So, Obamacare has officially passed and the Republican Party did everything in its power to make sure it didn’t happen.  But now what? A recent Newsweek article questioned the GOP’s obstructionism regarding the bill and whether or not trying to delay the inevitable was even worth it in the end.  It seems that now that the bill has passed it is even more liberal in nature than it ever would have been had the Republicans focused more on working with the Dems and the President from the very beginning.  We all remember how badly the President wanted the support of the Republicans on this bill, but instead the “party of no,” as it’s now being referred to in Washington, allowed the radical voices of the extreme right to steer the direction of the conversation.  Not a good idea in my own, humble opinion.

Now obviously the base of the Republican Party has not been this enthusiastic in many a decades, which can be seen as good thing, BUT the fact of the matter is that it isn’t the base of a party that helps win you elections.  Within the Democratic Party, there are not only leftist, progressive liberals but also moderates and even conservatives.  They all work to represent a singular party albeit with a broader range of ideals.  Whereas over in the Republican camp, you’re either a conservative, ring-wingin’ tea-partier or you’re out.  There is no room for compromise.  Where the hell is the middle ground?  How do we expect Republicans and Democrats to work together in a bipartisan fashion when those just within the Republican Party can’t seem to work to find a middle ground for debate?

Granted, each party should and does have supporters at the very opposite ends of the political spectrum but those voices, whether at the far left or the far right, should not be the voices that singularly represent the ideologies of the entire party.  While living on a college campus may skew reality a bit, I do think that the majority of Americans are moderates who, for the most part, don’t care for ideological bickering between liberals and conservatives.  I believe that when it comes down to it they just want the best guy or gal for the job, end of story.  It’s also worth noting the significance of the fact that as of the beginning of this year Independents now outnumber registered Republicans in at least eleven states according to a past CNN report.  The Republican Party as I see it now is a comical entity of its once former, mighty self and an embarrassment to say the least.  Instead of playing the role as the ignorant opposition to the Dems, why aren’t the Republicans forming comprehensive alternatives that address issues regarding economic and environmental policy and the like?

At this point, the Grand ‘Ole Party is in no position to be calling the shots, so why not just take a step back and agree to play some ball with the Dems? What’s left to lose at this point?  The healthcare bill is done and over with and there’s no looking back now on what they shoulda-coulda done instead.  Republicans need to now place their focus on education, financial reform and jobs so that, come election time, they may actually have a case against the opposition for having done something significant because arguing the blockading of Obamacare is only going to get them so far for so long with most.  Sure Obama won on healthcare but the Repubs now have a chance to step up and win in other areas just as significant.  At the end of the day, why should a party who can’t work to pass anything be elected to begin with anyways?

More from the Pew Research Center on party affiliation here — http://people-press.org/report/?pageid=1516

Comments are welcomed and encouraged.