Jobs outlook

Ed Stein's commentary:

I’m as perplexed as anyone by the lack of focus among Democrats running for office this election. It starts at the top, with a White House that has been unable to produce a coherent election message. It ought to be easy, especially for as gifted an orator as Obama, but he’s been bizarrely unable to connect with voters this time around. The message should be simple: we have enormous challenges as a nation, but when the going gets tough we Americans have always risen to the occasion, and here’s what we need to do. And then lay out an ambitious agenda and keep hammering it home and criticizing those who stand in the way as the obstructionists they are. But we haven’t heard anything of the sort. Somehow, this administration has never managed to figure out that it’s jobs, stupid; instead it has flitted from one subject to the next, hoping something works, and praying that the economy will respond before it’s too late. It’s too late. Republicans have done absolutely nothing to earn our trust, but given the inability of the Democrats to use their power effectively, the other party is the only alternative, and it looks as though they will gain significantly across the board.

I can't understand how we Americans could possibly consider putting the Republicans back in power - the same Republicans who brought us this mess, have dragged their feet in cleaning it up, and, worst of all, are pushing the same ideas that got us into this disastrous position in the first place. How can we be this dumb?

But I'm not happy with how Barack Obama has let this happen, either. What happened to his oratory? What happened to his leadership? We need a leader, dammit! Congress can't lead. It's a legislative body. We need the executive to lead. The President of the United States has the world's biggest bully pulpit, so why not use it?

Obama has been too busy trying to get along with his political opponents. Well, guess what? That's not working and it's not going to work. As usual, Democrats in general seem to be too timid. Arguing your own position, passionately and forcefully, isn't tyranny (although Fox "News" will always argue that it is, when Democrats do it). And incremental measures aren't going to work here.

For once, Democrats - and particularly Barack Obama - need to be bold. So what if it won't get past the continual Republican filibuster in the Senate? Nothing else will, either. We need Obama to propose bold policies - and then hammer away at them over and over and over again. Use the bully pulpit. Lead this country.

The biggest problem with the upcoming election is that progressives are discouraged and apathetic. We thought we were getting real change, and we got timid little half-measures, instead. OK, so you can't get bold policies through Congress. But you can propose them, and fight like a tiger every step of the way, instead of "compromising" and giving away everything unilaterally, without getting anything at all in return. We got politicians timidly sticking one toe in the water, to judge the political temperature first, instead of plunging in with a roar. Show them,... show us something worth fighting for and we'll vote. (I plan to vote anyway, of course, no matter what, since apathy is not an option.)

It's not just on the economy, either. Yes, jobs are number one. But Democrats need to fire up their base. So let's see real movement on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Not just behind the scenes, either. Let's see the President hammer at this, over and over again. Heck, let's see him boldly stand up for gay marriage. And, absolutely, let's see him boldly stand up for America's traditional separation of church and state. No half-measures! Also, one thing Joe Biden can do immediately is to challenge Senate rules in court, since the current filibuster takes away his constitutionally-mandated duty to break ties. Above all else, let's see some boldness!

I'm not the only one who can see this, so why can't the Democratic Party? We had a chance to turn this country around, but that chance has almost slipped through our feeble grasp. Heck, it might be too late already. But bold people won't let that worry stop them. And timidly cowering under our beds certainly won't help!