he comes out like a man on fire on Wednesday. What this country needs, what this party needs, what this presidency needs now more than anything is passion. I was glad to see the president come out yesterday strongly against the not-so-stealth attempted right-wing takeover of our democracy. And the broadside against the banks was very, very welcome (if not a little obviously motivated by, ahem, events of recent days). Regardless of the motivation for yesterday's attitude, all I can say is, it's about fucking time. The only question I have is, "what took you so long?"
After what has seemed like an existential crisis since Tuesday, encompassing a large portion of the president's erstwhile supporters on the web, in the media, and even from politicians in his own party, Mr. Obama has a choice to make. Continue on the passive, seemingly out of touch path he's been on up to this point in his administration, or bring out the Barack Obama of the campaign trail. You know, the one that nearly 70 million people voted for. I think that this failure to be out in front leading, very publicly, on the big issues of the day is a large part of what has led to the losses recently and the angst that is rampant on our side. And the fact that it's taken his team a whole year to try to tap into people's anger, to adopt a populist stance, and to take on the villains who nearly destroyed our nation's economy is baffling. That being said, I don't think it's too late for the president and our party to regroup, win control of the debate again, and crush the right in the fall. Let's look forward to how this president can rectify our party's morale problem and, more importantly, begin to solve the seemingly intractable problems facing our nation.
- In my opinion the most important thing the president could do, the most stunning, and the most effective would be to announce that there have been mistakes made by him, his administration, and the Congress. Say he's sorry that there was the appearance that he wasn't leading on the healthcare debate, and that those days are over. Announce, perhaps even more surprisingly, that the current bill was being scrapped and a Medicare buy-in and Medicaid expansion were now the reforms of choice. DEMAND the bill on his desk by the end of March. Reiterate the moral choice the Congress and we, the American people, face on this penultimate issue. People will respond to a frank apology and a change of pace on this horribly unpopular bill.
- Announce that he and his administration were going absolutely balls to the wall on economic recovery. And oh yeah, JOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBSJOBS. Use this to segue into...
- Dropping radioactive napalm on the Republican Party. REMIND everyone, in minute detail, of the situation that he inherited. A situation CAUSED by the exact same policies that these people would re-implement if they're given power again in the fall. That they are a danger to our nation, and their policies really do represent an mortal threat to this country. That their relentless obstruction has done more to hinder the economic recovery than any other factor (even if that's not quite true). Meeting his enemies face to face and calling them out in the strongest possible language also known as THE TRUTH in front of the nation will show everyone that he is done being pushed around.
- In a related vein to number 3, take on the teabag nuts head on. I know some will say this is beneath the president. I say bullshit to that. When you're dealing with people who can wreck a nation, challenging them at the highest level is essential politically. Take on their gripes one by one. "What freedoms has anyone lost since I assumed office? 'High taxes?' For who?" Obama needs to TOUT the largest middle class tax CUT in history, and mention the disastrous Bush/right-wing tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans that only led to a DECLINE in median family income, a net job loss, and the worst recession in 70 years. And again, in slow cadence, mention the middle class tax CUT. This is absolutely ESSENTIAL in challenging their main meme of "high taxes" which has taken hold in a large part of the public's mind and is of course absolute bullshit. The tax cut has to be POUNDED ON in this speech. As does the inherited deficit, the teabaggers other red herring. Mention the right-wing turning a projected $5 TRILLION surplus into a multi trillion $ deficit. Ask where the protests were then?
Exuding strength is the most important thing that the president can do in this, the most important speech in his political life, and a very important one in the history of our republic. People have to remember who the big dog is, and be reminded, repeatedly, of who got us into this disaster, who's fought against recovery and change, and who's going to fight every day for the working American, not the economic royalty whose foot soldiers, the teabaggers, are so badly uninformed. In short, President Obama needs to speak like his political future, and that of the Democratic Party, are on the line. Because they are. Now is not the time for passivity and being "above conflict" with the enemies of the president (who are, coincidentally, also the enemies of the working and middle class American). We want fire and leadership, Mr. President. Show us that. Acknowledge that your first year didn't go as planned, admit your part in that, promise to rectify the mistakes, and then go to war. You'll have millions of wavering supporters falling into formation behind you.