Advice for President Obama

[Reaganfan]

Some have claimed that my unique perspective on things from politics to pop culture make me "America". Or that I epitomize many simple minded folks throughout the country who may vote either way in a Presidential election.

To have an honest discussion, I have some advice for President Obama. Clearly, the odds are stacked against him. If this were an incumbent Republican President, I know people like myself and Keystone Phil and Inks would be saying in conversations almost jokingly, "You know we have no shot, right?" to which an agreeing chuckle would follow. This was much the case throughout 2007 and 2008 when despite the ups and downs we all knew it was over. Indeed, on election night when Ohio was called for Obama, I remember being on the phone with Keystone Phil to which he laughed and said, "Ohio was called ALREADY!?!" and laughed. It was an acknowledgment of defeat that we knew was coming. Indeed, the Obama/Biden ticket is in much the same situation and I think insiders know it.

A few tips.

#1. Acknowledge the bad economy

When Obama tries to say things are tough but getting better, people don't believe him. Honestly, every few months things seem worse. Someone you know can't afford to buy a house, someone you know complains about high gas prices, tax season comes and knocks someone out. Every time they hear Barack Obama say things are "getting better" they get irritated. It's like someone having a broken leg with the bone sticking out and you saying, "It's okay, no big deal". Their response would be, "IT IS A BIG DEAL MY BONE IS STICKING OUT OF LEG YOU IDIOT!!!" I know it's a silly analogy, but it's true.

The only time Carter had a real shot of defeating Governor Reagan in 1980 was when he made acknowledgments of the bad situation and tried to offer new solutions. If Obama says things are getting better, or that we need to spend more money, it's done. Toast. Adios. Buona sera.

#2. Don't attack business

When the economy is down and businesses are prevailing, many people become interested in what is making those businesses tick. Don't attack Romney for saying, "Corporations are people". If you do that, you might garner a few thousand voters you probably already had in New York and Connecticut, but people in hard-hit Michigan or Pennsylvania and Ohio will be offended. "My father worked for a corporation. When Obama attacks them he is attacking my dad." I can see the ads against Obama now. I know liberals hate it, but it's true...corporations are composed of workers, people. If you attack corporations, you're attacking people and you will lose, potentially badly in states such as Michigan and Pennsylvania. Don't attack lower-paying jobs in Texas when many people in America can't get a job at all. You're attacking the little man, which is the only thing defending has allowed the Democratic Party to win three elections in the last 30 years.

#3. Don't misjudge the tea party

I do not consider myself a tea party conservative, but if I were running against a candidate who had the tea party backing, I'd be terrified. The turnout of these voters will be immense next year, and I can imagine a family in Iowa or Colorado or North Carolina registering their 18 year old sons and daughters and coming out in droves, carpools, and unprecedented turnout. Underestimate at your own risk.

That's my two cents.

[King]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

[Fuzzybigfoot]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

^^^^

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

Some have claimed that my unique perspective on things from politics to pop culture make me "America"....

Don't be so gullible, McFly...it's just those who hate any idea or concept are attempting to make you the poster child for said idea or concept.  To those who hate America, you are the poster child for America.  For those who hate the GOP, you are made out to be the poster child for the GOP.

and it's not that they hate you, you're very likeable, it's just that they find you to be a rube...therefore it's easy for them to make a strawman argument by adopting you as the poster child.

so my advice to you is turn the tables on them and charge a quarter for each usage

[Politico]

A looming recession is a solid bet, and the only other decent bet is a continuation of the current growth/unemployment (i.e., little growth or stagnation). In other words, Obama is finished. Some are still in denial, but such is life. The real question is whether or not you want Romney or Perry as the next president. In fact, many Democrats should change their registration to Republican so they can vote in the GOP's primary/caucus and choose whom they prefer.

[NVGonzalez]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

^^^^

[Yelnoc]

You are America, naso, and don't ever let anybody tell you otherwise.

[Reaganfan]

A looming recession is a solid bet, and the only other decent bet is a continuation of the current growth/unemployment (i.e., little growth or stagnation). In other words, Obama is finished. Some are still in denial, but such is life. The real question is whether or not you want Romney or Perry as the next president. In fact, many Democrats should change their registration to Republican so they can vote in the GOP's primary/caucus and choose whom they prefer.

