The president and the punditry seem perplexed that Republicans vote against their own proposals. The president in particular seems to believe that in a choice between voting for their constituents and exposing their hypocrisy, the Republicans will, in the end, vote for their districts.
That is wrong. Much more importantly, however, it "misunderestimates" Republicans' devotion to their economic belief system, the alternative reality they constructed to maintain it, and the political, psychological and financial stakes they have invested in it.
When he fashions his jobs bill, therefore, President Obama should eschew calculations of what Republicans might support. They will not support anything, no matter how illogical or hypocritical that opposition may seem.
After all, if job-creating government spending works, it will constitute a real-life refutation of the economic mythology by which Republicans define themselves. It would be as if the early 17th-century pope peered through a telescope, recognized that the Earth indeed orbited the Sun, and freed Galileo of house arrest.
As much as the right wing hates President Obama and the prospect of his re-election, they know that with 41 votes in the Senate, they can block almost everything he, and the Democrats, want to do. They have already done it.
So, while Republicans are very willing to tank the economy to reduce the president's reelection chances, they know that if he wins, all they will have to do is bide their time for another four years, blocking Obama's nominees, blocking Obama's domestic policies, taking the country to the brink time and time again to extract concessions for their paymasters.
An Obama reelection victory will, for them, be unfortunate, but only a four-year blip on their road to absolute power. Indeed, Limbaugh and Hannity will likely do better with Obama around as their foil than if someone like Rick Perry entered the White House and suddenly had to take responsibility for the havoc he would wreak on the country.
But, if major job-creating legislation is passed, and millions of jobs are indeed created, the right-wing economic catechism that government spending and counter-cyclical deficit spending do not work, carefully perpetuated by four decades of lies and distortions, and promulgated by the investment of billions of dollars to erect an alternative reality, will be vanquished.
So, while the president is correct that government spending on transportation projects has always been non-partisan -- even Sarah Palin was for the "bridge to nowhere" funds before she was against it -- and while Rachel Maddow and Steve Benen cleverly suggest that the president take all Republican spending requests (minus the non-productive ones) and fund them as a way to get Republican votes on an infrastructure bill, Republicans will vote against their own proposals when the nexus between that spending, reduced unemployment and economic growth would be clear and unambiguous.
That is another reason the president must be bold, clear and simple. A laundry list of 10 measures that each contribute a bit indirectly will not only not work, it will so disappoint the middle class that no great pressure will be exerted, and Washington will work as it usually does (i.e., not at all). Anti-government Republicans, and Republican anti-government mythology, benefit when government does not work, even if they are the cause of failure.
Instead, the president must provide the middle class a plan that excites them, to be able to see clearly that 4 to 5 million jobs will be created within the next year, so that there will be a 2-million-person march on Washington, demanding that Congress act.
It does not really matter what additional items he includes in his actual submission to Congress. His speech should focus entirely on what he will propose to guarantee (not incentivize, but guarantee) 4 to 5 million jobs, with specifics, and how it will be financed. Without those elements, the plan's virtues will be lost in a cacophony of criticism and convoluted explanations.
The president must provide a well-conceived plan like that, present it clearly to the American people, refrain from giving a laundry list, and invite the American people to Washington to show their support.
If the American people have no doubt that the plan will achieve those goals, the country will erupt with strong support. Two million people will march on Washington. For once, Democrats and the middle class will control the agenda for several months. At that point, Republican members of Congress will have to decide whether they want to risk losing the House and Senate as well as the presidency.
Then, and only then, might the plan pass, now. Short of that, Republicans are not going to sacrifice their sacred belief system and alternative reality just to escape exposing their hypocrisy.
Avoiding heresy always trumps avoiding hypocrisy. The penalties for the former are more certain, swift and lasting.
A political strategy that does not incorporate this understanding will fail.
The American people cannot afford that failure.
Follow Paul Abrams on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pabrams2001
Michael Sigman: Read Our Lips: No New Texans
I wonder that all the time when I read some no-name (no offense, Mr. Adams) commentator suggesting what the President should or shouldn't do.
What I've seen in the past three years is that, time after time after time, the pundits say Obama should do this or that...and then, later on, in his OWN GOOD TIME, he does, more or less. He's not stupid, but he plans and times things carefully. So just because this loud mouth or that loud mouth thinks he should do this NOW, that doesn't mean he doesn't agree -- just that he knows more than most (well, than just about anyone) about what is going on behind the scenes and thus knows when the time is right and when it is wrong for certain actions or statements.
Unlike many, it seems, I am not a fickle Obama "supporter." I believe in the man's intelligence and skill, and I trust him to do what HE THINKS is best.
Not what you think, Mr. Adams.
It's simply not natural for people to spend other people's money wisely.
A left winger like me is right of a Eisenhower Republican. Tea Partiers are way right of John Birch.
People think that the Tea Party is something new--bull corn
The only thing different between the Tea Party and the John Birch Society from the 50's is the name.
The Tea Party is just the John Birch Society under a different name but financed by the same money (and Family)
It's name is the only thing that has changed.--They have the same goal.
