What's next

The health care reform package passed, so the question becomes what's next. Specifically, what does the GOP do next after a year of fighing where they won the hearts and minds of the public, but lost the battle.

Current sentiment is very strong against the dems, but eight months is a lifetime with elections, and the GOP is faced with what do we do with this opportunity we have been given.

When making the next move two factors need to be kept in consideration. Frist, the loud groundswell against HCR hasn't shown staying power. The tea party movement isn't aligned with the GOP, they are aligned against fiscal irresponsibility and government mandates. If the GOP moves in a way that alienates this movement there isn't any reason to believe that the movemnet will come out and vote.

Second, obstruction goes far, but by itself is not a winner; the play requires the party in power to make decisions that are unpopular. The GOP should do something affirmateve to show we have good ideas and need to be given a majority to enact the good ideas.

One place to act would be in an energy independence plan. This has two benefits, it keeps the tea party movement engaged. Second, it usurps President Obama's environmental plan leaving him with no good choice. Energy independence will reduce carbon emissions, unless the plan involves heavy use of coal, and therefore have an undeniable environmental tone to the debate. This leaves Obama with the options of obstructing an energy independence plan, or folding the energy independence plan into a larger environmental plan.

To obstruct an energy independence plan would not only be unpopular, but would also end any claim of bipartisanship the democrats can make. It will also end the ability to argue that the GOP hasn't shown leadership and is only obstructing. If the plan is folded into a larger envionmental plan, then overreaching will occur again, and it will establish a pattern of overreaching by the Obama administration.

Neither option is good for the democrats, and it allows the GOP to reshape the debate on the environment, one of Obama's major goals. It's a good opportunity for the GOP to show leadership and position the debate leading up to the elections in November.