Compromise Is Not A Dirty Word
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Gary [email protected]
Voter turnout in Kosciusko County was low – 33.12 percent.
Now, that’s better than during the primary, when it was 19 percent. But 33 percent is nothing to brag about.
And statewide turnout was pretty abysmal as well.
The Indy Star reported that Tuesday’s voter turnout is likely the lowest in state history.
While the final numbers won’t be available for a few weeks, the early indications are that turnout will be somewhere between 29 and 35 percent.
Quoting data from the Secretary of State’s office found online going back as far as 1954, the Star reports the previous low was 39 percent in 2002.
Low turnout or not, it certainly was a Red Tuesday across Indiana, as well as the nation.
Indiana Republicans, who already held supermajorities in both the Indiana House and Senate, added seats in both houses.
In the House, the GOP majority now stands at 71-29. In the Senate, the Republican majority is 40-10.
You have to go back 40 years (House) and 60 years (Senate) to find majorities that big in the Indiana legislature.
Around the country, Republicans gained governorships in some unexpected places, added to their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and gained control of the U.S. Senate.
I hope Republicans, with their newfound “mandate” from the voters, can govern a little humbly without overreaching. If they do that, they might actually be able to craft meaningful legislation that benefits all Americans.
I know. That’s a lot to ask, but I think there are lots of things that most Americans agree on that have been languishing in Washington gridlock.
How about that Keystone Pipeline? Jobs, lower gas prices. Seems like a good idea. Maybe that could happen. Maybe President Obama would even sign that bill.
How about changing corporate tax laws to end the parking of profits offshore?
Perhaps some meaningful immigration reform. Even a few small steps that everybody could agree on. Maybe a little more border security and a streamlined and verifiable path to citizenship.
Maybe a modest increase in the minimum wage.
How about some legislation that would foster job creation in the U.S. and discourage outsourcing jobs to China?
Or legislation to help diminish the wage gap between the CEO and the average worker?
I think bills like these passing across the president’s desk would be difficult for him to veto. These are things that most Americans would favor. These are things that most Americans would agree are good for America.
These are not “conservative” or “liberal” ideas. These are just ideas.
My hope is that Republicans learn from the mistakes of lawmakers before them.
President George W. Bush comes to mind.
In 2004, President Bush won a second term by the narrowest margin since 1916. One would think after an election like that, a candidate might be humble or contrite.
Not so much.
In the first press conference following his election, he had this to say:
“You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it.”
And spend it he did. But the next four years didn’t go so well for him. He was able to accomplish very little of his agenda.
But even after losing control of the House and Senate, and despite his penchant for going it alone, President Bush also was able to work with then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. They passed an increase in the minimum wage in 2007. This, of course, was championed by Democrats. And they passed the Troubled Assets Relief Program, a darling of the Republicans, in 2008.
President Bill Clinton worked pretty well with Newt Gingrich. They passed all manner of stuff from both sides of the aisle. Tax cuts, assault weapons ban, don’t ask don’t tell, welfare reform, balanced budgets.
How is this a bad thing?
I don’t care how much Tea Party types ululate to the contrary, compromise is not a dirty word.
And I guarantee if conservatives govern from a position of myopic obstinance, they will pay dearly at the polls the next time around. That’s just the way it works,
Look what happened to the Demos in just six short years.
They controlled both houses and the presidency. They passed a giant new entitlement – the Affordable Care Act – without a single Republican vote.
Not only is that dumb from a political standpoint, it’s dumb from a policy standpoint. The best policy is a blending of ideas from both sides, not “my way or the highway” mandates.
So look at the ACA. What did we wind up with? An unwieldy, partially broken, ineffective and inefficient law. If the Democrats would have embraced some Republican ideas, it likely would have come out much better.
So what will the GOP do with its newfound political capital?
Give ground, or double down?
Time will tell.[[In-content Ad]]
Voter turnout in Kosciusko County was low – 33.12 percent.
Now, that’s better than during the primary, when it was 19 percent. But 33 percent is nothing to brag about.
And statewide turnout was pretty abysmal as well.
The Indy Star reported that Tuesday’s voter turnout is likely the lowest in state history.
While the final numbers won’t be available for a few weeks, the early indications are that turnout will be somewhere between 29 and 35 percent.
Quoting data from the Secretary of State’s office found online going back as far as 1954, the Star reports the previous low was 39 percent in 2002.
Low turnout or not, it certainly was a Red Tuesday across Indiana, as well as the nation.
Indiana Republicans, who already held supermajorities in both the Indiana House and Senate, added seats in both houses.
In the House, the GOP majority now stands at 71-29. In the Senate, the Republican majority is 40-10.
You have to go back 40 years (House) and 60 years (Senate) to find majorities that big in the Indiana legislature.
Around the country, Republicans gained governorships in some unexpected places, added to their majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and gained control of the U.S. Senate.
I hope Republicans, with their newfound “mandate” from the voters, can govern a little humbly without overreaching. If they do that, they might actually be able to craft meaningful legislation that benefits all Americans.
I know. That’s a lot to ask, but I think there are lots of things that most Americans agree on that have been languishing in Washington gridlock.
How about that Keystone Pipeline? Jobs, lower gas prices. Seems like a good idea. Maybe that could happen. Maybe President Obama would even sign that bill.
How about changing corporate tax laws to end the parking of profits offshore?
Perhaps some meaningful immigration reform. Even a few small steps that everybody could agree on. Maybe a little more border security and a streamlined and verifiable path to citizenship.
Maybe a modest increase in the minimum wage.
How about some legislation that would foster job creation in the U.S. and discourage outsourcing jobs to China?
Or legislation to help diminish the wage gap between the CEO and the average worker?
I think bills like these passing across the president’s desk would be difficult for him to veto. These are things that most Americans would favor. These are things that most Americans would agree are good for America.
These are not “conservative” or “liberal” ideas. These are just ideas.
My hope is that Republicans learn from the mistakes of lawmakers before them.
President George W. Bush comes to mind.
In 2004, President Bush won a second term by the narrowest margin since 1916. One would think after an election like that, a candidate might be humble or contrite.
Not so much.
In the first press conference following his election, he had this to say:
“You asked, do I feel free. Let me put it to you this way: I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it.”
And spend it he did. But the next four years didn’t go so well for him. He was able to accomplish very little of his agenda.
But even after losing control of the House and Senate, and despite his penchant for going it alone, President Bush also was able to work with then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. They passed an increase in the minimum wage in 2007. This, of course, was championed by Democrats. And they passed the Troubled Assets Relief Program, a darling of the Republicans, in 2008.
President Bill Clinton worked pretty well with Newt Gingrich. They passed all manner of stuff from both sides of the aisle. Tax cuts, assault weapons ban, don’t ask don’t tell, welfare reform, balanced budgets.
How is this a bad thing?
I don’t care how much Tea Party types ululate to the contrary, compromise is not a dirty word.
And I guarantee if conservatives govern from a position of myopic obstinance, they will pay dearly at the polls the next time around. That’s just the way it works,
Look what happened to the Demos in just six short years.
They controlled both houses and the presidency. They passed a giant new entitlement – the Affordable Care Act – without a single Republican vote.
Not only is that dumb from a political standpoint, it’s dumb from a policy standpoint. The best policy is a blending of ideas from both sides, not “my way or the highway” mandates.
So look at the ACA. What did we wind up with? An unwieldy, partially broken, ineffective and inefficient law. If the Democrats would have embraced some Republican ideas, it likely would have come out much better.
So what will the GOP do with its newfound political capital?
Give ground, or double down?
Time will tell.[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092