Day One, 112th Congress: 10 Simple Rules for the GOP

(what a beautiful picture)

by Michelle Malkin

1. Manage expectations.

2. Serve the people, not the press.

3. Neutralize the grievance-mongers: Confront the race card early and often.

4. Neutralize Alinsky’s avenging angels: Counter the human shield strategy early and often.

5. Don’t fall prey to Chicken Little Syndrome again. Don’t.

6. Never forget: Government does not “create jobs.” Politicians don’t create jobs. You are there to stop government from killing jobs in the name of “reform,” the “children,” “emergencies,” global warming, hope, change, etc., etc., etc.

7. Obstruction is not a dirty word.

8. Don’t be afraid to say it: Take Your Olive Branch and Shove It, Democrats.

9. Show, don’t tell: Transparency. Accountability. Integrity. When you fail, you’ll be called out. The “R” after your name doesn’t give you immunity. Ever.

10. This is your oath of office. Live it: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”

Feel free to add your own.

***

GOP House Speaker John Boehner is now @SpeakerBoehner on Twitter here.

The GOP will livestream the opening session on Facebook here.

The New Constitutional Authority Requirement for Legislation is here.

Chad Pergram at Fox News offers up a handy “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Opening of the 112th Congress.”

Reuters spotlights some of the opening-day festivities later this morning:

* Republicans will be in charge of the House, having ousted Democrats from the majority in Nov. 2 congressional elections. The new Republican majority will be 242-193.

* One of the first orders of House business will be the virtually certain election of Republican John Boehner as the chamber’s new speaker, replacing Democrat Nancy Pelosi. She will become the chamber’s new minority leader.

* Once Boehner is selected by the full House, Pelosi is to hand Boehner the speaker’s gavel as the chamber’s presiding officer.

A moment to savor. And then to work: Getting things undone, lifting regulatory burdens, demolishing roadblocks to prosperity, and promoting a pro-freedom, pro-opportunity agenda to counter Barack Obama’s Nanny/Crony State.

Giddyup!

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