GOP

While the economy continues to fall (with some fluctuation), the car manufacturers threaten bankruptcy, nearly every good up in price, while the dollar and mean family income continue to fall; the republicans continue to make theoretical arguments. The party that, since Reagan, owned economic debates in this country, continues to make those same points of free markets. But how many bailouts, corrections, reductions in interest rates, stimulus packages do we have to have to iterate the end of absolute free markets? The most problematic thing for the GOP though is that these principles, of the Reagan years, are outdated (maybe not completely wrong); and more shockingly, GOPers are more interested in arguing those points than dealing with the current realities.

While you argue about market forces and good companies surviving and bad companies not, a single mother of two loses her job and is forced to collect unemployment. While you talk about Fannie & Freddie problems, people continue to go into foreclosure on their houses, if they aren't already upside down on their mortgages. As you talk about health care tax credits and student loan relief, everyday people cannot afford the medicine or care that they need to do their jobs efficiently or get the loans necessary for an invest in college education. And while the country has been facing difficult decisions about future answers for problems, republicans or those of that ilk, have been arguing unrealistic answers from outdated economic theory.

This is a time for answers, like helping our car industry transition into the 21st century. Aiding every student that has the qualifications fund their college education and then repay that investment through some type of service. Rebuild our infrastructure, remodel our public education system, stop our military adventurism, and figure out a sound plan to fade out our need on [foreign] oil.

This is not a normal situation. This is not a time to make arguments just for the sake of arguing or being 'principled'. This is a time to look at every situation individually and carefully, and weigh consequences of inaction with the potential breach of some so-called principles. Time to stop talking, campaigning, and maneuvering and start coming up with plans that will produce actions to get our country back ecomomically, educationally, and internationally to the ideals that we all have of what I country should be.

Time to leave our 'grand ole' ideals and join a new party.