More speeches, photo ops, and minor policy modifications will not save the flailing Obama presidential campaign. He needs to produce a drama, an event that will highlight the core of his message in ways that will deeply speak to the public and stay with it. I am not speaking of drama for drama's sake, to grab headlines, but for a showdown on a very real issue. In effect the number one issue: the way the gridlock in Congress prevents the economy from recovering, by not enacting the jobs bill and blocking a deficit cutting deal.
To proceed, Obama should pull a Truman. In 1952 the United States economy was threatened by a strike by the steel workers, whose employers refused to make a deal. (In those days, steel was a crucial commodity for a well functioning economy.) When the strike dragged on and on, President Truman invited the head of the steel workers union and a representative of the steel industry to the White House. On arrival they were told "this is not a social visit." Truman informed them that he would keep them in the White House until they struck a deal. It was reached the same day.
President Obama should invite Speaker of the House John Boehner, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell for a summit on economic policy, to start say at 5 pm. At 7 pm the White House Press Secretary should ask the TV networks to make room for a major announcement to follow at 9 pm. The two hour interval will generate a great buzz, as people -- here and aboard -- will speculate over what the president will announce and gain the president the audience that is called for.
At 9 pm, the president would state that leading business and labor leaders and economists from all over the political and professional spectrum warn that the American economy is about to fall off the cliff, that is fall into a deep recession, unless major steps are taken to deal with jobs, whether or not to extent the Bush tax cuts (and if yes, which ones), whether or not to extend the Social Security tax holiday, and how to reduce the deficit by spending cuts.
The president would state that these matters cannot wait because they must be treated before January 1, 2013, and if we wait until after the elections to face them, there will be very little time to work out the details in a post-election lame duck congressional session, even if then a basic deal is struck. Moreover, experts of all stripes warn him that the financial markets, which abhor uncertainly, will not wait much longer for the US to put its house in order and threaten us with another 2008 type of crisis or worse, given the fragile state of the global economy.
The president will conclude that hence he felt compelled to take extraordinary means, and invited representatives of both parities to the White House to work out an agreed upon deal concerning all of our burning economic issues, leading with job creation and deficit cutting. They have been diligently working since 5 pm in a White House that is closed. The Secrete Service is ensuring that no one will leave until they found a way to prevent a loom national catastrophe. The Army has set up cots in Roosevelt Room, in case the negotiators need to spend the night, and the White House staff stands by to bring the negotiators whatever they need from their homes, such as medications, their favorite toothbrush, or teddy bear. The Mensa is preparing meals. All cell phones have been turned off, to prevent the negotiators from being distracted by contacts with the media and from posturing.
The president may well have to add that he has been informed by the leaders of both parties that they feel that they have to consult with other leading members of their respective parties. He will explain that he informed the negotiators that they can ask as many members of Congress as they wish to join them in the White House; that additional cots were ordered, and that the Navy was instructed to set up a field kitchen on the South Lawn to serve whatever number is needed, if be it the whole Congress. However, the president would note, whoever joins the negations will stay, "until I can come and tell the American people that we found a way to pull away from the cliff and found a new road that leads the American economy to a higher growth rate, lower unemployment, and lower deficits."
Amitai Etzioni is a University Professor and professor of international relations at The George Washington University and the author of Security First (Yale 2007). For more discussion, see icps.gwu.edu.
Truman didn't like War Profiteers. Truman didn't like Dino's. Truman didn't tolerate a runaway Military Industrialist Complex.
In truth Simpson/Boles has already provided this blueprint at the behest of the Obama Regime.
It was promptly rejected by that same regime.
The political arena is not a labor management give and take. The differences are philosophical and both sides are equally entrenched.
Let the people speak in November and then we will see which philosophy is preferred by the citizens. From there we might move forward.
Panic based actions will solve nothing and perhaps make things worse as evidenced by the dismal failure of stimuli spending. It is past time to fix causes rather than serving up palliatives.
WHAT TAX CUTS do you refer to ..... I see no evidence of any ... Do you mean the cut in projected spending increase that STILL resulted in more spending ...
Truly Orwellian
Next show Romney up as an incompetent governor who didn't do his job. The GOP as a tea party that can't govern.
Harry Truman said the "Buck Stops Here"...Barack Obama says "The Buck Passes here".
What's dangerous is that the U.S. has a growing dependency on Govt, and BHO is trying to harness this, grow it even (ala the Food Stamps ad campaign), and will lock in that group of voters.
The deficit has increased by a greater amount than ever before -- More debt does not cure debt
Job growth that leaves 15% of us unemployed is not a solution
The financial crises has never come to conclusion.
The economy IS an economic disaster
3.8% to 7.8% = 97% net unemployed is on bush
7,8% to 8.2 % = 3% net unemployment on obama
The rest of it was also nonsense. As if Boehner and McConnell would show up! Of course they'd use the opportunity to make the President look foolish. That's what they DO. That's all they do.
Ordering the high muckety mucks to sleep on cots and eat at field kitchens - yes, I'm sure Fox News wouldn't make any hay out of that at all. President Dictator! That's one of their favorite themes!
As if it would be helpful to freak out the entire nation by telling them we're facing an economic crisis so severe that Congressional leaders have to be put under house arrest. Yes, that would be just awesome.
The whole piece is just silly. Obviously Obama knows a LOT better how to win a campaign than this professor does.
And Romney is DEFINITELY not Reagan. Reagan had charisma. Romney has anti-charisma. He also has a terrible bio - spoiled rich boy makes himself rich at the expense of the American worker. He can never overcome that biography, even if he had political talent - which he clearly does not.
Don't be lulled by that R talking point. It's whistling past the graveyard. The R plan is to carpet bomb us with lies and slander close to the election, which has been Romney's only tactic. I think it's very likely that technique has jumped the shark with the American people. We know who's paying for all those lies and we know they don't have our interests at heart.
Fanned.
Industry would not even budge no mater what bills are passed because of the pending costs of the Affordabull Care Act of catastrophe.
Obama/ Biden 2012!
No, the spoof who thinks something as minor as DADT has any real importance outside of a very small minority.
No, the person who has no understanding of Capitals risk / reward system and rather than allowing a normal flow interjected public money to save Union Jobs, Nationalized the industry, and stole from bond holders.
THAT LEADER
A non-military experienced civilian argues with combat experienced truth about political correctness?
Ford did not participate in the buyout/stimulus and is doing fine thank you...the key thing to remember is that the United Brotherhood of Automotive, Aerospace & Agriculture Implement Workers(UAW) think they owe Obama a vote.
What about the economy?
What about controlling illegal immigration?
The House of Representatives have introduced 28 jobs bills...where was your leader?
Where is the budget?
$1-Trillion was borrowed from the Chinese. Why?
The national debt is $4-Trillion greater since Bush left office created by Obama.
Millions of Americans are out of work and the promised drop in unemployment has not happened.
Islamic persecution continues whilst Christians are being chastised by our own government.
But that's OK for now, the Taxed Enough Already(TEA-Party), along with dozens of like minded citizen PACs are standing by to lead this country out of the mess that is this current administration.
The small inkling we had resulted in massive election turnover in 2010.
"otherness".