The Boy In The Bubble

Not unless your name is Jobs McEmployment.

So we get this story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama

And we get this one: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/paul-ryan-gets-booed-by-consituents-for-opposing-tax-hikes-on-rich-video.php?ref=fpblg

So basically, our proud deficit warriors on the Left and the Right take a minute to leave DC where everyone is trying to be "brave" and "serious" about the long term budget situation.  And they hear from actual, you know, Americans.  And it turns out, Americans don't care so much about the DC obsession with the deficit.  Because Americans actually live in America, an America with 8.8% unemployment and skyrocketing gas prices. They don't live in the rarefied bubble of Meet the Press and campaign fundraisers.

This is the problem with oligarchy.

After a few years in DC, your concerns naturally become the concerns of "DC".  Those concerns are, in turn, largely shaped by the culture of that town, which tends towards lobbyists and think tank dorks and "seriousness".  The point of democracy is to give voice to the needs and concerns of the great mass of the people.

Now, those concerns are not only inconsistent, they are often contradictory.  But right now, they really aren't. The solutions to their concerns might be different, but people really don't give a damn about the deficit, despite what various journalists and politicians say.  They care about the economy.

And caring about the economy, at least for the moment, is actually a really good idea from a policy standpoint.  As we know, the deficit is caused by four things:

And those are: the Bush tax cuts, the wars, the recession and health care costs.

Now, the Bush tax cuts aren't going anywhere until 2012 at the earliest.  The GOP wouldn't raise taxes if Zombie Reagan himself came out and asked them to (before eating their brains).

We're ending our commitment in Iraq, but we're ratcheting up the pressure in Libya with drone strikes.  At some point, I'd like to see Obama be "serious" about Afghanistan and say, "We can't afford to keep pumping dollars down the corrupt maw of that jerk off Hamid Karzai."  But that will have to wait until we get "Peace with honor" in 2014.

ACA has addressed some of the health care costs, and I think some of the ideas about reforming payment for services have merit.  Paul Ryan's plan, by the way, does not.  But if Obama wants to engage in some long term reform of how Medicare pays for care, that's fine.  Personally, I think it can wait until 2013, because the Democrats will likely be hitting the GOP over the head with its plan to end Medicare, and reforming it will allow the GOP and the media to say, "Well, both sides are creating Death Panels, opinions differ."

But one area that makes the most sense to tackle RIGHT NOW is the recession.

The Stimulus was based on faulty economic projections, poor political realities and bad packaging, but it has objectively helped the economy.  Proving that is difficult, and the administration and Congressional Democrats shouldn't be talking about more "stimulus".

They should be talking about a jobs plan.

One that puts people to work repairing roads and bridges, building high speed rail and improving the information infrastructure of the country.  You know, winning the future.

It won't pass the House.  I'm not naive.

But I'm 100% convinced that the GOP coming to power in 2012 would have catastrophic results for the country.  Catastrophic.

So Obama needs to channel his inner Harry Truman and rail against the "Do Nothing Congress" that spends its shortened work week trying to defund Planned Parenthood and end Medicare, while he's trying to put Americans to work.

It's blatantly obvious to anyone with an even cursory ear to the ground.

For anyone who doesn't live in the bubble.