Who's really the obstructionist party?

Marion J. Reis's Jan. 31 Fence Post contribution refers to the "obstructionism" that is driving The Republican Party. Please tell me, who has held the majority in both houses of Congress since 2007?

Four key issues drive today's greatest legislative and administrative efforts: the economy, health care, national security and energy. With regard to the economy, GDP growth has decreased with increased government involvement, promiscuous spending and lax accountability with lending has proliferated, and job losses and foreclosures continue to climb.

The health care reform debate has been crafted without the transparency promised by Mr. Obama. Have you seen any sessions on C-SPAN? Members of the minority party can't even get into the sessions. This to me, exhibits obstructionism. National security, re-established within the last decade, now erodes.

Heads of House and Senate declared the war in Iraq "lost" and that all troops needed to disarm and come home; their missions far from complete. Such absurd claims were cast aside with yesterdays rubbish as our country's finest, boldest and bravest steadfastly focused on their missions and succeeded. Proceed to the years 2009 and 2010 and terrorist attacks on U.S. soil re-emerge with the tragedy at Ft. Hood and the unsuccessful "underwear bomber" in Detroit.

Energy policy since 2006 has introduced ideas such as cap and trade. This is, as most of us realize, a monumental tax on any and all methods of doing business. The problem is that this legislation is based on the demonizing of carbon dioxide, the gas that makes up only 0.4 percent of our atmosphere.

Now take all of this in and absorb the State of the Union address and you will learn of what scares the majority of Americans, and yes, nearly all Republicans. We heard nothing but generically worded plans for all of the above issues.

Dan Milinko

West Chicago