The decisive Republican victory makes it clear that America will not tolerate a left-wing agenda. But what is even more important is that Americans have learned far-reaching lessons in the past two years.
We have learned:
- Not to be taken in by a candidate who has the most liberal record in the Senate but who claims he will be a moderate.
- To live within our means when it comes to government spending.
- To stimulate the economy by encouraging private businesses instead of increasing government spending.
- To lower healthcare insurance costs by introducing market-based incentives rather than imposing government mandates.
- To avoid electing leaders who have spent 20 years listening to anti-America hate speech by their preacher.
These are lessons that will inform Americans’ choices in the 2012 election and beyond. Never before has the electorate been so focused on the proper role of government and so well informed through cable news and internet outlets.
Republicans in particular have learned a lesson: They must adhere to basic conservative principles. At the same time, as Karl Rove has pointed out, they cannot field flawed candidates such as Christine O’Donnell in Delaware and expect to win.
In a Pledge to America, Republicans in Congress have offered specific plans that they intend to carry out. They include:
- Act immediately to reduce spending by canceling unspent stimulus funds.
- Cut government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels.
- Establish a hard cap on new discretionary spending.
- Cut Congress’ budget.
- Hold weekly votes on spending cuts.
- Impose a net federal hiring freeze on non-security employees.
- Repeal the healthcare law and replace it with real reforms, with a plan to enact medical liability reform, grant consumers the freedom to purchase coverage across state lines, expand health savings accounts, and ensure access for those with pre-existing conditions
If Republicans lawmakers fail to carry out these promises, they will be booted out of office once again. But I believe they have learned their lesson — and so have we.
Ronald Kessler is chief Washington correspondent of Newsmax.com. View his previous reports and get his dispatches sent to you free via e-mail. Go here now.
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