Republicans: The "Do-Nothing" Party

Speaker Boehner is once again having trouble with his own party's lunatic caucus. He'd like to pass a bill that purports to do something about the current border crisis. But he's facing some opposition stirred up by Speaker Senator Ted Cruz. We'll see how all that plays out today.

In the midst of all that chaos, Bill Kristol has been honest enough to lay out the real Republican agenda. He's applying it to the issue of immigration. But I think it pretty well summarizes what they've been up to for years now.

If the GOP does nothing... the focus will be on the president. Republican incumbents won't have problematic legislation to defend or questions to answer about what further compromises they'll make. Republican challengers won't have to defend or attack GOP legislation. Instead, the focus can be on the president...And with nothing passed in either house (assuming Senate Republicans stick together and deny Harry Reid cloture today), immigration won't dominate August — except as a problem the president is responsible for and refuses seriously to address.

So here's the play folks: if we simply do nothing, we don't have to face those difficult questions from voters and we also don't expose the deep divisions in our own party. Instead, we get to blame "that one" and pretend like everything is his fault. Works like a charm, huh?

My suggestion would be that we turn this one on its head. With yesterdays great news about the economy (GDP up 4% in the second quarter and consumer confidence at its highest level since Oct. 2007), I'm thinking that labeling Republicans the "do-nothing" party would be a smart political move. President Obama and the Democrats have worked together to get us out of recession, end two wars, provide millions with health care, tackle climate change and provide some security to thousands of undocumented immigrants...all while the Republicans do nothing. Works for me!