THE EVENING AFTER

Well the election is finally over and the political pundits have been busy dissecting the final results. Already New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd has dipped her poison pen into her ink well to set us all straight with her narrow liberal focus:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/opinion/03dowd.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage

We have just experienced one of the worst examples of electioneering in my memory and I hope have learned a lesson that negativity and half-truths accomplish little in solving our real long-term problems. The one thing that this election has accomplished is that The People voted their current personal experience, not just a party view.

The People’s concerns are now resoundingly known to all of Washington. The direction our legislation took over the last 20 months is not acceptable. The electorate has clearly made the point that a majority of Americans do not like what is being accomplished in Congress or The White House.

Now is the time for every one of us to take a deep breath and rationally determine in a civil way just where we can reach some common ground to move this country toward solving important problems and achieve important goals. Clearly, the nation wants government to move to the center and the voters have stated they reject the aggressive liberal agenda of President Obama.

On the other hand, although Republicans have taken control of the House of Representatives, the far right of that party should not go off half-cocked thinking they have a free-pass to turn the Washington world upside down.

The American people need jobs; 9.6% unemployment is in every way unacceptable. We must get our economic house in order. It may sound simple, but cannot be accomplished if disruptive political posturing prevails. Most recently the Republicans held the Presidency, Senate and House for six years (2000-2006) and many say performed poorly with a majority.

It is my hope that Republicans will learn from their recent history about how to compromise (in other words always NO cannot, and should not, work), legislate while listening to the people, and deliver the kind of legislation that the majority of the people want. They will be tossed out of office in two short years as quickly as they gained a one house majority.

It is also time for the Democrats to get realistic and let’s have both parties be sincere in reaching across the aisle so Congress can meet the needs of the American electorate with sane compromises.

This is a propitious time for each member of Congress to read Thomas Paine’s famous 1776 political pamphlet Common Sense. The need for objective and honest governance is essential, top to bottom.

A healthy dose of civility in government will serve all of us well.

COMMANDER GRANGER