The Gothic Times

Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: Opinion

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) and Senate Minortity Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) left to right.

The House and Senate Republican leadership's behavior throughout the stimulus and budget debates has been nothing more than political theater. They offer nothing new to the discussion of our nation's current financial difficulties and spend an exorbitant amount of time stonewalling the legislative process. They argue that their failed policies of the past somehow work and that they are the ones who are best equipped to save our nation's economy. Do they need to be reminded that it was the last administration's unsuccessful economic policies, which they so strongly supported, that created our nation's current economic despair?

As the 111th Congressional Session began this past January, Republicans brought little to the table except for their tried and true, ineffective policies. The Republican leadership-Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.)-continue to do nothing but criticize Democratic efforts. They put forward nothing innovative and continue to champion more tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, spending cuts in government and an ill-advised tax scheme that is deceptively appealing to some middle-income Americans.

In a recent press conference, Republican leaders heralded the particulars of their budget, calling it their "Road to Recovery." The proposal includes a tax rate of 10 percent for incomes up to $100,000 and 25 percent for any income thereafter, and a new tax policy that allows businesses with less than 500 employees to take a deduction equal to 20 percent of their income.

Bankrupting the Treasury appears to be the GOP's ultimate goal. They insist on tax breaks across the board but provide no honest assessment of how these tax breaks will affect the operations of government. They offer nothing new with regards to a health care system that is in need of repair. They offer nothing new when it comes to our failing education system. Republicans still cling to the same old attitude that somehow the free market will take care of it all.

Resistance to any idea outside the Right's ill-fated way of thinking has become standard operating procedure. President Barack Obama went out of his way to meet with the House Republicans early this year. His attempt to create bipartisan talks became futile when the Republican leadership deemed it necessary to sabotage the President's visit. The Republicans act as if the American people still support their agenda. However, the failed doctrine that GOP members of Congress so proudly boast about has been undeniably detrimental to our nation's fiscal well-being.

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