Following is the headline of a Wall Street Journal article of August 31, 2022.
Republicans Should Stand for More Than Opposing Democrats
This caught my eye as I was thinking the same thing as daily I peruse Twitter and the news. While I generally disagree with many Democratic ideas, especially from the progressive, deficit generating side, you can’t say they aren’t trying to do something.
On the other hand, what I recall about Republicans is opposition without concrete proposals about much. Where is the “great, fantastic” replacement to Obamacare? How about significant and fair immigration reform instead of moaning about illegal immigrants flooding our borders? Where are the solid proposals to assure Social Security and Medicare are solvent? How about being forthright when it comes to the deficit?
Why didn’t Republicans come up with a better idea to deal with student loans instead of letting Democrats create a “crisis?” Significant and targeted, income-based loan interest rate reductions could have helped. Elizabeth Warren talked about that years ago, nothing happened so now we have deficit generating, mass forgiveness regardless of need or any criteria.
If Republicans as a party have solid ideas about any of this, they sure don’t make them well know.
If I complain about my wife’s cooking I better be prepared to cook myself or go out to dinner – I don’t, but I do and we do anyway.
Years ago my wife and I were at an event where several couples cooked a meal from scratch in the style and with equipment of the 1840s. My job was roasting coffee over an open fire. As I stood there turning the roaster a women behind me kept making remarks suggesting I was doing it wrong. It wasn’t that easy as it was very hot by the fire. I ignored her for several minutes and finally without a word turned and handed her the roaster and walked away. As I left I heard her husband remark, “that will teach you.”
What will it take to teach our politicians?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
It will take the majority of voters to take personal responsibility with their own election day voting records. Actual vote for people who aren’t just making promises that that benefit yourself or your chosen party, but the country as a whole. While we are dreaming, how about peace on earth? Until we each take personal responsibility by stop complaining and work on solutions. Civilly discussing the problems and potential solutions, rather than pointing out the problem of the other persons approach. We spend way to much time on complaining instead of a constructive conversations – not trying to win the debates.
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Compromise today means what can the politician get to benefit his/her personal future elect-ability. People have become way to self centered.
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Student loan restructure was part of health reform, with no Republican votes, used by D’s to scuttle private student loans and set in motion bailout by taxpayers – Presisident Obama promised the revised program would operate at a profit for taxpayers. R’s never had enough votes since then, even with 2010 midterm blowout to reverse.
Every time R’s seem willing to do bipartisan (immigration, infrastructure, the D’s resist, then, when shoe on other foot, D’s clip off a few R votes and claim as their own. Clinton was famous for triangulation – a la welfare reform.
So long as Congress can buy votes, this crap will continue – regardless who is in the majority.
Need a balanced budget constitutional amendment with commitment to reduce national debt to 0, first, else no one gets serious, no one can prioritize national needs, folks continue to think we can have it all because this is a rich country.
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You can not teach old dogs new tricks.
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I read the headline and think that the democrats should stand for something more than anti-Trump for the past 7 years (the year before the election, the 4 years he was in office, and the past 33 months and counting).
But to be fair, what did the republicans do the first two years Trump was in office and they had control of Congress? They did nothing, just like the democrats are doing now. They are just kicking the can down the road if they even make the effort to take a swing at the can.
Both parties are refusing to even look at the Social Security can in order to kick it. Both sides only do things that will help their campaigns.
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To be fair to the Republicans, the Trump tax reform package has turned out to be a good deal and it was lambasted by Dems but they certainly are in no hurry to dismantle it.
The Dems have had control of the house and/or senate most of the time since the FDR years and they have had the upper hand in passing legislation they think will be great but mainly it is great for gathering new voters. Just because the Dems designate student loans as a call for action doesn’t make it so and health care is no better but more expensive since Obamacare showed up. Unless of course you are on a subsidy or hitched a ride on the medicaid train. The Dems are great at calling everything a “crisis” or unequitable but that doesn’t make it so. By doing that they gather publicity and in the public mind action is needed and if the Reps ignore the phony “crisis” they are accused of being obstructionists and having no plan.
How about immigration, do Dems have any ideas other than ignoring it. I notice when Texas started busing the illegals to New York, the NY Mayor starts whining they need federal money to handle the problem. That was after a relative handful was bused there. How big was the student load “crisis” compared to 60000 people crossing the border in a month needing living arrangements, health care, education, and jobs? How about Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders start finding living quarters in their states for a million or so border jumpers this year and fix Social Security while they are at it.
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If it wasn’t for the fact that I would end up paying higher taxes, I wish that Texas and Arizona would bus some illegal immigrants to the NJ cities that have declared themselves sanctuaries cities. Both our NJ US Senators support illegal immigration and need to wake up and get Congress to pass immigration reform. I don’t really care what it is but I do know that everyone that cross the border illegally should be kicked out because they already proved that they will not follow our laws. My great parents all manage to immigrate legally and so can they.
Once again this is a case of Congress passing laws and the laws not being enforced but they won’t fix the laws.
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Great story.
My personal opinion on volunteers is that I should never criticize how a volunteer is doing his or her job, unless I am willing to take over!
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