Obama’s 5 Pointers to Fire-up the Liberal Base

For the past couple of years during this decade, the vast majority of Liberals have been strongly rooting for the Democratic Party and its candidates. President Obama greatly acknowledges this sector in society as one of the primary contributors to his magical run during the last presidential elections in 2008. And today, with the nation still left in peril and with growing dissatisfaction by voters towards his administration and the Democratically-controlled congress, Liberals might decide to stay at home instead of voting during the November polls. With the lack of enthusiasm amongst the liberal Democratic base, several writers have pointed out various strategies that Obama can use to ignite the fire and urge Liberals to vote these coming Midterms.

Fight Harder for Liberal Priorities

It is quite evident that Liberals lack the enthusiasm that they once had when they instilled Democratic control in Congress in 2006 and White house in 2008. Washing Post Columnist Greg Sargent mentions that it would be best for Obama to fight harder for the priorities of Liberals even if battle is sometimes hopeless. He also added that it might leave Democrats with an energized support base heading into the midterm elections. Sargent also mentioned the following words “If the Dem base is unenthusiastic, give Democrats something to get excited about, or effectively tell them why they should be excited”.

Refrain From Attacking the Liberal Critics

Politico Columnist Keach Hagey highlights the growing tension between White House Officials and Liberal bloggers. It is quite known that these bloggers have been constantly expressing their deep criticisms towards the White House which sometimes can harm the administration. Hagey tells the White House of the following words “Just don’t fight him”. A better option would be for the government to do their best to prove these critics that they are very wrong.

Focus on GOP Crazies

Washington Monthly Writer Steve Benen advises Democrats to tell voters that a Republican victory this November will only make things worse. Things are slowly beginning to improve and the best obstruction to that improvement is a GOP victory. If Republicans regain control of Congress this November, all the two year’s worth of national agenda such as the stimulus package, Health care reform, immigration reform and lots more will be put to waste.

Obama: Liberals must take Responsibility

In a recent Rolling Stone interview, President Obama mentioned that it is very inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive to just stand in the sidelines when the nation clearly needs them. He added that there are numerous complaints all directed towards Democrats for acting slow or are not able to give solutions fast enough to the problems of the nation. But Pres Obama gave Democrats a choice: to either risk a Republican-controlled congress where policies are all directed towards the previous Bush administration or for the present administration where progress is more meaningful.

Only Economy Matters

Duncan Black mentions that media criticisms and high-level political wrangling basically don't matter for November. The economy is what matters most. People are physically and emotionally feeling the negative effects of a struggling economy. The most appropriate thing the president can do is to make people go to work again by giving them jobs. Come up with policies and programs that are focused on job creation. Create an environment where jobs are more abundant.

Defeated By the Tea Party, GOP Candidate Wages Write-In Candidacy

The Tea Party Movement is perhaps the biggest story coming in to the November midterm elections. With the string of upsets that it has accomplished in various Republican primaries, the Tea Party is displaying its strength and is riding on the anger of the people. The most popular of them all is Christine O’Donnell’s victory in the Delaware Republican primary where she vanquished high-favored GOP nominee Mike Castle. But another Tea Party-backed candidate worth mentioning is Joe Miller who was successful in his upset victory over Lisa Murkowski during last month’s Republican primary.

Unwilling to fade into the Alaska political arena, Murkowski is now waging a write-in candidacy against Miller. She is hoping that voters will realize her huge contributions to the state. It is interesting to remember that Murkowski was the one responsible for bringing billions of dollars in Federal projects to the people of Alaska. While it may be a difficult task, history tells us that it is indeed possible for a write-in candidate to win over legitimate and established candidates. Murkowski is now alone in waging war against those newcomers who derailed them during their primaries.

While other veteran Republicans who were toppled by Tea Party candidates chose to simply give up the race, others are still very enthusiastic in having a comeback. After suffering from a humiliating defeat at the hands of Tea Party favorite Marco Rubio in the GOP nomination, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is reportedly running for the Senate as an independent candidate. In Delaware, the disgruntled former governor and Republican representative Mike Castle is also eyeing on the possibility of him running as an independent candidate. It will certainly be a long and bumpy road for these candidates as they will be running without the support of a major party and without a formidable cash-raising apparatus.

