WImpy Democrats?

Well, the President's popularity is dropping, and I think I know why. He needs a strong dose of Trumanism. I read in the latest issue of Mother Jones a good rationale for his strangely wimpy response to vicious and largely telling attacks on his leadership. His strategy seems to be: appease the Repubs as much as possible to squeeze through whatever reforms and upgrades he can. To an extent, he can show success, such as the earned income tax credit, maintenance of unemployment compensation, avoidance of the catastrophe looming around the debt ceiling, and the like. But the price he is paying could cost him a second term and if the Repubs ever get control of the White House, let alone the Senate, it's back to the 19th century, and the gradual undoing of all the reforms of both Roosevelts. I suppose that our country could survive that, but what a country it would become. Robber barons in complete charge, a wider gulf between rich and poor, cheating and manipulation on every side, and perhaps even a class war.
So I think that his choice, though understandable, is disastrous. It''s time for him to get on national TV and call the country to the fray. If the people who said "I don't vote because........" were to get themselves to the polls, the problem would take care of itself. The lunatic fringe would be drowned in a sea of truly enlightened patriotism and common sense. Our president needs to say that the mess we are in is the direct result of lax government regulation, not too much government. That can be proven.

The current Tea Party would bring catastrophe to the country if their anarchic message were to carry. No more clean water, clean air. Acid rain. Clear cutting our national forests, Coal smoke everywhere. No minimum wage. More jobs sent overseas. Stock manipulation galore, not to mention commodities and energy. I could go on and on.

But will he speak out? I seriously doubt it. And thus the outcome of the next election is also seriously in doubt, and all the folks who sit on their hands in November will get what they deserve and take the rest of us along with them.

President McCain?

There are many things to like about John McCain. He is trying to be honest about his beliefs, even in the face of hostility from his own party. He is avuncular. He is a war hero. He has a low-key, down home delivery.

But, oh, some of his ideas! They sound hare-brained to me, even dangerous. Like using ex-Chair Greenspan as a principal financial advisor. That devotee of Milton Friedman and Ayn Rand wants to do away with most government regulation. The ghosts of Jay Gould, William Frick and Diamond Jim Brady must be stirring in whatever special hell they reside thinking of the fun their present-day counterparts would have. We've already seen a taste of it, with the attitudes of the FCC, the CPSC, and the FDA toward industry.

And then there are his ideas about health care. One was to pay physicians to keep people well instead of caring for their illnesses. How many of them would switch out of cancer therapy, AIDS treatment, diabetes care etc. into running gyms and fat farms? John, John! Perhaps his critics are right. Perhaps the Cong did a bit of damage.

I still like and admire him, though.