Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

Election is an opportunity

Posted Wednesday, November 5, 2014, at 8:04 AM

The polls were just opening as of this writing, but absent a "Dewey Beats Truman" result, the odds are heavily in favor of both houses of Congress being controlled by Republicans when the next Congress convenes in January.

If the voters confound the polling groups, it will still mean a very, very narrow margin for the Democrats in the Senate and a House that will remain controlled by Republicans. A slimmer status quo but still a status quo.

If the polls are right, the GOP will hold a very, very narrow margin in the Senate and retain significant control of the House (in fact, because of the way districts are drawn, it's virtually guaranteed the Republicans will control the House until at least the 2020 census).

Assuming the GOP now controls both houses of Congress it will be a significant opportunity to show that they can govern. Over the last six years they've largely been accused to being obstructionist, of working to block legislation. Now is the chance to show they can pass legislation -- although they may face a certain role reversal issue with the now-minority Democrats capable of playing the same obstructionist games in the Senate as the Republicans did when they were just barely out of power. It depends on how much the Democrats are interested in payback rather than working to jointly develop policies and programs that will benefit the country, the sort of thing they'd been demanding the Republican do over the last six years. We're going to find out how much both sides were either serious, or just filled with rhetorical hot air.

And it will be interesting to see how many incumbents, overall, win re-election. The public has clearly indicated it is fed up with how the incumbents have handled governing the country, but if 90 percent or more are re-elected, it will functionally represent the popular definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results).

This country has stalled. The new Congress, no matter who controls it, will have an opportunity to move the nation forward -- if the people we elected yesterday actually try to do so. That's what they promised. Now, let's hold them to that promise.

-- Kelly Everitt

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In respects to Mike's blog, that is not fair...though I am not a fan of Harry Reid, our far right Republican friends have some blame as well.

Did the American people speak yesterday or are they desperately trying to find anyone to correct the political nonsense in Congress. Do you really think that our Republican friends are actually going to work with President Obama to move the country forward, if you think that, then I have some beachfront property in Arizona to sell.

Our Republican friends have their own agenda, just like the far-left did eight years ago. The next two years will once again be gridlock, impeachment of the President which is an "absurd" waste of time and the President wearing out the Veto pen!

Washington is broke and has been for decades...those elected are either way to far right or way to far left...what ever happen to moderate or centralist ideas (middle of road). A recent poll was taken nationwide and over 70% of those polled call themselves a moderate be it Republican or Democrat.

It was comical to watch our Republican friends dote on their landslide victory, but don't you know that the pressure is on them now to govern or not to govern which is the Tea Party's agenda.

Our political system is without any vision, or purpose..whatever happen to responsible, effective governance, I can tell you, it began over 30 years ago with the election of Ronald Reagan and far right conservatism...dismantling of government within.

The danger of our nation is not with an outside enemy, it's within our very own boarders, it's within the walls of Congress.

These are truly dark times in our nation, where political ideology and synergism blinds those who are suppose to lead our nation...dark times indeed!

-- Posted by DUMBFOUNDED IN IDAHO on Wed, Nov 5, 2014, at 11:21 AM

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