Robert Reich: "Do you hear me, Mr. President? Please — be bold next week"

[ProSense]

The Zero Economy

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So why don’t Republicans get it? Either they’re knaves – they want the economy to stay awful through next Election Day so Obama gets the boot. Or they’re fools – they’ve bought the lie that reducing the deficit now creates more jobs.

Every time you hear anyone say we’re “broke” or “can’t afford to spend more,” tell them we’ll be in worse shape if we don’t. If the economy remains dead in the water, the ratio of public debt to GDP balloons.

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Do you hear me, Mr. President? Please — be bold next week. And if, as expected, Republicans refuse to go along, take it to the people. Mobilize the public. Use the bully pulpit. That’s what you have it for.

One more thing, Mr. President. You also have to tackle inequality. When so much income and wealth continues to flow to the very top, America’s vast middle class still won’t have enough purchasing power to boost the economy. Priming the pump is necessary but won’t be sufficient without enough water in the well.

A reminder that Republicans are screwing up the economic recovery.

Going bold is a great idea, but at the end of the day, it's about what the Republicans decide to do---a consequence of the 2010 election. Will Republicans reject any plan?

The President fighting if they reject a bold plan is a great idea, and so is mobilizing the public. Still, a jobs plan that doesn't pass Congress can't create jobs. So it's really not the solution to the job situation. It's at best a marker to draw a clear line between Democrats and Republicans.

Will that be enough? The election is 14 months away. Will fighting and drawing a distinction be enough for the millions of unemployed Americans?

[Ineeda]

1. Obama is trying a work-around to create jobs without Congress

This seems to have been "lost" or perhaps buried. It may or may not work, but despite claims to the contrary, he's trying.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2011/09/obama-rolls-out-a-jobs-plan-that-doesnt-need-congress/244420/

[yurbud]

2. that's a very positive development, and the kind of thing that gives me some confidence

that he will work around the intransigent republicans.