The Republican answer isn't about improving the state of the nation; it's about further improving the economic state of the "have mores" as GWB called them. They've long since committed themselves to running the nation down a rat hole, but they're equally dedicated to doing so along with the really important stuff like preventing gay marriage, keeping gays out of the military, banning abortion, and otherwise controlling the lives of other people, while driving the U.S. into becoming the next feudal state.