GOP Walks into the Trap

Only Jim DeMint sees it. He's the blithering idiotic, far-right Senator from South Carolina. But he is smart enough to see the trap Obama has set for the GOP. No one in the media or among Obama's Democratic critics has apparently caught on yet.

The trap is the American Jobs Act. In proposing it, Obama has put the GOP in a lose-lose position. As DeMint notes, if the GOP adopts it, they co-own blame if the economy doesn't improve. If they refuse to adopt it, Obama can  -  and rightly so  -  blame them for the economy not improving. Note, however, that DeMint won't even consider the joy for America if the GOP helps enact the proposal AND it works. He and his GOP buddies only care about how the proposal hurts the GOP politically and helps the Democrats.

Beyond the politics, the American Jobs Act is also a good proposal for the American people. It would immediately put teachers and firemen back to work and would fix our dangerous bridges, crumbling roads and school houses. Even John McCain's economics advisor from 2008 says the proposal could raise the GDP significantly and put a million-plus people back to work. What's not to like?

To make it even more likable, the proposal would be financed by raising taxes on the ultra-rich who are not currently paying their fair share even though they have benefitted from this country more than anyone else.

Obama now has his campaign theme and strategy for 2012. He has pledged he will take his fight for this proposal to "every corner of America". Last week I fantasized about the photo op of Obama standing on a rotting bridge and saying, "Come on, Boehner and McConnell! Fix this bridge!" This week Obama's doing the bit! He's going to the "structurally deficient" bridge that spans the Ohio River between Boehner's home state and McConnell's Kentucky.

So far, the media aren't caught up by Obama's crusade. They are still following their own narratives that Obama's in big trouble and that the American economy is in big trouble. Neither of these story lines is particularly true (more on that another time), but the talking heads seldom have the facts straight or understand their implications. Remember that this is the crowd that predicted Obama couldn't get the nomination against Hilary. And then that he couldn't win the presidency. And then that the Health Care Reform bill would never pass. And then that the Libyan rebels couldn't win.

With the humor of an Irishman, O'Bama  noted last week that he thought his chances of winning next year were better than his chances of winning in 2008. A clever thrust at the talking heads! And a very sound assessment.

Remember the old adage when following the "news" and the blither-blathers. "Believe nothing you hear and only half what you read."

Except, of course, when reading this blog.

P.S. Right after I wrote this piece, Bill Clinton was on TV describing the quandary the GOP now faces in opposing Obama's plan. DeMint and Clinton both see it! What a pair! Enough to make a chicken laugh!