Republican-held majorities in both the House and Senate have missed one golden opportunity after the next to force President Obama’s hand heading into next year’s elections.

Rather than spending this past year showcasing the ideological and common-sense divide between the GOP and the president, Republican lawmakers have been content to sit on their hands. Instead of passing scores of well-liked bills and daring the president to commit political suicide by vetoing legislation the public overwhelmingly supports, GOP leaders let mountains of popular proposals pile up on their desks.