I Can't Stand Fake Outrage

April 19, 2012 |
Time to quit the Umbrage Game
Posted by Kelvin Wade

Last week, Hilary Rosen, a woman almost no one has heard of, blasted Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s wife Ann as having “never worked a day in her life.”

It was a stupid way to make her point because obviously Mrs. Romney, having married into wealth, chose to stay home and raise five children. Everyone understood Rosen was talking about working a job outside the home, but it didn’t matter because the Umbrage Game was on. That’s the game where we pretend to be outraged to score cheap political points.

With our nation in trouble how could we have time for these silly games? Members of Congress were prepared to default on our debt last year. The Bush tax cuts expire for everyone at the end of this year. The Affordable Care Act may be struck down, kicking millions out of their health care plans and leaving those with preexisting conditions to fend for themselves. Plus we’re still at war in Afghanistan (and on a personal note, my grandkids’ father just went back to that hell hole last week in a dangerous area.)

And we have time for the Umbrage Game?

I was impressed recently when my friend Kendall Wright went with a group of people to Rep. John Garamendi’s Fairfield office and discussed the group No Labels’ 12-point plan to get Congress working.

No Labels (http://www.nolabels.org) is a group of Democrats, Republicans and independents who have joined together for a single purpose: to get our government working again.

Partisan Republicans who cheer on Congressional intransigence now have to think about the future. What if Mitt Romney becomes president and he’s greeted with a Democratic congress that opposes every move he makes regardless of the merit? What if they filibuster every bill and appointment? What if a group crops up called the “Religioners” who make a big deal out of a President Romney’s religion or legitimacy as president? In other words, what happens to our country if we change the actors but keep playing the same political payback games?

How does this help a country that’s still on the brink? Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were polarizing figures, but Congress still worked together under them. They still achieved balanced budgets, assault weapons ban, welfare reform, tax cuts, No Child Left Behind and a new Medicare entitlement program.

No Labels offers a 12-point common-sense plan to get government working again. First, if Congress doesn’t pass a budget, they don’t get paid. Also, presidential appointments are to receive up or down votes within 90 days. Fix the overused filibuster. Have a congressional question-and-answer session with the President. Require the two parties to have monthly meetings with each other. Have congressmen make no other pledges other than their oath of office.

Visit the website to see and endorse the rest.

Compromise is not a dirty word. It’s not selling out. Respectful, good-faith negotiation is how things used to get done in Washington. So if you want to see action, then go to No Labels and sign up. Then participate in your democracy. You can write an email to your congressperson in two minutes.

Or go back in your partisan corner and wait to play the next round in the Umbrage Game. Peace.