Governing...it ain't easy

The train wreck that was the Republican’s first week of controlling the House of Representatives mercifully ended yesterday.  And Republicans found out that it is truly much more difficult to govern than to sit on the sidelines and just say “No”.

Republicans started the week off with a gleam in their eyes and a song in their hearts.  Armed with Speaker Boehner’s “Pledge to America” they were ready to reform the way Congress operates and give the American people the transparency and honesty in governing that had been missing during the Pelosi controlled Congress.

And then within hours of assuming control they broke virtually every promise that they made.

They started by administering the oath of office to the new members.  Unfortunately some of them were not present because they were attending a celebratory fund raiser…on government property…which is illegal.  No matter.  The truant members raised their right hands while watching the ceremony on television…also illegal.  And then they came back to the chamber and voted on matters of Congress…which once again is illegal as they were not duly sworn members of Congress at the time they voted.

They decided it would be fitting to read the Constitution aloud; a fitting symbolic gesture.  And then in the spirit of openness they purposely omitted several paragraphs referring to slavery. 

Finally, after promising members open votes and the opportunity to offer amendments and differences of opinion, they held a closed vote to repeal health care reform.  And in so doing galvanized and united Democrats like they had not been united since Obama’s election.  The vote to repeal “Obamacare”, a symbolic charade to appease their Tea Party constituents, enabled Democrats the opportunity to highlight all of the enormously popular portions of the bill.  It gave Democrats the stage on which to paint their Republican counterparts as killers of all things Grandma.  Even Democrats who originally opposed the bill turned on the Republicans.  Only three voted for repeal.

Governing…not as easy as it looks.  Maybe next week will be better.