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It’s easy to take a stand against something. The party out of power invariably finds something that’s popular that the party in power isn’t doing and takes a stand against it. It makes you look principled. It makes you appealing.
Unfortunately, it only seems to be posturing, because when they get into power little seems to be done about it.
Bunning Takes a Stand
For instance, take the principled stand that Sen. Bunning (R-KY) took this past week, blocking spending that wasn’t accounted for and upholding PayGo. It was a great move, and no one doubted that the popular programs he was holding up would eventually get funded.
I mean, even Sen. Reid (D-NV) wouldn’t attempt to vote around him because they knew what a scuffle it would cause.
And yet, when the Republicans were in power, did they pass PayGo? Were they worried about the debt then? Not really.
Politicians feed off the people, what gets them fired up, etc. To an extent, it’s how a Republic should operate.
It’s Their Job To Know What’s Important
And at the same time, it’s the job of the people in positions to make a difference to do the best job they can—not do patch jobs or kick the ball down the field.
They are the ones that should fix Social Security and Health Insurance—if they need fixing—and they should do so in bipartisan means, or at least with the backing of the majority of the people. Perhaps they need to present two plans and have the people vote in the general election which they like better.
I mean, get true democracy in their if you need to.
So what’s it going to be—a principled stand on financial matters, or posturing for the camera?
