FIRST STRIKE: ANTICIPATE, ADVANCE AND ACT

"To sit back hoping that someday, some way, someone will make things right is to go on feeding the crocodile, hoping he will eat you last - but eat you he will."  -Ronald Reagan

"What you always do before you make a decision is consult. The best public policy is made when you are listening to people who are going to be impacted. Then, once policy is determined, you call on them to help you sell it."  -Elizabeth Dole

I'm not a big fan of the filibuster, regardless of which polictical party is employing it. The filibuster is the adult equivalent of the sore loser taking his baseball and bat and going home because he wasn't allowed to bat cleanup. One Party cannot rail against the use of the filibuster by its opposing Party, and then within a few years trot it out every time bipartisan negotiations fail to produce the perfect compromise. Independent voters recognize hypocrisy.

I said it before and I'll say it again: The current legislative and administrative policy agenda isn't a hidden secret. The bills traveling through Committee and the regulations being put forth by the Administration were broadcast long before the present, hearkening back to campaign promises and candidate platforms well before November 2008. 

Some of those themes resonated well enough with voters, including critical Independent voters, that incumbents fell and power shifted. Within some of these ideas there has been much common ground, even if final votes have not always reflected the bipartisan undercurrent incorporated via amendments.

I believe that a Party loses its way when it fails to (1) anticipate the pending agenda; (2) develop and advance well-researched and superior policy initiatives; and (3) act to publicize, negotiate, and incorporate those competing and superior policy initiatives into final legislation.  A Party, especially one holding the minority legislative caucus, cannot only occasionally anticipate and participate in the nation's legislative agenda. 

As legislation begins to bubble up in Committee, the Minority Party must marshal its resources and send forth its throng of legislative aides to poll real Americans, research rational alternatives, and draft comprehensive competitive legislative solutions--and then publish them and broadcast them to the widest possible audience so that Independent voters can weigh legitimate alternative policy initiatives that may extend beyond the mainstream media soundbites.

Informed voters, Independent voters, and disaffected citizens don't like whiners, wimps or stall tactics.  Put away the crutch of the filibuster and bring forth well-researched, well-written, well-publicized policy alternatives well in advance of final Congressional action and Reconciliation Procedures.  Anticipate--don't equivocate!

TODAY'S QUESTION: As a candidate in the ever-important 2010 election cycle, what are YOU doing to ensure that you're ahead of YOUR opponent's policy agenda?