I’ve been watching the political theatre this week about the simulus package. I’ve seen the President and Congressional leaders attempt to make the package bi-partisan, to no avail. Not a single Republican supported it in the House. It looks like most aren’t going to support it in the Senate.
So here’s my question: Where is their viable alternative? Unless the folks against the proposal think that what’s happening right now to the country is a good thing, why aren’t they proposing what they think is the right answer? After all, the party in power doesn’t have the monopoly on brains. If the minority has a better idea, and can convince the country of it, why aren’t they going for it?
The purpose of our government is not for one side to propose, and the other side to obstruct. That doesn’t help the people that elected you to serve. The purpose of our government is for leaders of whatever party to propose ideas that they think will solve problems, and to convince enough other leaders to go along with them. Right now, I only see one side doing that.
The same, by the way, goes at the state level. I see people complaining about the poor shape California’s budget is in. But neither side seems to want to give up an entrenched ideal in order to move the state forward, and perhaps save the patient.
Have political ideologies become too cherished that our leaders forget we didn’t elect them for their idologies, but perhaps to govern in the best interests of the state and nation?
