Bob Herbert: "Voters want the same thing they wanted in 2008: change."

[Better Believe It]

Op-Ed Columnist
That Sinking Feeling
By BOB HERBERT
October 18, 2010

Job creation was the most important issue. With his sky-high approval ratings and the economy hemorrhaging hundreds of thousands of jobs a month, a bold and creative employment initiative, tied to long-term investments in infrastructure and green energy, was the issue that President Obama could — and should — have used to trump Republican obstructionism.

But Mr. Obama wanted his health care bill, and had a misplaced faith in the willingness of the G.O.P. to work with him on that and any number of other issues. He would also escalate the monumentally debilitating war in Afghanistan. Employment never seemed to be the top priority.

What ordinary voters see is an economy that is not working for them and an increasingly dismal outlook for their children. From that perspective, the enormous budget deficits don’t seem to be providing much of a tangible return.

Democrats are making the seemingly logical argument that the policies pushed by their Republican opponents will only make matters worse. They are constantly urging voters to remember that it was conservative Republican laissez-faire policies that landed us in this horrid mess in the first place.

The problem for President Obama and his party is that logic does not always rule the electoral roost. Voters want the same thing they wanted in 2008: change.

Democrats are in trouble because they have not been nearly aggressive enough in confronting this profound economic crisis facing so many millions of ordinary Americans.

Real the full Op-Ed at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/opinion/19herbert.html?ref=bobherbert

[emilyg]

1. kick

[ixion]

2. Yep, Bob Herbert nails it.

I voted for change, and all I got was handouts for the F.I.R.E. vertical, an ESCALATION of the hostile occupation of Afghanistan, and many of the same damn policies that I despised under Bush.

That ain't change, folks.

[Skittles]

3. "Voters didn't get what they wanted"

PREACH IT, BOB

[xchrom]

4. They wanted a change from the left.

They didn't get it.

Now establishment dems want to blame them for it.

I.e. A dem vote is marginally better than a repuke vote.

[polichick]

6. We still need...

"a bold and creative employment initiative, tied to long-term investments in infrastructure and green energy"

and it can still be used to "trump Republican obstructionism."


Anyone think we're going to get that? I don't know what to think.

[ixion]

7. if the last two years are any indication

I don't think so, although stranger things have happened.

[LWolf]

5. And not just any change. Change from the left. nt

[spanone]

8. change back? ain't gonna get no change from the thugs

[glitch]

9. The House should not be made to pay for the failures of the Administration

They were the only ones closest to fighting for the people.

[stray cat]

10. Republicans in charge is definitely change one can believe in

[Better Believe It]

11. Republicans aren't runnng Congress now?

One would think Republicans had majority control of the Senate especially considering Senator Reid's unwillingness to fight Republican obstructionism with the tools he has available as "leader" of the Senate.

Oh.

Republicans only need 40 members in the Senate to pretty much control it.

The Democrats would need 100 members in the Senate to run it .... or maybe that wouldn't be enough if 60 of them are conservative centrist moderates.

[BzaDem]

13. If you think they control Congress now, just wait. Reality will hit you like nothing before. n/t

[Better Believe It]

16. You mean the Democrats will cave in to the Republicans even more than they have the past 10 years?

That is a horrible thought.

Have you really forgotten all of the Democratic enablers in Congress who voted for Bush's legislation and appointments?

[BzaDem]

17. The general problem is that many people have NO idea how good they have it

until it is too late. Pure, unadulterated ignorance of reality. You may think it is simply a matter of opinion, but it isn't. It is simply a matter of basic ability to understand reality (or lack thereof), similar to how people understand the difference between up and down.

"Have you really forgotten all of the Democratic enablers in Congress who voted for Bush's legislation and appointments?"

What major legislation did Democrats bring over the top, that otherwise wouldn't have passed?

Not the tax cuts. They were enacted with reconciliation. They would have passed without a single Democratic vote.

Not ANWR drilling. That failed.

Not Social Security privatization. That failed.

Not immigration. That failed.

Note any of his judicial nominees. Democrats actually did almost succeed in blocking many nominees, until the Republicans were about to remove their power to do so. Even then they got some bounced.

You are literally living an an alternate universe you created for yourself. If you want the main debate of the next Congress or two to be whether or not to voucherize Medicare, then you should come out and admit it. But if so, you shouldn't simultaneously pretend to be a progressive.

[Better Believe It]

18. Thanks for explaining how good working people have it now. You have a job and a home?

"Note any of his judicial nominees. Democrats actually did almost succeed in blocking many nominees, until the Republicans were about to remove their power to do so."

You mean like when the Republicans in 2005 threatened to use the Constitutional Option to stop any phantom Democratic procedual "filibusters"?

And in response the Democratic party leadership agreed to not use procedural filibusters!

Do you understand the words capitulate and surrender?

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. BULLSHIT!! If they really wanted change, why put Boehner back into power?

Why allow the Republicans to regain power, most of whom was responsible for the mess we're in now? As for the teabaggers, it's a sham! These people want the same Repuke policies responsible for this economic mess. As Rachel Maddow asserts, only a few incumbents have lost in their primary elections! Immune few!!!

[laughingliberal]

14. What's left to say? K&R. nt

[meow mix]

15. i see little change, maybe 5 percent changeishness with lots of bending over for republicans

very disappointed voter here.