Not to be all gloomy, but Obama better pray to the FSM that the Republicans nominate a grade A wingnut like Bachmann, or I simply do not see how he gets re-elected. This has nothing to do with the worthless gasbags who have nominated themselves our progressive betters, but everything to do with the economy. Now that we have bought into the bullshit austerity solves everything/government is always the problem mantra, there ain’t no going back:
Sixty five percent approve of deal’s spending cuts. But it gets worse. Of the 30 percent who disapprove, 13 percent think the cuts haven’t gotten far enough, and only 15 percent think the cuts go too far. One sixth of Americans agree with the liberal argument about the deal.
Yes, the poll also found that 60 percent disapprove of the deal’s lack of high-end tax hikes. Yes, approval of the GOP is lower than that of Obama or Dems. Such findings have led many, myself included, to conclude that Dems were winning the P.R war in this fight in particular.
But the public disapproves of everyone’s handling of this mess. And while the public wanted the rich to kick in more, the poll finds that a plurality (49-42) believes the deal will help the economy, meaning a plurality believes the Republican argument that spending cuts are good economic policy.
You might argue that the public doesn’t really care about deficits; only jobs will dictate the 2012 election. You might also hold out hope that ultimately the public will prefer a Dem balance between spending cuts and public investment, rather than the extreme GOP vision. But it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that the public is reflexively disposed to agree with the GOP’s economic worldview, and is all-too-willing to blame government for our economic doldrums.
So we’re all in on austerity and drowning the government in the bathtub, and the public has gotten the message, even if it is bullshit. I’m told by my twitter machine that he White House immediately “pivoted” to jobs now that the debt limit crisis is solved. Pivoted to what, exactly? There will be no additional stimulus. There will be no unemployment benefits extensions. None of that crap is going to get through the wingnut house, and the wurlitzer will start to scream about the invisible bond vigilantes and the deficit eating your babies if anyone even thinks about government spending (unless, of course, we need to bomb the fuck out of someone in the middle east or if the Koch brothers need another tax cut). So what can they do to spur economic growth, other than bad trade deals which will alienate key Democratic constituencies?
Basically, in 2008 Obama ran on Hope and Change. In 2012, it looks like it will be PLEASE LORD, I Hope Things Change.