Robert Reich: "the President legitimizes everything the right has been saying" about the economy

[Better Believe It]

The Big Economic Story, and Why Obama Isn’t Telling It
by Robert Reich
December 4, 2010

Quiz: What's responsible for the lousy economy most Americans continue to wallow in?

A. Big government, bureaucrats, and the cultural and intellectual elites who back them.

B. Big business, Wall Street, and the powerful and privileged who represent them.

These are the two competing stories Americans are telling one another.

But A is the story Republicans and right-wingers tell. It's a dangerous story because it deflects attention from the real problem and makes it harder for America to focus on the real solution - which is more widely shared prosperity. (I get into how we might do this in my new book, Aftershock.)

A is also the story President Obama is telling, indirectly, through his deficit commission, his freeze on federal pay, his freeze on discretionary spending, and his waivering on extending the Bush tax cuts for the rich.

By telling story A and burying story B, the President legitimizes everything the right has been saying. He doesn't preempt them; he fuels them. He gives them more grounds for voting against raising the debt ceiling in a few weeks. He strengthens their argument against additional spending for extended unemployment benefits. He legitimizes their argument against additional stimulus spending.

Unless the President and Democrats explain why the economy still stinks for most Americans and offer a plan to fix it, the Republican explanation and solution - it's big government's fault, and all we need do is shrink it - will prevail.

That will mean more hardship for tens of millions of Americans. It will make it harder to remedy the bad economy. And it will set Republicans up for bigger wins in the future.

Please read the full article at:

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/12/04-1

[ProSense]

1. Reich should know he

was around during the Clinton administration.

<...>

Obama's advisors explain the President's moves are designed to "preempt" the resurgent Republicans - just like Bill Clinton preempted the Gingrich crowd by announcing "the era of big government is over" and then tacking right.

They're wrong. By telling story A and burying story B, the President legitimizes everything the right has been saying. He doesn't preempt them; he fuels them. He gives them more grounds for voting against raising the debt ceiling in a few weeks. He strengthens their argument against additional spending for extended unemployment benefits. He legitimizes their argument against additional stimulus spending.

Bill Clinton had a rapidly expanding economy to fall back on, so his appeasement of Republicans didn't legitimize the Republican world view. Obama doesn't have that luxury. The American public is still hurting and they want to know why.

Unless the President and Democrats explain why the economy still stinks for most Americans and offer a plan to fix it, the Republican explanation and solution - it's big government's fault, and all we need do is shrink it - will prevail.

That will mean more hardship for tens of millions of Americans. It will make it harder to remedy the bad economy. And it will set Republicans up for bigger wins in the future.

Bill Clinton proved he had nothing to lose by "announcing 'the era of big government is over' and then tacking right."

Still, President Obama doesn't have to be Clinton. This President can mouth bipartisanship and stand his ground. He doesn't have to move with the GOP. Fortunately for President Obama, despite Reich's claim, has a wealth of actions he can take that do not require GOP support. Some of these actions were set up by the legislative achievements of the first two years. For example, health care reform will continue to pay dividends. Today, the Fed released thousands of documents as a result of a Wall Street reform mandate.

Also today, the President took one of the many unilateral actions available to him by announcing a drilling ban.

It's almost certain that the outrage over the failed deficit commission has undercut the GOP's case.

Republicans will no doubt spend the next two years mucking up the workings of Congress, but the President can go about the business of governing. He can do it without the GOP if they choose not to participate.

During this lame-duck period, the Democrats have the majority and do have an opportunity to get a few more wins before the GOP takes over the House.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. Reich was Sec of Labor, Clinton's first term only

He left, tired of the Rubin influence. His book was called 'Locked in the Cabinet' and that should tell you how he felt about that experience.
The Clinton quote you use, 'the end of big government' dates from after Robert Reich left the Clinton administration. So how is it fair to tie it to Reich here today?

[Enrique]

2. and at the worst possible time

the failure of the GOP's ideas on the economy were never clearer than at the end of the Bush years.

The perfect time for the dems to come out and make their case, and we end up confusing the issue massively.