The 2014 US election wave which saw significant GOP election gains caught most off guard, including the victorious Republicans, many of whom aren’t “attuned to the Heartbeats of America.” It would be too easy to paint this, as have many in the Black community and liberal media, as an illustration that the racism against President Obama is clear.  In actuality, what happened was a repudiation of Washington, D.C. politicians and the direction being taken by the Obama Administration. It is also a warning shot fired over the bow of Republicans.

Thirty-two of 50 states are dominated by Republican-controlled governors and legislatures who believe, as is constitutional, that under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all rights not covered in the preceding nine revert to the individuals and state, not the federal government. The opposition to Obamacare, or at least significant parts of it, will continue because federal funding to states involved in health exchanges will terminate after three years, leaving states again with budget deficits for which money is limited. One of its fair but costly virtues will remain — limiting insurance penalties for pre-existing conditions.

Most don’t know that federal employees, as well as the president and legislature, exempted themselves along with unions from the very costly Obamacare legislation that other citizens face as a tax. If everyone were made to participate in Obamacare, Congress would fix it, provide affordable care and give the nation the same flexibility reserved unto themselves. We will see which Republicans walk that walk or face possibly being tossed out next go round.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has pocketed hundreds of bills rather than let them come to a vote. We’ll see if Sen. Mitch McConnell, in that role, and the Republican leadership will take up this charge in letting the votes be taken. Raising the Senate standard to pass legislation back to two-thirds rather than 60 percent will also be a consideration, for such would likely make presidential vetoes easy to overturn.

National Security will be a major issue with an increase in appropriations for the Military Industrial Complex.  There should be a repeal of legislation allowing unaccompanied minors into the nation, federal benefits to non-citizens, student visas without making colleges and universities accountable or face losing federal funding, and the Totalization Agreement with Mexico giving them Social Security monies for illegal immigrants who may have paid into the system. Border security must be strengthened, and a foreign policy which is more reflective of assistance to our friends such as Israel must be had. Though our veterans may stand in long lines for health care services, the Service Connected Disability fiascos which loom unabated will likely prove even more devastating to our needs to shield those who have put their lives on the line.

Immigration Reform must not disadvantage citizens as it does presently in totally disregarding the rule of law in its administration. That’s not fair.

Putting Social Security in a lock box apart from the General Fund while limiting receipt of funds only to citizens who have paid into the system is necessary for its sustainability. Clamors to control the national debt and balance the budget will increase. But not at the expense of cutting into pension funds, which is reportedly being plotted behind closed doors. The devil will be in the details as well as how to provide required services without raising our debt.

There were disturbing unabated trends seen which continue their resounding effect on domestic security for America. The number one urban and rural problem which is a silent, long-ignored ocean of quicksand is the expansion of the drug trade and associated culture in America. Nothing substantial on this has been dealt with since Nixon’s War on Drugs. As defined in my book, “Common Sense Conservative Prescriptions: Solutions Good for What Ails Us, Book I,” taking away most favorite status from nations so involved will diminish this as will going after pushers and their source as a priority, rather than users, should help. TROSA, a program now in Durham for rehabilitating drug offenders, is also a model which can work.

North Carolina has offered prison reforms under its 2011 Justice Reinvestment Act which can be a national model that is fair to offenders, limits the number incarcerated and provides Bush II hoped-for Second Chances.

The watchword for effectiveness and success for Republicans must be Solutions which work, and are fair as well as cost-effective.

Dr. Ada M. Fisher lives in  Salisbury. Contact her at P. O. BOX 777; Salisbury, N.C. 28145 or drfisher@dradamfisher.org.