I don't agree with the panic part but Carville is correct re

[malaise]

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/09/14/opinion/carville-white-house-advice/index.html?hpt=po_t2
<snip>
People often ask me what advice I would give the White House about various things. Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question. What should the White House do now? One word came to mind: Panic.

This is what I would say to President Barack Obama: The time has come to demand a plan of action that requires a complete change from the direction you are headed.
1. Fire somebody.
2. Indict people.
3. Make a case like a Democrat.
4. Hold fast to an explanation

As I watch the Republican debates, I realize that we are on the brink of a crazy person running our nation. I sit in front of the television and shudder at the thought of one of these creationism-loving, global-warming-denying, immigration-bashing, Social-Security-cutting, clean-air-hating, mortality-fascinated, Wall-Street-protecting Republicans running my country.

The course we are on is not working. The hour is late, and the need is great. Fire. Indict. Fight.

sp.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. He could indict Bush and Cheney

let the cat out of the bag

[malaise]

3. Now that would excite the base

and it would be the correct thing to do

[gateley]

7. I was thinking that wouldn't sit well with Republicans (honestly)

but if he could present the lack of communication and malfeasance leading up to 9/11 UNDER BUSH'S WATCH, present the lies and manipulation and somehow the "secret energy meeting" info on the meeting between Cheney and Big Oil (divvying up Iraq), and how we were lied into these wars which are the ultimate cause of our financial woes, he might get some support from them, too. Knowing you've been duped and played and YOU'RE paying the piper would not sit well with anyone.

It would take organizing and presenting the facts in such a way that there could be no room for any wiggle, but we haven't done that thus far, and I'm not sure they really know how.

[roguevalley]

10. he won't. this situation reminds me of Karl Rove and his THE MATH.

Someone in the white house has THE MATH and we're all going to hell. Hubris, thy name is them.

[Rageneau]

13. He could (and should) also announce the end of the Drug War.

People forget (or overlook) that the first action taken by FDR when he and the Democrats finally wrestled power away from the GOP wingnuts of their day was to repeal the GOP's greatest accomplishment up to that time -- the National Prohibition of Alcohol. Like Prohibition, laws against drug use (especially cannabis) are stupid, wasteful, futile, anti American, anti-constitutional and anti Democratic Party. It would inspire a lot of people if Obama were to finally do the right thing on this issue.

One thing is sure, Obama needs to do SOMETHING powerful and meaningful if he wants to meaningfully wield power in this country.

[gateley]

2. He's right. This Congress will not pass ONE BILL the President

wants. I swear, if he put forward something that said Republicans Salaries Will Double, they'd defeat it.

It's NOT working now, and there HAS to be a shake up.

[Demeter]

4. If Obama Were Capable of Reversing Course

he would have done so within months of taking office and seeing that things were not improving. He would have fired the advisors who were putting him in the swamp, and fired up the country to dump the Tea Party.

Instead, Obama has gravitated toward the Tea Party in a desire to be where the action is.

He's going to bring Wall St and the Tea Party back together. It's easier than the Middle East.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

5. I agree with the fighting part

Firing people could leave a lot of posts open unless the GOP actually agreed to allow up-or-down votes for all of his replacements (which they won't do, of course). Who precisely does Carville argue that we need to indict exactly? Obama can't just willy nilly charge somebody with something just because he's in a bad mood. Carville is off his rocker here IMHO.

[jeff47]

9. White house aids are not subject to Senate confirmation.

"Who precisely does Carville argue that we need to indict exactly?"

Well, it's pretty clear W's administration committed a few crimes. There's also all the crimes committed by the banks that lead to the mortgage meltdown.

[Selatius]

14. For one thing, we could indict bankers for peddling fraudulent securities that crashed the economy.

Very few, if any, of the big CEOs on Wall Street were prosecuted for white collar fraud.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. This struck me today as I was listening to Ed Schultz and Mike Pap....

nothing that is discussed on Ed's show, or Thom's, or Rachel's, or Keith's - is new. Every time I find myself in the car and listen to one of them - I nod my head in agreement. And have been nodding for years. Most of us here at DU could predict what we've seen - hell, probably going back to the (mis)election of Bush and everything we've seen since then. The way that Republicans obstruct, their one idea - tax cuts forever. We knew it wouldn't work. We KNOW it doesn't work - no jobs.

Talk talk talk talk talk talk talk....

but nothing changes. The only way to change things is to do something different. Obama is really smart - you can't convince me that any of what he has experienced in his years as president to date surprises him.

The big question - what is he - what are we - going to DO to start things in the right direction?

[Mr Gerrity]

8. He is fighting now.

He has been on fire the past few days, casting a light on the do nothing republicans.

[blueknight]

11. too late to fight now

he has proven time after time to be gutless, and NOT a man of his convictions

[malaise]

12. It's never too late to fight

GObama!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

15. It's not too late

something might shake the GOP like a giant Earthquake. Someone needs to light the fuse.....