THE ECONOMY, STUPID

I note a new statistic in the papers: 62% of Americans do not approve of our President's economic course of action. What this really means, of course, is that people are pissed off that the economy has not improved dramatically with an upsurge in jobs.

You remember the sign Bill Clinton had in his campaign office in 1992---"It's the Economy, Stupid!" Plain and simple, that's what it is all about. And whoever is in power, even if they were not responsible for the failure of the economy, catches the blame and is the most convenient target for critics.

On the one hand you have the right-wing Republicans screaming that Obama is taking us down the road of ruination with his fiscal policies and "socialist" leanings. On the left, you have several noted Economists (Leftish is the operative description by the Right) like Stiglitz and Krugman claiming that Obama has not spent enough, that his stimulus package did not go far enough or deep enough to effect a cure.

Look at the health care debate. If Massacusetts goes Republican, the health care bill is in deep doo-doo. And we will be back where we started with 40+ millions with none or inadequate health insurance. The Insurance Lobby has done their hatchet job to perfection. The irony is, who would have profited most from the proposed plan? Duh, the insurance ccompanies. It's strictly a win-win for them.

Personally, I think part of the problem is due to Barack Obama's sometimes excessive pragmatism: he is trying to please too many people and that never works. He is too much the moderate on occasions, seeking the middle way.

I simply don't believe there is a cheap way to get us out of the morass we're undergoing. I believe it is going to take more governmental intervention in the form of job programs, more government meddling in our lives in order for us to snap back. I don't particularly like the prospect of Uncle Sam hitting my hip pocket any harder. but I don't see another choice. I haven't heard a Republican solution either.

Can we call again for some bipartisan cooperation to work together for a solution? Is there a common ground? Let's try.