And Now For The Next Battle - E.J. Dionne/WaPo

[WillyT]

And now for the next battle
By E.J. Dionne Jr.
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, November 3, 2010

<snip>

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 would be foolish to turn in on themselves in a fruitless battle over whether their troubles owe to a failure to mobilize and excite their base or to win support from the political center. In fact, 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.

Obama was not wrong to fight for health care, to stimulate the economy when it was in deep peril, or to push for financial reform. But by failing to defend these achievements, the president and his allies opened the way for partisan critics, who shifted the conversation to airy language about "big government" and "bailouts." One result: Only a third of Tuesday's electorate, exit polls indicated, thought the stimulus had made the economy better.

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. The economy still needs far more support, and Obama should take up the old Republican idea of revenue-sharing by offering states large-scale assistance to prevent layoffs and tax increases. This would be welcomed by the many new Republican governors. Will congressional Republicans really want to pick a fight with 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

<snip>

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/02/AR2010110206384.html?hpid=topnews

:kick:

[BootinUp]

1. Sounds great, hope we can pull it off

I agree with this analysis, I am just skeptical we can do it.

[WillyT]

2. Me Too... In Fact, We Have To...

The alternative is unthinkable... and, unforgivable.

:shrug:

:hi:

[Romulox]

3. Dionne is one of the "sensible" voices that lead the President (and the Party) to this point, imo

For example: "Obama was not wrong to fight for health care"

No. The President fought for mandatory private insurance not "health care", and he famously took the Public Option off of the table in a back-room deal with the insurance industry. Dionne's argument is that people will appreciate the preceding more if only it was more widely known? No.

[chill_wind]

4. And many of us said at the time

we would have hell to pay for that come midterms. And we did. Along with the unabated fury at both parties at the continued reign of self-enriching Wall Street contrasted with brutal unemployment and struggling small business all up and down Main Street.

[chill_wind]

5. "Yes, there was an enthusiasm gap."

That really needs to sink in.