Posted by
Georgiaboy on Friday, December 15, 2006 11:01:01 AM
A lot of people have been discussing what went wrong in the '06 elections and what the Republicans need to do to get back on track. Clearly the last Congress was a huge disappointment and led directly to the severity of the Republican loss. Here is an alternate history of the last Congress and its effect on the '06 election.
Fresh off his strong showing in the 2004 elections, President Bush vowed to use the political capital he had earned to get things done. One enthusiatic Republican staffer exclaimed, "We have more control over the legislative process than we have had in decades. We are going to get big things done." Another observer mused, "The majority party has historically lost seats in the 6th year of a President's service. We need to accomplish our agenda while we still have a functional majority."
At the start of the legislative session President Bush gave a short speech. In it he quoted Ronald Reagan on government and pledged to limit the growth of government in the next few years. He renewed his call for Social Security reform.
As the session began, Republicans quickly made all of President Bush's tax cuts permanent. One Senator commented, "Our economic growth under these tax cuts has been extraordinary. We will not allow the tax burden to rise on hard working taxpayers."
Work then began on the difficult task of reforming Social Security. President Bush made it clear that he was open to any options for reforming the system, but the benefits of older retirees would not be affected and he refused to raise taxes. Democrats cried bloody murder. The Republican caucus held a joint conference of Senators and Representatives and discussed various proposals for reform. With the prodding of President Bush, they agreed to rally around personal accounts and tying benefit growth to inflation instead of wages.
With this agreed upon Senator Frist introduced a bill with these two proposals and began negotiatons with 5 centrist Democrats on what would the rest of the bill would look like. Minority Leader Reid made it clear that he would oppose any plan with personal accounts and refused to come to the table. Frist obliged him and cut off the entire Democrat delegation except for the 5 centrist Democrats. They hashed out a bill that watered down some Republican wishes, but had the support of 60 senators. After decrying the Democratic obstruction on the bill for weeks, President Bush took a break from his cross country promotional tour to give a prime time address. He outlined the coming failure of Social Security in clear terms, explained the safety and superiority of personal accounts, and once again explained that the current bill would not harm retirees. Republicans knew that the bill was not extremely popular, but RSC Chairman Pence encouraged everyone to do the right thing regardless of the consequences. "We may only have one shot at this thing." The bill finally passed and President Bush signed it into law.
As work began on the budget, earmarking was clearly a problem. Senator Colburn made an appeal to the White House for help. Senator McCain backed him up and a few days later President Bush announced that he would veto ANY bill that included more than 5 billion in pork or increased non-military discretionary spending by more than 3%. With the cover of Bush's veto threat, budget hawks prevailed and killed most of the pork in the bill including a strange idea to build an expensive bridge to a remote area with a few hundred people. Senator Ted Stevens retired in fury and the Republican Governor appointed a conservative replacement.
Around this time Hurrican Katrina hit New Orleans. The next day Bush immediately flew down and personally directed the cleanup operation from a command and control center nearby New Orleans. When reports of the situation at the Superdome unfolded he took a military transport to the dome to personally view the situation and encourage the survivors. The next day he addressed the nation from one of the few areas above water with words of encouragement and resolve.
Meanwhile, Democrat filibusters of judicial nominees were frustrating the will of the majority and plaguing courts with vacancies. Senator Frist threatened the Nuclear Option. As the showdown approached, word reached Senator Frist that McCain was attempting to subvert his authority. He confronted Sen. Graham and Sen. Dewine and they eventually stuck with him. The vote passed narrowly and the strange historical abherration of judicial filibusters was ended a few years after it began. The Senate made Circut and Distric court nominees a priority and voted on most within a short time of their nomination. John Roberts and Sam Alito were Bush's first two picks for the Supreme Court. He knew confirmation would be easy.
With Social Security Reform under their belt, the energized Republican caucus moved on to tax reform. Democrats screamed bloody murder. Although the Fairtax and the Flat Tax had vocal advocates. Republicans could not agree with either. Eventually a plan to repass the 1986 Reagan tax simplification gained approval as a compromise. After adding language that made the code more difficult to monkey with, the bill passed and Bush happily signed it.
As the Abramoff scandal materialized Republicans came under the charge of corruption. They responded by sharp earmark reforms and lobbying reductions. A thorough internal investigation was commissioned by Republicans and they moved quickly to bring openness to the budgeting process.
Finally, work on immigration reform was taken up. The House and the Senate were strongly opposed. Eventually a compromise was worked out. Everyone wanted the border secured so they passed a bill securing the border and beefing up enforcement of current immigration laws. After the border was certified to be secure, a true guest worker program would be gradually enstated. Foreign workers would apply in their home countries, come to work for a year or two, and then go home--no path to citizenship. Employers that hired illegals would be severely punished, landlords that rented for illegals would be punished. Easy and quick methods of varifiying legal status of a person were enstated. Without work or housing, the millions of current illegals had no choice but to go home where they applied for the guest worker program. Legal immigration was increased and streamlined with an emphasis on high-skilled labor. Democrats opposed the compromise tooth and nail and Republicans united to condemn them. They painted the Democrats as the party of open borders and amnesty. After an outpouring of public anger, Democrats relented and the compromise passed. Bush grudgingly signed it.
By now the '06 campaign season was rolling around. Republicans stuck to their message. The economy was doing great. Republicans were the party of reform, Democrats were obstructionists. Democrats were for open borders and amnesty, Republicans fought illegal immigration. After discretionary spending only grew 2% for the last two years and progress had been made at scaling back entitlement spending, Republicans were not stinging from the stigma of big spending. Bush had also vetoed several pork laden bills. Campaiging on limited government and their strong record Republicans managed to fight to a draw. Democrats picked up several House seats directly affected by corrupt individuals and picked up a couple of Senate seats. Primary challengers defeated several big spending Republicans. Senator Frist, the darling of the Republican Right, looked like a lock for the '08 presidential nomination. After selecting Rudy Giuliani, who moved right on social issues during the primary campaign, as his VP. Republicans held the White House in '08.
Obviously, many of these accomplishments would have been difficult to achieve. But, if Republicans were unified around a conservative agenda, they could have been achieved. But, instead of governing around a bold, reform minded agenda, Republicans tried to simply hang on to their power to waste our money on pet projects. They deserved their fate. Now they don't get to work for reform or spend our money. It is just a shame that the people of America now have to suffer under Democrat socialism. The lesson of the last Congress should be clear. When you get a once in a lifetime opportunity, big things are expected. Don't screw it up. Things could be very different right now if Republicans hadn't wasted '04-'06.