Needham: A Vision to Unite America

"Most of the political world’s attention this week was focused on Speaker John Boehner’s decision to let President Obama continue borrowing without limit until next March," writes Michael Needham at NRO. "Speaker Boehner’s decision to break with his conference — and break with his own dollar-for-dollar rule in raising the debt limit — shows that the House GOP conference is without leadership today."

Heritage Action’s Conservative Policy Summit showed that there is a path out of the wilderness, if only Washington’s political class can find the courage to walk on it.

We owe it to the American people to show them how we would govern as conservatives. The best way to do that is to legislate in the House.

This week, up-and-coming conservatives in the House demonstrated that they are determined to do just that. At the Conservative Policy Summit, ten members of Congress presented big, bold ideas to lead the GOP back to relevance. It is precisely this kind of agenda that can produce a mandate by capturing the hearts and minds of the American people. Far away from the messaging consultants, pollsters, and other preservers of the status quo, these members unapologetically presented an agenda that would unite America behind a vision of a better life.

Among the legislative ideas presented:

• Replacing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac ("two institutions that played starring roles in the financial collapse") and encouraging private investment and innovation -- Rep Jeb Hensarling;
• Several bills to replace Obamacare — Rep Tom Price, Rep Phil Roe, Rep Paul Broun;
• Higher education reform package — Sen Mike Lee
• Energy package — Sen Ted Cruz
• School choice package — Sen Tim Scott
• Welfare reform — Rep Jim Jordan

A Vision to Unite America: Beyond the party's tired leaders, Republican innovators show the way forward, Michael Needham, NRO