Yahoo! News asked readers and contributors to write New Year's resolutions for some U.S. politicians. Below are one reader's recommendations.
As we barrel toward a new year, one can only hope that the year to come will be one full of wise decisions. Bearing that in mind, here are a few suggested resolutions for our country's leadership:
President Barack Obama: Resolve to do something big for this country even if it makes you unpopular with your base during an election year. Face it, you have already angered your base anyway. You may as well approve the Keystone XL Pipeline. Oh, and resolve to get some sort of handle on the Justice Department in 2012 too.
Speaker of the House John Boehner: Resolve to either reach a compromise well before the last possible chance to make one or else take a stand and don't surrender. One or the other. Eleventh-hour decisions to agree to that which you said you'd never agree to don't help your cause. In fact, crud like that just makes people mad.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi: Resolve to quit flaunting the benefits of insider trading in the faces of the American people. A Christmas vacation hotel suite that costs $10,000 per night? Plus police escort for your celebrity self? Please.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer:
Resolve not to let Sheriff Arpaio take the literal stand during the Supreme Court trial on the immigration law. Seriously. It's not a good idea.
All of Congress:
Resolve to cut the posturing, whining, tire-wetting and other such ridiculousness to a reasonable level. Try not to look quite so much like you're aiming for a new take on Groundhog Day. Instead, go for looking like maybe you want to stop spinning in circles.