Murkowski will be using her association with one of the state’s most popular figure for a quarter century, the late Senator Ted Stevens. She will also banking on the name and recognition of her father, former Governor Frank Murkowski who once held the Senate seat in Alaska. While political analyst do not expect Murkowski to win, she still has a greater chance considering the high number of upsets achieved during these elections and the unprecedented influences and trends which could potentially work for Murkowski.

A particular and tougher challenge now for her is what form of her name should be written on ballots so that it would count as a vote. She is now asking the people of Alaska to come up with slogans, write letters to the editor, call-in to radio talk shows and make videos and upload it to YouTube. She is also busy handling out sample ballots which will guide voters in how to write her name in actual ballots. She also plans to use the radio to teach voters how to do the write-in voting process.

A Democratic Defeat This November is Still a WIN for the President

With barely 5 weeks to go before the Midterm elections, some things are now slowly beginning to shape up. The recent unveiling of the “Pledge to America” by GOP leaders is a clear indication that Republicans are dead serious in winning this November and are now ready to take over Congress. Despite the efforts by Pres. Obama and his team to fire up young voters and their avid supporters, it is more likely that Democrats will finally lose control of Congress. Despite of this, the president might still see this as an opportunity rather a threat. There are assumptions that a Democratic defeat this November is considered a WIN for the President.

For the past couple of months, the people saw the steady decline of democratic support and influence. People began developing doubts if the President along with the Democratically-dominated Congress is indeed capable of saving the economy and driving the nation towards progress and development. The steady increase in unemployment which now stood at 9.6% (national average) has been the primary concern of the people. Obama’s stimulus package that amounts to over $800 billion was assumed to be a total failure for not creating any significant number of jobs at all. It is a given fact that the people of America most especially the middle-class are struggling and are blaming the administration for their failures.

With this, Republicans are again energized to finally defeat their Democratic rivals and regain back power and control of Congress. Republicans are so confident of their impending victory that they already published their 21-page legislative agenda for the next Congress. The agenda highlights various key points that are directed towards economic recovery such as repealing mandates for small businesses in the new health care law and stopping job killing hikes. The agenda aims to replace the campaign promises that Obama had but was not able to attain. One such promise was to stimulate job-creation in high numbers though millions of Americans today are desperately looking for jobs.

Polls conducted by various poll mechanisms such as RealClearPolitics are all pointing to a Republican victory these midterms. In March of 2010, House Republicans were projected to win by a margin of 47 seats. Another poll in May saw the margin rise to 56. And by mid-September, the polls predict a Republican victory with 67 seats. Trends from InTrade betting markets also show the same patterns. Also In March of 2010, House Republicans received a 43 percent chance of winning the majority. In May, the figure rose to 47 percent and by mid-September, it significantly rose to a whopping 70 percent.

While for most people, a Republican-dominated Congress will be bad news for the president, others realize it otherwise. In fact, if the economy will still be dismal after Republicans takeover of Congress, the President will be blaming them for it. This will transfer the blame from Obama and his democrats to the Republicans instead. It is good to know that both the President and the Congress have equal legislative powers. The President will just say that Congress (Republican Majority) has been unkind and has played as obstruction to his programs and platforms. This will be a good sign to the president especially for his reelection. So if ever Democrats will lose this November, the President will still have the last laugh.

Obama’s Two-step Strategy: More Backyard Events and Campus Rallies

With the nation’s economy still having a dismal performance and with barely 5 weeks left before the midterm elections, Obama is trying to come to the aid of his Democratic party in order to avoid any major losses in November. Recent polls show that GOP candidates are either leading or are in a tightly contested race against their Democratic rivals. The president is devising a newer strategy that aims to rekindle the same 2008 campaign magic that propelled him into the presidency. It also aims to give him the opportunity to thoroughly explain his policies and regulation into the public in a calm and orderly manner.

