Long past time to have 'adult conversation'

Republican leaders recently offered a Pledge to America which promises tax cuts, deregulation and a balanced budget.

On Fox News last Sunday, would-be House Speaker John Boehner said, “It's time for us, as Americans, to have an adult conversation with each other about the serious challenge our country faces.”

Actually, it's long past time.

Since the 2008 election, President Obama has been trying to have a serious adult conversation on America's many crises.

A good example of the GOP's response was with health insurance reform. Instead of engaging in discussion, they preferred to make irresponsible statements like that of our own Sen. Grassley, “We should not have a government program that determines if you're going to pull the plug on Grandma.” Remarks like that don't show much interest in adult conversation.

Two years ago, the nation elected a Democratic president and a Democratic majority in the House and Senate. Even so, two years is not enough time for one party alone to repair all the damage done over the previous eight years or to reverse the reckless style of government we've had for more than four decades.

But the GOP wants us to believe their old policies, including the tax cuts and deregulation that produced the financial crisis, will somehow work this time. Adults can work together to produce solutions, but Republican leaders seem to care more about winning elections than solving America's problems.

Doug Allaire

Iowa City