Atlantic Council Chairman Jon M. Huntsman Jr. writes for Politico on what Washington can accomplish in the last two years of President Obama’s term:
The end of another election cycle leaves Washington, D.C., with a refreshing—if temporary—blank slate. The opportunity to write a new chapter of legislative history is only real, however, if the president and 114th Congress choose issues that lend themselves to true consensus. Rather than tackling issues that are inherently divisive, Republican leaders would be wise to craft a legislative package that simply addresses the most basic and agreed-upon elements of two essential governmental repairs.
Majorities agree on key elements of both immigration and tax policy. Congress should pull those elements into a package that aims to fix, to improve—not overhaul, not remake or rewrite—our immigration and tax systems. As a package deal in which both parties can fulfill important priorities—the president would do well to show progress on jobs and the economy, while Republicans need to enhance their competitiveness for 2016 with a win on immigration—immigration reform and business tax reform could unleash growth, broaden prosperity and point the way for more problem-solving.