Other than saying "No" repeatedly, what has the Republican caucus in either chamber of Congress done for Americans over the last four years?

That's a question that Democrats are going to need to be asking as the 2010 elections approach.  What was a "do nothing" 109th Congress exploded in the Democrat-controlled 110th and 111th legislative sessions, with landmark bills being ushered through Capitol Hill at a breakneck pace.  And while Republicans have been lock-step all the way with "No" votes to stimy the process, they've done virtually nothing to offer alternative solutions.

So while Republicans already appear to be licking their chops at the prospect of catching any crumbs that fall from the table of Democrats' aggressive agenda for change, it seems to beg the question: is being "The Party of 'No'" really enough of a strategy to build a nationally successful electoral campaign?

Flash back to the GOP's "alternative" plan for the economic recovery back in March, which was a few pages long and had absolutely no numbers in it.  Their response to the Democrats' plan for health care reform was similar: a four-page document filled with platitudes and conservative ideals, but no actual policy proposals.

The rest of the Republican plan for America has been dominated by misinformation and culture baiting.  Sarah Palin- now reduced to merely a private citizen with a big Facebook page- ignited a firestorm last week with her claim that the elderly (and slyly, the intellectually disabled) would have to go before "death panels" that would decide whether or not they live under President Obama's health care plan.  That's not in the health care bill.  Nothing like it is in there.  Nor has anyone even proposed it.  And yet, Republicans who actually have a vote on Capitol Hill, and know the legislation well enough to be privy to the fact that the provision doesn't even exist, have taken up the chorus.  Republican Senator Charles Grasley of Iowa took to the floor to say, "We should not have a government panel that determines you're going to pull the plug on Grandma."  In the meantime, other more realistic Republicans not willing to openly deceive their constituents refused to participate.  Alaska Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski told the Anchorage Daily News, "critics of health care reform, the summer's hottest political topic, aren't helping the debate by throwing out highly charged assertions not based in fact."

This is the party that beat Democrats in 1994 not with misinformation or shouting "No" in solidarity, but by creating a "Contract with America" that proposed real answers and real solutions that resonated with everyday Americans (they never actually followed up on their promises, fully breaching their "contractual" obligation, but that's neither here nor there).  And what's the architect of that plan, former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, doing now?  He's on the Sunday morning talk show circuit talking about death panels.

Republicans have been the force of anti-change with every step Democrats have taken thus far.  Change isn't easy.  Impeding it is, but it doesn't win elections.

if progressives abandon the Dems because of not getting everything they want instead of using the best progressives can do as a building point, then yes, the party of No will sweep into office in '10 and disaster will follow.

those who vote against the public option'! That is a firm shot across the bow...but in Colorado, we are gearing up to remove a couple rep's that are on the fence! Raising money and talking to possible candidates!

I know dems in Nebraska are doing the same thing...And in Conrads district they have collected some bucks!

left ignores radio

But don't even try to bring up holding talk radio accountable for the lies it spews; far too many people seem to be comfortable with letting the right compete in the arena of ideas with an unfair advantage while we are handicapped by our unwillingness to stoop to their lying through their teeth level.

requirement that they take real calls, like the progressive talkers do. but they can't because it is all lies.

considering they use public airwaves and stations licensed to operate in the public interest, and since they claim to represent the mainstream, maybe it's doable.

it gets around here, the people who should be the biggest champions of the idea, I don't think it is.

But I hope I'm wrong.
W