Here's How We Win, Mr. President!
I have a few ideas about how to keep Obama in office:
1. MAKE JOBS HIS #1 MISSION.
Work to create infrastructure jobs, report on what the stimulus has already done to create jobs (and rename the stimulus to something else). Do the work required to ensure that big business must help create jobs and keep jobs in the country. Make certain that small businesses have adequate protections to support themselves.
2. CAPTURE AND COMMUNICATE IDEAS MORE EFFECTIVELY.
Republicans have traditionally done better than Democrats at communicating succinct ideas. You have made magnificent gains that few know about and that he must state; he must also make and tout continued gains.
Obama should monthly publish a report card outlining 10 top policy areas (DADT, environment, health care, cap and trade), promised goals, progress on goals, impediments to those goals, goals met, and a grade. It should be simple and clean. Each month should be available online, in public libraries and post offices, and in major news organs.
3. GET A BULLDOG
Call the Republicans out. If they stonewall you, call you names, etc., tell it. "People want their country back!" Well, who took it? "Death panels?" Show me! "People want health care repealed!" You don't want your child's health care covered until they are 26 years old? Really? "You want to be penalized for pre-existing conditions?" Okey-dokey" You want fewer Medicare coverage options for your aging parents?" I don't believe you. And for all of these statements he have made, here is the data.
3. RECAPTURE YOUR YOUTH
Youth were excited and approached through technology and ideas. Immediately appoint a team whose sole job is to work with high school and college students. Engage them in volunteerism. Get them registered to vote. Communicate with them through regular social networking methods.
3. FIRE SOME FOLKS TOMORROW.
Obama must rethink his cabinet immediately. Groupthink has set in among the Chicago crowd. The President must move some of them out. Other folks also need to go. Replacing Tim Geithner and others the public no longer trusts to rehabilitate our economic crisis would be a great start. It would not be the worst idea to bring back Robert Reich who has some wonderful new ideas on how to strengthen and fix the economy. Find some new young blood (Freakonomics or Gladwell on "Cocksure Wall Street Bankers" or a TED Summit at the White House, anyone?). Keep us posted on what they are doing. Keeping his promises about the wars, no matter how hard, or informing us why it is so hard not to do so, would also be great. And how about some shuffling in the various departments in and around Homeland Security? Let's bring in someone like Colin Powell who the Republicans are afraid of? And how about calling the department something far less reminiscent of Nazi Germany than Homeland Security?
5. GET A SPINE.
This is now battle. When folks want to kill you, you have to strap on your amour. Mitch McConnell and John Boehner have said they want to defeat and destroy. Obama must find a way to be statesman-like while kicking their asses. That will fire up the base, recapture the progressives, and energize the independents. We want to hear that no one will touch health care, that he did everything possible to help economic recovery and that it takes time, that public education will not be privatized, etc.
6. BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE.
We need jobs at home. Bridges, buildings, roads keep America strong, sturdy, and our economy healthy.
7. SPLAIN HIMSELF SIMPLY.
He won us with poetry. Switch to haiku. Five word sentences that we can remember.
8. DON'T DANCE WITH HIS ENEMY
If the Republicans only goal is to beat him, filibuster, stalemate, doubledown, protect the wealthy and neglect the poor, negotiating does not work. He has to stand up straight, show some fire and let us help him.
9. HELP HIM.
One of my favorite movies is Meet John Doe, a Frank Capra film. John Doe, made suicidal because he has lost work in the Great Depression, is helped when a national newspaper tells his story. Around the country John Doe clubs form. Neighbor helps neighbor and community is built. This is the story that I told about how Obama's candidacy inspired me to run for delegate. And this is what we must do now. Be John Doe, help John Doe. We are John Doe. And right now, so is our President.