“What if…”

In politics, and in life, it is hard to play the “What if…” game with much confidence.

But, often, it is healthy and wise to think back and imagine what would have happened if certain actions had not been taken.

{mosads}Let’s think back to early 2009 — the Bush administration with its tax, spending and war policies that left the nation in a shambles.  Record budget surpluses that they inherited have been turned into record budget deficits, hundreds of billions have been spent in Iraq on a false war that was unnecessary while we neglected the real threat in Afghanistan and Pakistan, Wall Street created a virtual worldwide economic meltdown as Bush and McCain called out for more “deregulation,” America’s manufacturing base was shrinking and our domestic car companies were about to go under costing up to 3 million jobs, and as of February, 2009, we were hemorrhaging 750,000 jobs a month.

“What if…” President Obama had not acted?  What if, as the naysayers now contend, there was no stimulus package, help was not there for the auto companies, our economy was not stabilized?  What if we had waited and dallied and “hoped for the best”?

What if we had done what the Republicans advised —  nothing?

If Obama and the Democrats had not acted in a pragmatic, reasoned way our nation would be in the midst of a great depression.  We would not have saved more than 3.5 million jobs, our states would be in far worse shape than they are now, our auto companies would have gone under, and Main Street America would have resembled the 1930s.

Despite the new-found need to pull together 60 votes in the Senate to accomplish anything, the president and the Democrats got it done.  While all but three Republicans stood toe-to-toe with Wall Street lobbyists to stop the crack-down on the financial big-wigs, Obama and the Democrats got it done.  While Republicans opposed health care reform, Obama and the Democrats got it done. While most Republicans stand in the way of energy legislation it will be the Democrats who deliver.

So, think about “What if…” the Republicans were in charge  — and think back over the last 18 months.  Truly scary.