UPDATED: Lowell at Blue Virginia looks at the "winners" and "loser" from yesterday that makes a great read. One of my favorites, however is this under the "losers' section:*
Barack Obama's political advisors. If this were medieval Japan, the political "professionals" advising President Obama would all be falling on their swords this morning, having failed miserably to provide sound advice, a workable strategy, a coherent/appealing message, or any ability whatsoever to market Democratic successes (e.g., that we cut taxes for 98% of Americans, got all the TARP money back, etc., etc.). Given that this is the Democratic Party, these people will most likely go on to long and lucrative careers, having suffered no consequences for their utter failure yesterday. Sadly, what else is new?
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Yesterday's election results were a disaster for progressives in many ways with absolute racists and homophobes scheduled to join the GOP in Congress and in many other elected offices. Who is to blame? The Democrats and the occupant of the White House first and foremost. Spinelessness, timidity and a lunatic quest for bipartisanship that was dead before the first moment of Obama's presidency passed. The result has been half measures and a litany of broken campaign promises that demonstrated to many - especially younger voters - that in terms of getting the nation's problems fixed, voting accomplishes nothing. Yes, it's a short sighted view, by the Liar-in-Chief made that lesson number 1 of the last two years. I hope the bastard (and those who voted for racists, homophobes, and worshipers of ignorance) is happy with what will now face him over the next two years. For the Democrats, the work is cut out for them: (1) refind their message and a backbone and (2) find a different candidate for the White House in 2012 - namely, anyone who has a spine and might actually try to deliver on promises. Obama simply needs to go. I just wish we did not have to wait two years to get rid of him . Here are some highlights from E.J. Dionne's column in the Washington Post:
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President Obama allowed Republicans to define the terms of the nation's political argument for the past two years and permitted them to draw battle lines the way they wanted. Neither he nor his party can let that happen again.
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Democrats held onto moderate voters while losing independents. What hurt them most was this brute fact: Voters younger than 30 made up 18 percent of the electorate in 2008 but only about half that on Tuesday, according to network exit polls. This verdict was rendered by a much older and much more conservative electorate. Yes, there was an enthusiasm gap.
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This only underscored that Tuesday's results mark the beginning of the next round, not the end of the contest. Before the next election - which will be decided by a broader electorate - progressives, including Obama, have to be wiser about the fights they pick, more focused on the country's economic pain, and as shrewd as their adversaries have been in promoting debates that rally their troops and advance their goals.
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Now Obama needs to offer proposals that advance the common interest and progressive ideals in ways that force Republicans to pay a price for opposing them. . . . . Obama should also push forward with an infrastructure bank, which has bipartisan support. There is no better time to rebuild our nation's crumbling public facilities than when borrowing is cheap. And he should address the decline of American manufacturing, a prime cause of the discontent that roils the Midwest.
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Republicans need to be pressed to put specifics behind their anti-spending, anti-deficit rhetoric. They should be confronted with budget cuts that force them to face their constituencies. Farm subsidies are not sacred, nor is spending for weapons systems the Pentagon says it doesn't need, nor are hundreds of millions in tax expenditures and preferences. And if Republicans continue to insist on tax cuts for the wealthy, they should have to identify spending cuts to cover the costs.
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Progressives believe in a government that promotes modestly more equality, regulates business in the public interest and sees public action as promoting American competitiveness. This election didn't change that. It is a setback for progressives, not a permanent defeat. They took real losses but held their own in the Senate and in key governors' races. The real showdown takes place in two years - and with the electorate equally disapproving of both Republicans and Democrats, that battle is wide open.
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I believe that Dionne's analysis is correct. However, on the issue of whether or not this White House is up to the task required of it, in my view the answer is a resounding "No." If it were, we'd be seeing a different morning after election day result this morning. Obama needs to go and the Democrats had better start finding a replacement immediately.
*
President Obama allowed Republicans to define the terms of the nation's political argument for the past two years and permitted them to draw battle lines the way they wanted. Neither he nor his party can let that happen again.
*
Democrats held onto moderate voters while losing independents. What hurt them most was this brute fact: Voters younger than 30 made up 18 percent of the electorate in 2008 but only about half that on Tuesday, according to network exit polls. This verdict was rendered by a much older and much more conservative electorate. Yes, there was an enthusiasm gap.
*
This only underscored that Tuesday's results mark the beginning of the next round, not the end of the contest. Before the next election - which will be decided by a broader electorate - progressives, including Obama, have to be wiser about the fights they pick, more focused on the country's economic pain, and as shrewd as their adversaries have been in promoting debates that rally their troops and advance their goals.
*
Now Obama needs to offer proposals that advance the common interest and progressive ideals in ways that force Republicans to pay a price for opposing them. . . . . Obama should also push forward with an infrastructure bank, which has bipartisan support. There is no better time to rebuild our nation's crumbling public facilities than when borrowing is cheap. And he should address the decline of American manufacturing, a prime cause of the discontent that roils the Midwest.
*
Republicans need to be pressed to put specifics behind their anti-spending, anti-deficit rhetoric. They should be confronted with budget cuts that force them to face their constituencies. Farm subsidies are not sacred, nor is spending for weapons systems the Pentagon says it doesn't need, nor are hundreds of millions in tax expenditures and preferences. And if Republicans continue to insist on tax cuts for the wealthy, they should have to identify spending cuts to cover the costs.
*
Progressives believe in a government that promotes modestly more equality, regulates business in the public interest and sees public action as promoting American competitiveness. This election didn't change that. It is a setback for progressives, not a permanent defeat. They took real losses but held their own in the Senate and in key governors' races. The real showdown takes place in two years - and with the electorate equally disapproving of both Republicans and Democrats, that battle is wide open.
*
I believe that Dionne's analysis is correct. However, on the issue of whether or not this White House is up to the task required of it, in my view the answer is a resounding "No." If it were, we'd be seeing a different morning after election day result this morning. Obama needs to go and the Democrats had better start finding a replacement immediately.
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