Why we won
Conservatives have begun the drumbeat to blame anything but themselves for losing the Presidential election and seats in the Senate and the House. According to them, Americans are ignorant (Sen, Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.), Democrats suppressed the vote (Karl Rove), liberal bought the election (Free Beacon – ignoring the $715 mill in Republican outside attack ads), the 47% voted for Obama because they want stuff (Ron Paul, Fox) and other excuses – anything but that the American people rejected their ideas.
So, what now. The President needs to assert his authority and his mandate, which he seems to be doing. Today he said he wanted to extend the middle class tax cuts now. He needs to call the Republicans’ bluff on the budget. He should lay out a fair plan that balances tax increases on the wealthy and closing of corporate loopholes and reductions in programs and defense spending and stick to it. If the Republicans want to damage the economy, let them do it and make sure they get the blame.
He should also push back against the scare tactics the Republicans are using. There is no fiscal cliff. Failure of the Congress to reach a budget deal in the Lame duck session will not tank the economy immediately. It will take weeks to make the cuts and months before they are felt. This is not to minimize the impact, but it will be slow and can be reversed by the next Congress before serious damage is done.
He has to put a stop to government by hostage taking and economic blackmail and now is the time to do it. He got the mandate, now use it.
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he President needs to assert his authority and his mandate, which he seems to be doing