Obstructing Obama

After reading today that not a single Republican voted for Obama's stimulus package in the House, I'm confused by the Republican strategy of obstruction. While it seems the Republicans could take principled stands against the use of bailout money and in favor of deep tax cuts, the effort to draw a party-line against Obama's stimulus package sounds like "more of the same" with regards to Washington politics. It could cost the Republicans at the ballot box.

If one lesson can be found in Obama's victory, it is that the nation is tired of politics as usual. People are seeking real answers to the very real problems we confront as a nation. Returning to partisan-line politics is a return to the era of the Clintons and the Bushes. Not only does it risk undermining the efforts to solve the nation's economic problems, it could also cost incumbent Republicans their seats in the 2010 midterm elections.

Now is not the time for politics based on cynicism and partisan bickering. If the nation is to move forward economically, diplomatically, and politically, the time for party-line politics has ended. It would be nice to see some Republicans sign on to the stimulus proposal in an effort to get the nation's economic house back in order.

RG