What's Next?

Well, the Republicans have achieved a victory of sorts. Last week, they won control of the House, although not of the Senate. The Republicans have won more seats in the Senate, though, making a Democratic majority impossible. Even though they missed their goal of controlling the Congress, they did something better. They are now part of a government that has an amazing opportunity in front of it. They can work together to put the country on the best track to long-term growth and prosperity or they can steer us off the tracks into the abyss of depression and lack for years to come.

I have heard a lot of rhetoric of how the people have spoken, of how the change is not the change that we want and of how the newly elected members of Congress are going to set this country straight. Quite frankly, I'm a little nervous. I'm not for a government that controls all aspects of life but I am for a sensible approach to fixing the problems that face us. One of the reasons we have arrived at the point we are at is that people in government have gotten very good at pushing their own agendas and not considering how it will affect the long-term stability of our nation. They do not seem to consider that what is good for a handful of people is not necessarily good for the population in general. Instead of once again pushing a narrow-minded agenda, I want to see a group of people sit down and, working together, determine the best course of action for the whole country. To keep the train on the tracks, we are all going to have to start working together and in the same direction.

We are also going to have to consider some unpopular options for the short term that have clear intentions and solid exit strategies. For instance, the war in Iraq did not have clear intentions or a clear exit strategy, although it is rather unpopular. On the other hand, the takeover of General Motors was also unpopular with clear intentions and an exit strategy. The government needed to protect GM from financial collapse because that would send a shock wave through our financial markets that would ruin our country. That needed to be prevented. So the government bailed out GM, cleaned house, and streamlined the company. Now, GM is poised to offer stock again with the IPO coming in a few weeks. The government can start pulling out, selling its stock in GM at a profit and everyone has benefitted. At the worst, the government would have been able to control a meltdown. At the best, which is occurring, the government stands to make some money and a more productive GM is looking at a bright future. So why can't we do this with some other problems? Most people agree that health care insurance is out of hand, and many do not like the legislation that has passed. The members of Congress should work together to find a way to overhaul healthcare insurance that will benefit everyone for a long time to come. Initially, it might not be popular, but most people can get behind a bill that is going to help them in the coming years.

This type of action would require effective communication. The sound bites and the angry rhetoric would have to become a thing of the past. Words should be chosen with the skill of a great political orator and messages should be conveyed with clarity. Most of all, messages would have to be meaningful. This type of communication has been missing from the political scene for a while. Some who would like to lead this country are busy impressing themselves with their knowledge of wildlife. Others are busy waving the proverbial bloody shirt, distracting voters from the issues but stirring up their emotions against others. Most are busy just pointing fingers and saying "No tax increase!" Amid all this noise, the real message is getting lost, if there is one at all. Meanwhile, those of us who want some substance have all the emotion of a wild animal about to be attacked directed at tax increases. How can we expect anything to work when the message is so unclear?

We sit on the brink of something amazing. We have the chance to show ourselves and the world that putting aside our own agendas, making unpopular but good choices and communicating our plans clearly can lead to a better, more effective form of government and a more prosperous country. Both Democrats and Republicans can stand and say "We did this" and be proud of a job well done. The American people can have restored faith in their government system, knowing that it works as it was once envisioned to work. Or we can continue to shout, point fingers, prevaricate, hoodwink and generally sidestep responsibility and run this country completely off the tracks, over the embankment and into an abyss that looks a lot like something owned by China.

So, members of the House, of Congress, people in the White House, justices of the Supreme Court, governors, members of the State houses and the State senates, what is next? I would like to know.