Election 2010 Mandate: Tackle the debt

http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-10-21-column21_ST_N.htm
Cal Thomas is a conservative columnist. Bob Beckel is a liberal Democratic strategist. But as longtime friends, they can often find common ground on issues that lawmakers in Washington cannot. View the video version of this column atwww.opinion.usatoday.comor at USA TODAY's YouTube channel at youtube.com/usatoday.
Today: The Nov. 2 elections.

Bob: In my 30 years in politics I've never seen the voters as angry or impatient as they are today. Sure, Democrats will take a beating in November, but don't assume that represents only anger at them. This is an anti-incumbent movement, and Republicans should be thankful there are so few of them and hence fewer targets. Both parties suffer historically low approval ratings, but in a bad year for Democrats, Republicans are viewed even worse.

Cal: Agreed. The voters are beyond Republican vs. Democrat, Left vs. Right. They are angry at everybody, and I think this provides the best opportunity for Republicans to actually govern and begin to fix what has gone wrong, rather than posture and act like they are more politically righteous than the Democrats. Very recent history proves they are not.