The biggest fear for Democrats this November is when their avid young supporters are just going to stay at home rather than vote. The two-step strategy will involve four states which aim to urge Democrat supporters to let their voices be heard and participate in the polls. Pres. Obama and his team will also try to persuade voters who are yet to decide on who to support on that the proposed alternatives by Republicans are unacceptable and will do no good for the nation. It was remembered that the President warned Democrats and their supporters that all will be lost such as the Obamacare, stimulus, etc. if Republicans take back control of Congress.

In a recent interview, Obama told Democratic voters that it would be “inexcusable” and “irresponsible” for unenthusiastic Democrats to skip the midterm elections because the consequences are so severe that it would erase the years-worth national agenda. On the eve of Tuesday, the president is expected to proceed to the University of Wisconsin campus in Madison where he will be heading a rally which aims to replicate his youthful and enthusiastic 2008 presidential campaign. Meanwhile, Obama will also hold numerous campus rallies to warn young voters that the “hope and change” they embraced two years ago is at risk of being erased if Republicans will win these coming elections.

In a time where Democratic candidates are in a defensive stance trying to defend the present administration's expanded health care benefits, stimulus spending and other initiatives. Pres. Obama has called on Democrats to become less apologetic and be more assertive instead in convincing voters that the administration along with the Democratic-controlled Congress is indeed trying to move the country forward towards progress and development. The recent releasing of the “Pledge of America” by GOP officials is seen as a move that would benefit Democrats more according to White House Officials.

On Monday, Pres. Obama told student journalists that Republican have signaled plans to give $4 trillion worth of tax breaks with $700 billion of whom will go directly to rich people. Each of them will get an average of $100,000 check. The president and his administration aim to let the Bush-era tax cuts expire for households earning $250,000 or more a year. Pres. Obama is scheduled to hold backyard events on Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa, and Richmond, Va., before returning to Washington that night. He will be using these backyard events to criticize the Republican pledge and show to the voters the consequences they may face if Republicans win this November.

Meg Whitman’s Job Creation Strategy: Fire Workers or Reduce their Salaries to Minimum

The Upcoming November Midterm Elections is shaping up to be a tight and close one. With Republicans drawing strength from voter dissatisfaction and anger towards the Democratically-controlled Obama administration, we might well be seeing a sudden change in power in the U.S. congress this November. With numerous Tea Party victories in various Republican primaries, the GOP has been quite confused if they will be treating this as an opportunity or a threat. Meanwhile, Pres. Obama and his Democratic party are trying every means possible to fire up their supporters and persuade undecided voters as well. They live by the argument that a Republican victory in the polls will endanger the national agenda which is already of 2 years worth.

In the state of California, Republican Meg Whitman is going up against a tough Democratic candidate, Jerry Brown for the seat of governor. Recent polls show that Brown is leading although Whitman is closely trailing behind. In a recent report, Whitman has been busy spending her own money in paid commercials. In fact, as of September 15, she has spent $119 million of her own money for her campaign along. It is good to note that Whitman is the former president and CEO of E-bay which might be the reason for her seemingly endless wealth. As a testament to her wealth, she is widely considered as the fourth wealthiest woman in the state of California with a net worth of $1.3 billion as of the year 2010.

What struck the attention of the media the most is her stand towards job creation. While her propaganda stands for creating more jobs, she believes that by getting rid of public employees, she will be successful in reversing unemployment. She aims to either fire or reduce the salary of 40,000 public employees up to the minimum. By saying so, she probably doesn’t believe that public employees such as teachers, policemen and firemen are actual workers. Not only will her plan increase the level of poverty and unemployment, but it will also directly affect the middle-class sector. Depriving them of just compensation or work will only add up to the long list of problems that the state has.

It seems that Whitman’s plans are for every millionaire and billionaires gain. She also aims to end the welfare programs of the state and eliminate the state's capital gains tax. This will enable rich individuals to freely invest in business ventures without ever worrying of taxes and government regulations. Her vision for California is far from the realization of the American Dream. Let us just hope that voters will certainly be responsible enough in choosing the best and deserving candidate for the vacated seats this election.

