GOP beat Obama; now move on

News and Observer, Raleigh, N.C.: Republicans around the nation enjoyed a night of election results in which they finally defeated Barack Obama, a man who has twice won national election.

But now what happens if Republicans run the Senate along with the House? If the past is a guide, a Republican Senate will support the usual GOP agenda: Cut taxes, cut spending, cut regulations and rattle sabers. For the past two years, that approach has managed to stymie the economy’s recovery, delay infrastructure investment, ignore climate change, block immigration reform and present a divided United States government to a world looking for U.S. leadership.

Opposing the president isn’t a program. It’s an attitude, and not a constructive one. Obama is done running, and Republicans need to stop running against him and start governing.

Congressional Republicans will face Obama’s veto and likely Sen. Harry Reid’s procedural machinations as minority leader. Taking the Democrats head-on will lead only to collisions without progress.