The Tea Party Has Only Just Begun

Forget the talk of impending doom. This is perhaps what American politics needs. Despite Barack Obama’s solemnly expressed aspiration for collaboration with the Republicans, recent politics has rather been characterized by hubris in the Democrat-dominated Congress, but a distribution of power has transpired with Republicans holding a majority in the House of Representatives.

The president must listen more. It is only through compromise that any progress can be made.

There is, of course, Republican delirium over having inflicted an ignominious defeat upon the king in the White House. Midterm elections, however, are not a reliable indicator of the results of a subsequent presidential election. Two years in politics is a long time.

The voters message to Barack Obama is an unequivocal “Pull your socks up;” the economy is the area in which he must shape up in order to stand a chance of winning. Fiscal stimulus is needed to increase labor demand and raise the scope for consumption; at the same time, these provisions must be cost-neutral in the budget.

To be sure, the Republican and Democratic Parties are not in the same boat, but there will be a body of opinion that desires that they paddle in the same direction. The Republicans cannot content themselves with watching Obama slip, slide and stumble in Congress.

Another challenge for the Republicans is to avail themselves of the enthusiasm for their own core conservative values, which are found within the motley tea party movement, without allowing themselves to be submerged by an extreme manifesto that scares away moderate voters; and of course, a candidate must be brought forward who can realistically challenge Obama.