If It wasn't for the Koch family money there wouldn't have been A John Birch Society that did so much harm to our country. – (Financed by the Koch bro’s daddy)
If It wasn't for the Koch family money there wouldn't be a Tea Party that is doing so much harm to our country. – (Financed by the Koch bro’s)
Check out who pays for your, signs, buses, politicians etc.
“Our system being corrupt is a non-partisan issue. The left and right are both irrelevant. We must stop our shotgun mentality of arguing over everything under the sun (I’m as bad as anyone- lol) and fight together on the one thing we do agree on.
Campaign Reform.
We are cutting our own throats by not coming together on this and the corruption that is tearing our country apart is laughing at us all the way to the bank.
Blaming this and that politician does no good. The blame lies ultimately on American citizens.
We all want what is best for our country, we disagree on how to do this, but it matters less what WE think. The will of the senate is the will of the special interests.
NOTHING will change unless we the people change it. THEN will be the time to argue ideology.
Until EVERYONE starts talking and blogging and marching for Campaign Reform we are just spinning our wheels discussing anything that might challenge the special interests.
Campaign Reform would heal the split of the American people that big money has encouraged.(IE Tea Party) divide and conquer
Campaign Finance Reform can be done but everyone must be made to realize that it has to be first and foremost, otherwise any improvements will either be non-existent or temporary at the best.
Nobody important anyway.
Orrin Hatch (R) quote: ..... "Six years ago under President ["W"] when we [Republicans] had the majority, it was standard practice not to pay for things,"
Now we Democrats are trying to pay for Bushes policy's and idiots are blaming the democrats for the deficit.
Republicans vote Against their own legislation There is something really ROTTEN going on!
Here's an example. The Republicans proposed a deficit reduction commission. Six Republicans co-sponsored it. President Obama embraced it. When it came time for a vote on the legislation, all six Republicans that had co-sponsored the bill voted against it.
Just one example out of too many to count.
Republicans do not care about policy or the people of this country, they only care about regaining power.
The Republican philosophy might be summarized thus:
"To hell with principle; what matters is power, and that we have it, and that they do not." - Pat Buchanan
Count me as a new fan.
Conservatives tend to believe that humans exist for the market, and not the other way around.
It is true that we should demand better accountability of how our tax dollars are spent, but to think that we can fix our unemployment by closing the EPA, the energy department, and the department of education and throwing all those workers out in the street is a really dumb idea. Yes, you will reduce spending, but will make the unemployment problem worse, and by default our ailing economy which depends so much in consumption.
It is the same as some suggesting that you hit your hand with a hammer when you have a headache. Your head may not hurt as bad anymore compared to your hand, but you are in no better shape than before.
from a 2001 CBO forecast of a cumulative $2.3 trillion surplus by 2011 versus the estimated $10.4 trillion public debt we actually face in 2011.
The major drivers were:
Revenue declines due to the recession, separate from the Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003: 28%
Defense spending increases: 15%
Bush tax cuts of 2001 and 2003: 13%
Increases in net interest: 11%
Other non-defense spending: 10%
Other tax cuts: 8%
Obama Stimulus: 6%
Medicare Part D: 2%
Other reasons: 7%”
Oh, that's right.. Bush and Ryan are both Republicans.
The right wing response will be to stick their fingers in their ears and say "la la la la la".
Dealing with reality is not their strong suit.
Regardless, in your case, it's like smashing your thumb with a hammer, and then doing it again to make the pain from the first strike subside.
O
The stock market rose from below 3,000 to 12,000. Unemployment fell to about 3% and all of a sudden Rpublicans decided that was due to their foresight and diligence.
Those same Republicans will now swear on a stack of bibles that any tax rise on the richest Americans will ruin this nation and create massive unemployment. They know this because the outcome of 1993 is not applicable since it denies their ideology.
Conservative Free Market based economic policy is delusional, unless you like the goal of making the wealthy richer. That's the result of Conservative policy adopted by both parties. The wealthy aren't creating jobs they are hoarding. Corporations aren't reinvesting they are hoarding. American Conservatives are propaganda believers, deregulation has done nothing for the average American, other then reduce your standard of living.Conservatives are brillant propagandist, they revise history, blame others and have done a great job of manipulating forty percent of the population into believing lies as they get ripped off. When Conservatives control policy things just get worse.
I feel that our greatest problem as a people is that some of our family are addicted to the hatred drug. Most I fear were prone to its effects to start with and easily seduced. Anything vomited forth by the usurpers of our country is readily grasped as proof positive of the Infallibility of their position. It is time for all of us to take Liberty as our cry and "We the People of the United States" as our cause and go foreward into what I hope will be a more vibrant and free country for us all.
1. Creation of JOBS
2. Improved classic Medicare For All
I am going to contribute to and work for ONLY those in the Legislative Branch who run on these issues. If all of us did that nationwide, we will OVERWHELMINGLY be represented in Congress, and the President will be elected on Congess' coattails! (The current President has no "down ticket" coattails -- he'll be riding the coattails of the downticket candidates!)
The People are coming! The People are coming! Vive la Revolution!