different? How would we be different from the Republicans of the past AND the Democrats of the present? If we can’t answer these questions for Americans over the course of the next year, we will stay in the minority. ”
“If we’re going to pick up seats in 2008, we have to strike a chord in the hearts of the American people — our base, and Republican-leaning independents alike. We cannot win by singing the same old tune. Washington is broken. We need to give the American people reasons to believe we’ll fix it. ”
“We’re not starting from scratch. We had a good year last year. In 2006 we warned the American people a Democratic Congress would be like this: a majority devoted to higher taxes, bigger government, and retreat. In 2007 we gave the American people reasons to believe we were right. We showed that the Democrats are exactly who we thought they’d be. This is something we can build on. Our challenge in 2008 is to give Americans reasons to believe we’ll be different. ”
“Our goal is to walk out of here Saturday with a sense of unity on the BIG reforms we’re going to drive together in 2008 … our common agenda … our “reasons to believe.” We need an agenda worthy of us — an agenda that takes the best of what we have to offer, and pushes it forward. We need an agenda that gives Americans reasons to believe Republicans will fix Washington. We need an agenda that gives Americans a reason to believe we’re different from the Republicans of the past, and the Democrats of the present. It all starts here … now.”
He’s right, we did tell the American people in 2006 what would happen should they elect Democrats to the majority and what we said then has happened. Without reform however, the same old problem will continue to be pervasive.
A democracy can only survive as long as the people do not begin to use their vote to vote themselves money from the national treasure. This is a fact.
On that topic, The United States was never supposed to be a democracy. With the adoption of the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution the states abdicated their role in the national government and created the democracy that wasn’t supposed to exist. Originally Senators were selected by the state legislatures for a reason. To make the Senate accountable directly to the states. By removing the accountability to the states, those who pushed through the amendment effectively turned The United States into the democracy that we are not supposed to be putting us on the path to ruin.
If this country does not get a handle on earmarks and entitlement spending we are doomed to the failure that all democracies are. We need a reversal of sorts. We need to return to the federalist principles that this nation was built upon. Will Republicans do it? I hope and pray so.
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