CNN

You should lead by example. Where was the example during the last 8 years ?????? The Repubs. had a golden opportunity to practice what they preach but failed. This "house of cards" began to fall in their watch.--–Now that they are being thrown out of office , they "see the light and want another chance" . - Given the state of the economy , can we afford to just keep letting the Repubs run the show ????

Bonehead Boehner is just mad that the Repugs can't take credit for the simulus package. Like true Republicand they take credit for everything and blame for nothing.

I can hear the new rallying cry that replaces the old "Fear, smear mock and LIE" of the plantation repthuglicons...

"Obstruct, Obstruct, Obstruct – We need more tax cuts for the rich!"

While I agree that "back to basics" is a good theme for the times that we live in, I would challenge the notion that small, stingy government represents those basics. Consider the following "basics" that Americans have clearly indicated they believe in:

"Execution is just as important as great ideas....We need a competent government that is run by intelligent people who get things done."

"Charity begins at home...Why would we consider the ill-advised notion of nation-building when we have an economic crisis, a crumbling infrastructure, an under-educated population that can't compete globally, and a stagnating life expectancy because of a lack of access to basic healthcare?"

"Family first.... Why focus on providing 'air cover' for irresponsible executives and short-sited companies when we should be first considering whether people have shelter over their head, clean food to eat, and safe neighborhoods for raising their kids?"

"Don't let the fox guard the henhouse... Let's not forget that the rampant philosophy of deregulation that has gripped Washington for the past three decades has largely been the cause for our current economic crisis."

The Republicans would do well to consider the "basics" that the American people have in mind – not those of the ideologues that have been driving their party for so long.

"President Bush in the last few months has opened up the door to Mr. Obama's big-government activism"

WRONG. BUSH'S EXPANSION OF GOVERNMENT STARTED AFTER 9/11. BLACKWELL IS OFF BY 6 1/2 YEARS OR SO. AND THAT'S WHY THE GOP IS NOT FIT TO LEAD. I'M ALL FOR SMALL GOVERNMENT AND LOW TAXES, BUT EVERYONE HAS TO COME TO TERMS THAT WE CANT ZERO OUT EITHER CATEGORY. AND THAT NEITHER ONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR CURRENT CRISIS. LETS FOCUS INSTEAD ON TRADE IMBALANCE, CORRECTING THE FINANICAL MARKETS, REIGNING IN SPENDING ON THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND HEALTCARE, AND RESTORING MANUFACTURING IN THE U.S.

"Nothing is more basic to the Republican philosophy than smaller government, a principle many Republicans believe got lost at the end of the Bush administration."

Yeah. Right. The Bush administration trampled the Constitution to shreds for eight years and created the most all-powerful US administration in history.

Republicans don't want a small government, they want a small visible government run behind the scenes by an all-powerful corporate shadow government that is accountable to no one...except the Republican leaders.