GOP ACCENTUATES THE NEGATIVE - AT 9:41 A.M. ET:  From The Washington Post:

Emboldened by divided Democrats and polls that show rising public anxiety about President Obama's handling of health care and the economy, Republicans on Monday launched an aggressive effort to link the two, comparing the health-care bills moving through Congress to what they labeled as a failed economic stimulus bill.

And the news Monday that the Obama administration would delay release of a congressionally mandated report on the nation's economic conditions only stoked the rhetoric, spawning GOP speculation that the White House is trying to avoid bad news amid the health-care debate.

Okay, that's fine.  The GOP must oppose reckless stuff.  But here's the other part of the story, which I found disturbing:

Lacking unity on an alternative agenda to Obama's health-care plans, Republicans have instead focused on a strategy of rallying public opposition and wooing the conservative Democrats in Congress, whose votes will ultimately determine the fate of any health-care bill. That plan depends in large part on Congress going on break before it votes on a bill. On Monday, though, Republicans made clear that they see an opportunity to derail the legislation now.

COMMENT:  How many years have Republicans had to come up with their own plan?  Look, the health-care system needs improvement.  Republicans cannot just oppose anything Democrats suggest. 

This is a time for something like Newt's Contract with America, in 1994.  The party must demonstrate that it has ideas, that it can fix problems, and make those fixes work. 

Americans like a positive approach.  Naysayers don't last that long.

July 21, 2009