The Next Congress

Since the '10 election, the Republicans have dropped, but haven't tanked in public opinion. The next Congress will have to deal with at least three things: (1) the debt ceiling, the sequester (the required cuts the budget super-committee didn't make), and the Bush tax cuts; (2) repeal Obama-care; (3) tackle the Ryan budget.

In 2013, they will need to figure out how to make the country solvent, in lieu of how much they can spend. Rapid change will not happen even if the Republicans have both houses and the presidency, but the force to change will be there. A highly ideological election is more likely if the Supreme Court does not repeal Obama-care. That would fire up the conservatives. If the Supreme Court repeals Obama-care, there is concern that many conservatives will relax. That would be dangerous. The President has a natural advantage in all of the news coverage.



Obama will campaign on the politics of division. Democrats will try to ignore Obama-care, or say "it was a good start and just needs a little tweak."

Republicans need to offer politics of inclusion. Stewardship, or just managing the government, is not a good campaign strategy - they need to explain why Obama's plan is bad and must be changed.
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