Now the Work Starts -- Five Things Republicans Need to Do Immediately

Republicans won the House handily last night.   The reports I've seen have them picking up as many as 65 seats, not quite massive earth-shattering tsunami territory (my prediction was +77), but pretty darn close.  They also picked up a number of state houses and governor's mansions, which means that when reapportionment after the 2010 census happens, Republicans can make sure that their majority in the House remains secure.  So, for the time being, here's your new Speaker of the House, John Boehner of Ohio:

Not the most telegenic guy, and a bit too much of a professional pol for my taste, but hopefullly he has read the tea leaves and knows that voters who voted Republicans in this time actually expect them to do something. 

We didn't do quite as well in the Senate as many had hoped, but given the number of seats we had up, picking up six seats (and maybe seven, since Colorado is still too close to call and will inevitably go to a recount) is very very good.  In 2012 there are something like 2/3rds of the seats that are up that are held by Democrats, many of whom will be very vulnerable.  In other words, it's very likely that Republicans will win the Senate in two years time.  Having 47 or 48 seats now, however, does two things:  (1) it means that we can filibuster any new legislation, including the cap-and-trade legislation that has already passed the House, and any new appointments to the Supreme Court or, in egregious cases of nominations of radical jurists, to the federal Courts of Appeals; (2) it also means that we are close enough to 50 that, on some issues -- perhaps on repealing Obamacare -- we can pull moderate and vulnerable Democrats like Nebraska's Ben Nelson over to our side.   

All in all, a great night.  Think about it: if you had said in January 2009 when Obama was inaugurated that, less than two years later we'd be talking about Republicans picking up 65 seats in the House and 7 seats in the Senate -- a pretty historic midterm rout -- people would have said you were crazy.  Obama the Messiah had come; the tides were receding; the sun was cooling; it was the dawning of the Age of Aquarias.  Well, not so fast.

OK, that was last night.   Now what?   Here is the work that needs to get done starting now:

1. No lame ducks.  Republicans in the Senate need to filibuster any attempt by Democrats to ram legislation through in a lame-duck session.   Republicans in the House need to use any procedural means they can to restrain House Democrats from ramming things through too, although in the House the majority has an easier time of doing so.   Which leads me to what should happen when the tables turn in January and the Republicans in the House have a majority. 
2. Repeal the monster.  On day one in January, Republicans in the House need to repeal Obamacare   -- the whole thing and not just pieces.  Sure, it will have a hard time getting through the Senate, and Obama would veto it.  But put vulnerable Democratic Senators on record as voting against repeal, and put Obama on record as vetoing repeal.   That sets us up for 2012.
3. No new taxes.  On day one in January, Republicans in the House need to reinstate and make permanent the Bush tax cuts.  Again, maybe the Senate won't go along and maybe Obama would veto.   Make them get those votes on the record.
4. No earmarks.  On day one in January, abolish the practice of earmarks whereby individual congressmen can get goodies for their districts inserted into bills.   The American people have clearly spoken on this -- they don't like Congress using their tax dollars to scratch the backs of favored constituencies.  
5. Freeze spending.  We're going to have to cut spending in a serious way, making hard choices.  Those choices need to be thoughtful and fully debated.   But it should go without saying that current spending levels need to be frozen immediately.  We simply can't keep automatically increasing government spending every year as if that is the norm.   Maybe it was once; it's not anymore.  

A lot of heavy lifting will remain -- particularly on Social Security and Medicare going forward.   But these five things need to happen right away.  

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Posting from 35,000 feet on AirTran going to Baltimore... God, what a world we live in!