Progressive Movement

I could not have said this better myself. Thanks to FireDogLake for this great post. If Obama continues to see post-partisanship as the goal, the end result will never be good. It is easy for Republicans to stop Obama if his goal is bi-partisanship or post-partisanship. And then Obama looks like a failure and the Republicans like competent defenders of the faith. After this, Obama better just press full speed ahead and run over any Republicans who get in his way. Either they will move, and survive, or get crushed.

There really is no changing the tone in Washington, at least not how Obama sees it. Bi-partisanship is an old tactic. Using it either as a goal or a tactic does not change the tone. The tone is set by success or failure. If you succeed, then more people will want to jump on your bandwagon. And the more that happens, the more real change you can make. Ultimately, and Obama, Emanuel, and the moderates in his inner circle need to understand that the change we need and seek is progressive reform, not elevating a political tactic to sacrosanct goal.

Obama, Analysis, Economy, Bi-partisanship | No Comments »

Two weeks into the new administration and how has Obama done both with his political strategy and messaging? So far, not so dandy, although the executive decisions and announced policy changes have been quite solid.

Messaging

I will give Obama credit for one thing on the messaging front; he admitted his Administration made a mistake for not cutting off early Daschle and his other appointees who had tax issue problems. Admitting mistakes is a welcome change from Bush, who even in his last days, seemed way too intent on placing blame on others than coming clean about his Administration’s many shortcomings.

So Obama has enacted change in that regard, and thank heavens for that. The overall feel so far is that the sober headed adults are now running the asylum, not the inmates.

But the rest of the messaging has been questionable. The Republicans have successfully defined the stimulus bill as a pork barrel spending free for all that will do nothing for the economy, even though the pork only amounts to 1 percent of the entire $813 billion package.

Consequently, the House Republicans who unanimously voted against the stimulus bill now look like heroes for standing up to the supposedly flawed, ineffective bill, even after the Democrats handed them loads of stuff the Republicans wanted. Now Obama looks like someone willing to compromise with a weak and wounded enemy to no effect, while continuing business as usual in Washington, at least in regards to spending.

No surprise then that combined with several of his appointees having ethical and tax problems, Obama’s approval rating has dropped 19 points from when he took office.

Can he right the ship so quickly off course? Well, (more…)

Messaging, Administration, Democrats, Obama, deficit, Taxes, Republicans, Analysis, Economy, Competency & accountability frame | No Comments »