Rdean and others seem to think good ideas are making ridiculous insults about those who disagree with them. But isn't that the leftist/progressive/modern liberal M.O.? Where are the good Democratic ideas? I'm still waiting for that.
But here are some good Republican ideas:
Lower taxes on those who hire people, who run businesses, who create jobs, who make it possible for a strong economy to exist; i.e. the very people the President wants to raise taxes on which is one reason the economy is in the mess it is in.
Principle: The idea is to help people prosper rather than continue to expland and feed an ever more huge, authoritarian, intrusive, oppressive, bloated federal bureaucracy. But for the edification of our Democratic friends, lower taxes does not equate with no taxes.
Eliminate all
unnecessary regulation to free up American enterprise to expand, innovate, experiment, and become prosperous as it once was before excessive regulation and mandates drove a huge chunk of our manufacturing base to other, more business-friendly nations.
Principle: The idea is to encourage American initiative and ingenuity rather than discourage it. But for the edification of our Democratic friends, unnecessary regulation is not the same thing as no regulation.
Privatize as many useful and important programs and processes as possible. Everything doesn't have to be a government job that leaches energy and resources from the private sector. There is no reason, for instance, that private enterprise could not do airport security as well as a bloated, expensive, and increasingly incompetent TSA. Simply require private firms to be approved, to provide sufficient bonds and insurance to cover any E & O, and turn them loose and see how much better it would be.
Principle: To understand that government should not do what can be done more efficiently, competently, and cost effectively in the private sector is not the same thing as saying functions that increase public safety or compliance should not be done at all.