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StrangerThan -> RE: Opinions on President Obama's Jobs Speech... (9/9/2011 6:34:17 AM)
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A couple of things...
First, the speech itself - I didn't watch it. I waited for the recap. Actually, I didn't have a chance to watch it, but not sure I would have if I had. It didn't take long. Yahoo had the recap posted in the middle of the night. I know because I was up with sick family.
I've read several op/ed pieces over the past few weeks related to the perception of Obama as weak and ineffective. These were all leftist pieces by the way, and most linked off Yahoo. Anyone who has Yahoo as a homepage shouldn't need the qualifier as leftist, but I'm not hunting links for people this morning. If they want to look for them, that;s where they are and were. The grandstanding of the past week or two, re the go straight to hell's, the barbarians, the take em outs, the hanging of blacks from trees, combined with what even Yahoo sees as a political speech as much as proposal to address the jobs problem, are pretty much centered around giving him campaign fodder.
Whether it will work or not depends on how Republicans respond. I don't think they can just say no. Two issues are hitting Republicans hard right now. One is taxes. Obama has been after tax increases for a while. I don't agree we should hit anyone harder right now. What Republicans cannot do however, is go back to telling seniors, we're going to have to cut your benefits or restructure them to get the deficit under control, which anyone with half a brain knows is pretty much the same thing.
They also need to be wary of the payroll tax issue. It makes no sense to many people to say we're against raising taxes, and on the flip side say, we're against easing up on you where taxes are concerned. I understand there are better ways to spend money to get the economy rolling. What I also understand is the government ignores fuel and food costs in their inflation figures, and people are paying those costs regardless of what the government says. I understand a lot of people are employed are under-employed. A few more dollars in their paychecks might not turn the tide for them, but it does give the feeling that there's an understanding of the stress.
The same with the 99'ers. The debate over creating an entitlement class is going to run into a brick wall if we have people starving across the winter. All the lofty plans aside, give me some heart and soul along with breaks to business.
Second the response: Republicans need to sign on to a few things without much fuss. Extend the benefits. Don't quibble over the ss tax cut. Neither make any sense. When they fight, they need to stand on solid ground. I'm tired of hearing tripe from both sides that basically says, it won't work. And as far as campaign time, they have their own bully pulpit in Perry and Romney. The biggest way they can fail right now is to take the threatening tone, the over bearing tone, the do it my way or else tone, lying down. Half the shit he proposed will do nothing for months anyway. Sign on to the feel good stuff, because America needs some feel good. Back claims with numbers, statistics, and the business side of both Romney and Perry. Basically if I was Perry, I'd be waiting for him to say something about his job creation under stimulus. I'd grin, say yeah, but ya know, I did half of it for you. If you want to learn how to create jobs, come to Texas. I'll hold class just for you.
Republicans also need to be hunting ways to make a difference NOW, not next year, nor at some visionary point in the future where more stimulus would have an affect, if it had one at all.
There are plenty of ways to deal with his proposals effectively, provide some relief for people, work towards getting the economy back on track, and crap on what has mostly been political posturing the past couple of weeks leading into and including his speech.
What isn't going to work, is just saying no.
Just me.
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