The Party of No

President Obama just passed a major milestone in American Politics: the first 100 days. In just a little more than three months, the President has passed an Economic Recovery Plan and a Homeowner Foreclsoure Plan. The President has signed executive orders closing Guantanamo Bay Detention Center and formally outlawing torture. The President has traveled to Europe with approval and met with America's Western Hemisphere neighbors. Whether you agree with the President or not, there can be no dipsute that the President has accomplished much in his first 100 days.

And all of this despite the stubborness of the opposition party. President Obama has reached his hand across the aisle to only find that nobody on the other side of the aisle willing to shake his hand. After 100 days it has become obvious that the Republican Party has decided to adopt as a political strategy a former first lady's tagline: Just say no.

To be fair, there are millions of Republicans who are not a part of this Just Say No policy. There are millions of Americans who genuinely and sincerely disagree with the President's Agenda and have every right to vocalize their disagreement. And yes, there are even a few Republican leaders who are currently trying to fight for their party's soul.

But these good Americans are not as vocal as those who simply want the President, and therefore, the country to fail. These "partriots" are the ones that you see spewing lies and disinformation on Fox News. These are the Republicans you see refusing to come to the table and negotiate with the President. These are the Republicans who would rather see the Country fail than see the President proven right.

It is obvious that the Republicans have no real leader right now. Instead, they appear to have a collection of substitute teachers. Most of these "leaders" are what makes up the party of no. The most obvious is Rush Limbaugh. No, he is not a political or elected leader, but Rush represents the opinion of millions of Americans. He is also very influential in the Republican Party and most seek his approval. To be fair to Rush, he is not secretive about his hopes for the Obama administration. He has outwardly and proudly boasted that he hopes Obama fails. He hopes that the Obama Economic Recovery Plan does not succeed.

But has Rush provided any answers? Has he got any ideas? The answer is no. He provides nothing to help, he simply sits on the sidelines and tries to throw gas on the fire. He simply says no.

The other obvious leader of the party of no is Sean Hannity. The Fox News Pundit has never and will never be an Obama supporter. This would be fine except his voices his opinion by spewing lies and disinformation about each Obama policy to the millions of Americans who look to him for information.

For example, during the presidency of George Bush, Hannity was a staunch supporter of President Bush. Fine, Hannity is entitled to his opinion. However, he used to blast guests who questioned Bush's foreign policy on the basis that it undermined our fight against Terrorism. He used to blast guests who offered opinions that differed in any way with the Bush Administration because it was unAmerican.

But during the campaign Sean Hannity did nothing but throw out groundless lies against Candidate Obama. He called him a muslim, a terrorist and a socialist. Now that Obama is President nothing has changed. In fact, Hannity now claims that it is appropriate to question foreign policy even if it undermines our war against Terrorism.

Better yet, Hannity offers no answers. He only offers insults and lies. He is a major leader of the party of no.

The Congressional Republicans, at least most of them, are a major part of the Party of No. Not one Republican member of the House of Representatives voted for the Recovery Plan. Only three Republican Senators voted for the Recovery Plan, and the Conservative Right has vowed to take them out for cooperating with Obama.

More importantly, in 100 days not one of these members of Congress have stepped forward with a plan for America. Sure the Republicans put forward a seventeen page budget plan after weeks of prodding about their lack of plan. The plan called for tax cuts for the rich and cutting social spending. They copied it from the boxes destined for the Bush Presidential Library.

Other than their Cliff Notes style budget plan, the Congressional Republicans have offered nothing to help America. They have no Recovery Plan. They have no plans for foreign policy. They simply hold press conferences to say No. They rail against each policy submitted.

How bad is it? Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania, a thirty year veteran of the Senate and a life long Republican recently announced that he was switching parties and becoming a democrat. While not a supporter of many democratic policies, Spector stated that he was leaving the GOP because the party had left him.  He cited that the right wing was willing to lose elections and see the country fail in order to "purify" the Republican Party.

 Whether you agree with President Obama or not, he won the election.  A majority of the people voted for Obama's ideas and policies.  Nobody is arguing that the President should get everything he wants without debate and opposition.  That is not America.

But if you are going to oppose the President, bring something to the table.  Bring a plan, an idea, a solution.  There are millions of Republicans out there and many have very good ideas on how to improve the Country.  Right now, their voices in Washington are spending their time saying no and calling everyone else a socialist.  Bring something to the table or go home.  Now is the time for real ideas.  Like it or not, the President's first 100 days showed that he is a man with ideas and a plan.  What do you have?