Economic Stalemate - When Boxed In Politicians Call for Reinforcements

"Global investors increasingly prefer President Barack Obama to Republican challenger Mitt Romney and most say they believe the incumbent will remain in the White House for another four years.

Asked who would be the better leader for the global economy, 49 percent favor Obama against 38 percent for Romney, according to a quarterly Bloomberg Global Poll. In January, the two candidates tied on the question." http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-05-11/obama-winning-investors-by-49-38-against-romney-in-poll.html

Political pundits discuss polls when they run out of fresh material to talk about.  This morning's news is about how President Obama and presumptive Republican nominee Romney are tied in the polls when people are asked how each would handle the nation's economy over the next four years.  What the pundits don't report, of course, is the link above, showing how investors feel - the experts who prefer President Obama over Romney.  Obviously, pundits don't rely on experts when they have all the answers themselves - --- (oops!).

But, it's the American people who decide elections, all the people - not pundits or experts. It's about the voters. 

If voters need convincing about how disastrous the Republican economic policies are for our nation's recovery, then I'll offer my own punditry on the subject. Frankly, my analysis is just about as expertly created as anything readers will find published by any other pundit.

Here's what I think - both parties need to call in reinforcements to get their candidates' message out.  In my opinion, Republican voters are not convinced their presumptive candidate can carry their conservative message to the end of what proposes to be a brutal fall campaign.  Democratic voters are worried about President Obama's seeming inability to bring down the nation's unemployment rate to under 8 percent.

When politicians are boxed in, it's time to call for reinforcements.

Romney's reinforcement regiments are tired and unimaginative. There's no Romney "brand"   to improve our nation's economy.  Although Romney spews rhetoric about his work with Bain Capital and the Olympics successes, each of these has down sides.  

Bain Capital has put many people out of work by buying companies, laying off workers and selling the labor created margins to obtain profits.  The US Olympics success came with a lot of federal money to sweeten the prospects for Mr. Romney; so, he pulled off the project with lots of government help.  Not a good harbinger for cutting government spending.

President Obama has called up some of his reinforcements, by surrounding himself with news not necessarily related to the economy.  By his leadership, he removed from our earth the evil person of Osama Bin Laden.  Moreover, President Obama has firmed up his position on a divisive social issue - he now supports same sex marriage.  In firming his support, Mr. Obama can now approach younger voters without an obstacle in front of him, because the college crowd overwhelmingly supports same sex marriage. In the scheme of world events, who really cares about same sex marriage?  It's just a political obstacle to get off your plate; plus, it defines Mr. Obama as being different than Mr. Romney.

What other reinforcements remain?

For Mr. Romney - nothing.  If the economy improves, there are no more reinforcements available.  Indeed, the economy is improving, but not fast enough for many out of work people.  Do these unemployed people who are economically marginalized sincerely believe Mr. Romney will put them back to work, when he has opposed the government stimulus money for our US auto industry and been in management of Bain Capital? Anyone who believes this must be delusional.

For President Obama there are still some reserves.  Everyone agrees, the economy is improving, albeit, not as quickly as we prefer.  Nonetheless, with every agonizing micro-improvement, our economy moves forward.  

Perhaps the best reinforcements President Obama can call on are the people who will be harmed if the Republicans elect Romney in November.

Although mega-millions, perhaps, even a billion dollars, will be spent in this fall's election, the people who go to the polls will decide the outcome.  That includes the poor.

President Obama needs reinforcements to win on the US economy issue.  Let's use some of the millions raised by starry eyed Hollywood types to reach out for votes in unlikely places where people will be harmed by the intentions of conservative economics.  

If people who rely on Social Security, student loans, Medicare, Medicaid, access to affordable health care and labor laws to protect the minimum wage would make a pledge to become President Obama's reinforcements for the Democrats, then, this fall's election will save our nation from entering a regressive economic dark ages, where ordinary people become feudal pawns of the rich.  Call on the reinforcements of the disadvantaged, the poor and those who are prevented from being middle class because of repressive Republican economics.