In a statement at The Hill worthy of Marshall Foch*, Democratic pollster Brad Bannon urges the Democrats to act boldly:
Democrats have accomplished much, but voters expect and deserve more. The Biden administration has created millions of jobs and reduced the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. But most Americans still believe the nation is headed in the wrong direction and the president’s job approval rating reflects this harsh reality.
Democrats should tell Americans that the party is tough enough to surmount obstacles, with the help of voters in 2022, to fight for better paying jobs, defend democracy against tyranny at home and abroad and overcome Republican obstruction. That means taking strong stands that will highlight the roadblocks that Republicans throw up to obstruct economic relief, the right to vote and right to abortion access.
I’m honestly not quite sure what he means by the first. For the last 30 years the orthodox view has been that higher education and unionization will produce “better paying jobs”. That has certainly been true for university presidents and union organizers but has it been true for most Americans? My own view is that a tighter labor market, incentives for onshoring and reshoring, and more domestic production will result in better paying jobs. His reference to “greedy corporations” suggests he has something in mind. What is it?
“Defending democracy at home” seems to mean ensure that everyone who cares to can cast a vote. I think there’s more to democracy than voting and abortion rights but that seems to be what he means.
Refocusing the discussion from perseverating on centrist Democrats to pointing out obstructionist Republicans sounds promising but I wish he had elaborated on it a bit more. Isn’t the problem that there isn’t a majority that supports a progressive agenda?
*“My centre is giving way, my right is retreating, excellent situation, I am attacking.”
From a purely political perspective Mr Bannon’s comments reflect self delusion and the mix of banality and vapidity that ensure an electoral disaster in the fall. You go, Bannon.
Unfortunately, real people are the victims of this witches brew and will suffer the consequences until change can occur. One can only hope that the Republican use their power wisely.
We’re 200 days from national elections. There are a reasons why big legislation usually happens in the first 100 days of a new Presidency: President’s peak popularity, national elections have drawn attention to issues, legislators become more reluctant to take risks approaching the next round of primaries/elections.
(Democrats spent a third of those 100 days impeaching Trump.)
I agree, “the democrats have accomplished much.â€
Those millions of jobs created, are they new ones, or jobs coming back from the ones obliterated during the lockdowns?
Did Biden’s COVID 19 response reduce the spread and/ or lethality of this virus, or is this just a fallacy of changing numbers, such as lowering the PCP threshold cycles creating the image of fewer new cases. How about the fact that the more highly vaccinated people and countries had the highest numbers of reinfections, versus the least vaccinated places and people? Shouldn’t such a disparity question the real efficacy of these “leaky†vaccines?
Other dem accomplishments would be achieving:
The highest rate of inflation in years;
The greatest illegal crossings on our southern border in decades;
The greatest deficit spending accomplished through bloated stimulus spending;
The highest crime rates;
A shrinking middle class along with actual wages diminished by continuing, runaway inflation.
More shortages, with food shortages on the horizon;
The big overall question, though, are people’s lives better under this democrat regime? Do people see the future in positive terms? Is there real economic growth and small business expansion? Are parents happy with the performance of their public school education? IMO, the answer is a resounding “No!†There is little to nothing to tout in the last 15 months of democrats ruling this country. As for Republican opposition, it’s far less than the Dems superimposed on the previous presidency, because most republicans just want to cruise and not ruffle the feathers of their political peers too much.
“because most republicans just want to cruise and not ruffle the feathers of their political peers too much.”
Wins the internet. Link goes to US deficits by year with record set in 2020.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=deficit+spending+by+year+as+percent+gdp&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safari_group=9
Steve
Reads like a word salad of talking points, maybe a very rough draft for what should be future stump speeches. What does he mean by economic relief?