I think the two pathways to victory:

Obama vs. Perry

Perry can play better in the heartland and the south, maybe winning areas such as Iowa and Ohio. Obama can hold on to the elitist vote in areas like Northern Virginia and Pennsylvania. Ohio might be trouble.

Obama vs. Romney

Romney pulls in much more votes out west to bring back Nevada or Colorado, hangs onto Missouri while pulling in New Hampshire and Michigan, and wins Florida. Might have a harder time than Perry in Ohio though.

[pbrower2a]

To have an honest discussion, I have some advice for President Obama. Clearly, the odds are stacked against him. If this were an incumbent Republican President, I know people like myself and Keystone Phil and Inks would be saying in conversations almost jokingly, "You know we have no shot, right?" to which an agreeing chuckle would follow. This was much the case throughout 2007 and 2008 when despite the ups and downs we all knew it was over. Indeed, on election night when Ohio was called for Obama, I remember being on the phone with Keystone Phil to which he laughed and said, "Ohio was called ALREADY!?!" and laughed. It was an acknowledgment of defeat that we knew was coming. Indeed, the Obama/Biden ticket is in much the same situation and I think insiders know it.

A few tips.



#1. Acknowledge the bad economy

When Obama tries to say things are tough but getting better, people don't believe him. Honestly, every few months things seem worse. Someone you know can't afford to buy a house, someone you know complains about high gas prices, tax season comes and knocks someone out. Every time they hear Barack Obama say things are "getting better" they get irritated. It's like someone having a broken leg with the bone sticking out and you saying, "It's okay, no big deal". Their response would be, "IT IS A BIG DEAL MY BONE IS STICKING OUT OF LEG YOU IDIOT!!!" I know it's a silly analogy, but it's true.

The only time Carter had a real shot of defeating Governor Reagan in 1980 was when he made acknowledgments of the bad situation and tried to offer new solutions. If Obama says things are getting better, or that we need to spend more money, it's done. Toast. Adios. Buona sera.

 

A compound fracture is dangerous. But that said, you cannot get away with trivializing the reality of a bad economy. "He will make things worse" is good mostly for telling people "I told you so" after things really go bad and the damage is irreversible.

Things are going better, but mostly for people that most Americans don't give a d@mn about, the sorts of people who claim to be the job-creators because they buy the yachts and caviar.

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Corporations are money-making machines. They are NOT people. Most employees fear and dread their bosses and the corporate bureaucracy for what they can do -- which is to cast them off as if they were used packaging material. Giant corporations treating people badly while highly profitable deserve contempt for their amorality and will get it.

The Republicans don't disbelieve in jobs;  they simply want the jobs to pay much less and for employees to be even more under the iron heel of brutal management. It's easy to create jobs if the jobs have no pay, as shown in one central-European country in the 1930s.

The solution for Democrats is to not be "GOP Lite" but instead to offer the opportunity for high-paying work that itself sustains an economy... and that means a new Stimulus that the GOP now makes impossible. It's the people who do the work that matter, and not the well-connected and insulated elites who matter.

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Don't ridicule the costumes, and certainly don't ridicule the infamous talking points. The Tea Party strength to now has been to force some glittering generality to be the end of the conversation. Democrats must force Tea Party politicians to explain what the talking points mean. As Sarah Palin so demonstrates, when anyone tries to explain what the talking points means or how their objectives are to be achieved, one gets a muddle that shows that the Tea Party type has no idea of what he is talking about or can't think beyond a pat slogan.

Everyone is for more jobs, but at what price? Oblige the Hard Right to explain how. "End of discussion" implies that something remains hidden because exposing it would show something ugly. Maybe the jobs aren't paid, or the pay is basically "two meals and a cot in a dormitory". China has that.   

Slogans will

[Antonio the Sixth]

Naso vs Pbrower

The ultimate fight

[Mercenary]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

I think this is one of the problems with politics. I think someone should try to appeal to the entire populace since they will be president of the entire populace and not just the majority that elects them.

I think Obama has been okay on this though, he's been fairly pragmatic. The debt ceiling issue and such actually made me gain some respect for him. I like that it wasn't all political for him and he'd concede things, unlike the GOP. Although I detest his record on foreign policy and privacy rights too much to ever vote for him.

But I do wish that politicians would try to address more than just the base that elects them. It sucks for the rest of us who have no representation. I suppose we shouldn't have to pay taxes since we have no voice in DC.

