Same old, same old: Those who support the same policies and leadership ignored message

It was somewhat of a surprise that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi was elected to retain her seat as the minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Think about it -- if you were on the board of a company and that company lost 30 percent of its marketshare and squandered away a pretty healthy profit in the stock market, whom would you fire?

That's right -- the CEO.

So, the decision of the Democrats in the House suggests something the voters ought to be very aware of as they watch to see what Congress is up to as 2011 dawns.

Putting back the old leadership suggests that those who remain did not get the message -- the call for change. It sends a signal that the same old policies and philosophies are OK with those who remain.

And that can only mean one thing -- more spending, more liberal policies and perhaps a shift even further to the left and away from the moderate position most Americans seem to prefer.

So if that same voting pattern continues -- it is likely voters will have to send an even louder message.

Most people probably thought the need for such close attention to Congress was satisfied with this past election. They are probably ready to think about something other than politics now. But just like anything worth having, changing the direction of this country is going to take more than a little effort.

So, the Democrats have their chance now to pay attention, and if they don't, it is important that those who run this country -- its citizens -- set them straight.

Published in Editorials on November 18, 2010 10:40 AM