Obama’s New Education Agenda: Longer School Year and Higher Teacher Standards

With improving the economy in mind, U.S. President Barack Obama called for a longer school year to significantly improve the educational system of the country. Citing the alarming decrease in America’s global educational competitiveness, the President, in an interview, cited his intentions in putting up his education agenda. He acknowledges numerous schools that do not have enough funds to supplement their operational expenses. For that, he promised additional funding to these schools in order to maintain and preserve the quality of education that they are giving to students.

Obama also cited that money alone won’t fix the problems encountered by public schools. He added that for an educational system to be successful, it must set higher standards for students and teachers alike. That is why he is proposing to extend the school year of students to make them more competitive in this modern world. He mentions that other advanced countries such as South Korea have longer school years which translate into more learning’s for students. South Korean public schools implement a school year that is 1-month longer compared to American schools. Obama has cited that this additional 1 month school period is very advantageous and can really make a difference.

A report published by the Education Commission of the States indicated that U.S. schools through the high school levels offer an average of 180 instruction days per year. This is way below compared to the 197 days for lower grades and 196 for upper grades average of countries with best student achievement levels such as Japan, Korea, Germany and New Zealand. The president has also mentioned that though the per-student spending has gone up, the student performance has gone down. In an effort to boost the level of education in America, Obama has now called for a longer school year and called for a set of standards to be achieved both by students and teachers.

On Monday, the president announced his goal of recruiting 10,000 teachers who work in the field of science, technology, engineering and math over the next two years. He reasoned that these specialized teachers are very vital in teaching and molding students to be competitive against their peers especially when talking about the economy. While the president endorsed working with teachers unions, he also told instructed them to not resist change and do something especially if one-third of students are dropping out. He favors firing teachers who are not teaching the way they should be and setting standards to maintain competitiveness.

The Rich are Getting Richer, The Poor are Getting Poorer

It is doubt that the Republicans along with Tea Party candidates are stealing the spotlight from Democrats with less than 6 weeks left before the midterm elections. The larger disagreements by people and with the declining approval rating of the President have urged Democrats to push the panic button. Despite of the criticisms and disagreements faced by these people, it is still commendable to mention the few who stand by their principles and fight for what they think is right and good. Democrat Robert Reich is the author of numerous books including “Aftershock: The Next Economy and America’s Future”. He now talks about the existing imbalance in the economy and the weakened stand of his fellow Democrats unto this very sensitive issue.

With the recent economic recession bringing chaos in the economy and in society, it is quite reasonable to determine who to blame for such catastrophe. Not many people may have noticed it, but the distribution of wealth in the United States is uneven. In a recent article by Mr. Reich, he mentions that this year, the wealthiest persons in America got even wealthier while most of them are paying only minimal taxes. In a recent survey released by Forbes magazine, they noted an 8% increase in the combined net worth of the 400 richest Americans which now amounts to $1.37 trillion. 217 members of the list saw their wealth rose while only 85 experienced a decline.

He highlights several members from the list including Charles and David Koch. These energy magnates were known to pour vast sums of money into Republican and Tea Party-candidates all over America. It is interesting to note that for the past year, their wealth climbed to $21.5 billion with a $5.5 billion increase. Another survey indicated that 25 top hedge-fund managers each obtained an average of $1 billion but was only paying an average of 17 percent in taxes. Because much of their income was considered capital gains, they were taxed only at 15 percent based on the Bush tax cuts bill. The Wall Street continued to dominate the entire list with 109 out of the 400 were either in finance or in investments.

In the article, Reich mentioned about the massive imbalance in wealth in America. While the rich got richer, the poor now got poorer. With unemployment levels reaching 9.6% and with most middle to lower-class earning well below standards, the poverty rate in the nation is now reaching post-war high. Mr. Reich also noted about the softening stance of Democrats with regards to the Bush-era tax cuts. Deciding on whether to extend the tax cuts for the top 2 percent of Americans or for the bottom 98 percent, Democrats have decided to delay their voting until after the mid-term elections. For Reich, it was a golden opportunity for Democrats to show to the nation what is really happening in the nation for the past three decades – the imbalanced distribution of wealth where those who are sitting on top are the ones who are gaining the vast majority of the nation’s wealth.