[milhouse24]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

I was under the impression that many secular Tea Party members are moderates.  These are libertarians, Perot voters, economic voters, small govt voters, etc.  Many small govt voters were anti-war and anti-Iraq, and I would not be surprised if a decent number of Tea Party voters had in fact voted for Obama in 2008, but are now pissed off at Health Care Reform and the economy.

[King]

The Tea Party at most is 20% of the country and will never ever ever ever vote for Obama.  He should not try to appease them.  He needs to get moderates and liberals excited.  Let 40% of the country which is conservative hate him and vote against him.  40% isn't going to win an election.

I was under the impression that many secular Tea Party members are moderates.  These are libertarians, Perot voters, economic voters, small govt voters, etc.  Many small govt voters were anti-war and anti-Iraq, and I would not be surprised if a decent number of Tea Party voters had in fact voted for Obama in 2008, but are now pissed off at Health Care Reform and the economy.

lol no

[angus]

MY BONE IS STICKING OUT OF LEG

This used to happen to me from time to time.  When I was younger.

Anyway, I think the first two pieces of advice are good for anyone in public office.  Give us the bad news.  Confront it.  Also, don't be afraid to tell people to tighten their belts if austerity is in order.  We're not good at being gracious losers, but having unreasonably optimistic politicians does more harm than good.  And attacking business is good only for getting the anti-corporate base out to vote.  They were going to vote anyway.  If you want to swing the swingers, you have to try to work with them.

I'm not sure about misjudging the tea party.  I've been hearing that term for a couple of years now and I still don't know exactly what it means.  I heard, initially, that they were for fiscal responsibility and restraining government largesse, and I thought, that sounds good.  So I tried to look up Iowa Tea Party to find out where and when they hold meetings, but to no avail.  Now, I think it's just a loose, unaligned movement.  They get lots of bad press, but I'm convinced that the press knows no more about them and their agenda than I do, so that doesn't much matter.  At this point I'm not even sure there's really a tea party.  I think it might be like The Great Pumpkin or The Tooth Fairy.  Bottom line:  if you plan on expanding government, the best thing you can do with those who want to contract it is argue your points logically and politely.  You may not win any converts, but then again you may. And you also have to show a willingness to listen to those with whom you disagree. 

[Ⓐnarchy in the ☭☭☭P!]

Frankly, assuming Romney and Perry are the only two possibilities (they aren't, but for now I will assume they are), then the election comes down to Obama facing a weak opponent and hoping the economy doesn't collapse before the election (it probably will).

With Romney, he will have comparatively more crossover and a harder fight with independents, but the Republican base will be entirely unmotivated to bother helping. So if there isn't a recession that would make Palin competitive, then Romney will be forced between acting more conservative (which will probably cost him that independent appeal) or act more moderate (in which case the conservatives don't bother voting, or, in a worst case scenario, go third party).

With Perry, he will motivate the conservatives (the tea party maybe, he has a lot of weaknesses in that sense so it's unlikely he'll get them in droves) but the moderates will detest him. He has even less of a chance at victory than Romney, but a big recession could still give him victory.

In short, Obama's reelection almost entirely hinges on factors he can't control (or rather, wouldn't be allowed to control). It would be a different story if Cain, Paul, or Bachmann were nominated, if only because they have different appeals.

[opebo]

so my advice to you is turn the tables on them and charge a quarter for each usage

Is that how much you charge for each 'usage'?

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

so my advice to you is turn the tables on them and charge a quarter for each usage

Is that how much you charge for each 'usage'?

depends on how valuable the whore of mine is.  But, for you?  nothing, but I would advise the John to use a condom...or two...or three

[opebo]

depends on how valuable the whore of mine is.  But, for you?  nothing, but I would advise the John to use a condom...or two...or three

Something makes me doubt that the jmfcst is pimpin'.  But carry on with your bad self.

[Yelnoc]

so my advice to you is turn the tables on them and charge a quarter for each usage

Is that how much you charge for each 'usage'?

depends on how valuable the whore of mine is.  But, for you?  nothing, but I would advise the John to use a condom...or two...or three

That's not going to make it any better...

[Swing low, sweet chariot. Comin' for to carry me home.]

depends on how valuable the whore of mine is.  But, for you?  nothing, but I would advise the John to use a condom...or two...or three

Something makes me doubt that the jmfcst is pimpin'.  But carry on with your bad self.

Hey, my brotha, I's don't always pimp, but when I does, i's likes to keep my John's clean...otherwise they might ooze on my suit, ya dig?