Republicans want the United States to fail.

Don’t take my word for it. Here is the direct quote from the leader of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh: “Look, what Obama’s talking about is the absorption of as much of the private sector by the U.S. government as possible, from the banking business, to the mortgage industry, the automobile business, to health care. I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don’t want this to work. I hope he fails.”

It simply cannot be put more starkly.

Democrats are working to help the country get out of the hole Republicans dug, and here is their leader advocating the country stays in the hole.

The Democrats’ plan:

• Invests $100 billion in clean energy technology;

• Makes a $634 billion down payment on fixing health care;

• Halves the deficit by 2013 (remember when Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility? No more.);

• Increases grants to pay for college;

• Dramatically increases funding for the agencies that police Wall Street;

• Closes multi-billion-dollar tax loopholes for oil companies;

• Reduces taxes for 95 percent of all Americans;

• Reverses income inequality;

• Brings troops home from Iraq, which frees up $10 billion a month for domestic priorities;

• Contains no more budget tricks to hide the real costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Bush tax cuts.

That’s the Democrats’ plan for rebuilding the country.

The Republican plan? Zilch.

Dave Chirayath, Lewiston