It’s the lack of jobs, stupid.
Sorry, James Carville, that’s my take on it. When James Carville stated, “It’s the economy, stupid,” he was right; then and now.
What politicians in Washington aren’t getting is what the American people are saying: Where are the jobs?!
They were saying it before the last election and during the last election, while voting out so many incumbents. And that chant still resonates among the American people, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears in Washington. [See editorial cartoons on Republicans.]
The Republicans grandstanded that the Democrats weren’t listening to the American people and were trying to “cram healthcare reform down their throats,” or socialize America and make us more dependent on our government.
So the Republicans took the house, nearly took the Senate, and what do they do? Preach cuts. Taking a machete to programs like Planned Parenthood, NPR, and most recently, Medicare. Question: How many jobs does that create? Or how on a state level, does firing teachers, police officers, or firefighters create jobs? [See a slide show of the 10 best cities to find a job.]
That’s not just my, Leslie Marshall’s, question, it’s America’s. And now it goes a step further.
What the conservatives have failed to understand is, job growth and job creation, whether it be in the public or private sector, is job growth and job creation overall; and for some reason, conservatives only seem to count job loss or gain in the private sector.
The American people just aren’t as concerned or consumed by the growing deficit, whether or not to raise the debt ceiling, and the latest scare by Standard & Poor's. They’re concerned and consumed by the price of gas at the tank, whether or not they can pay their mortgage and keep their home, whether they can keep the doors to their business open, or finally find a job. [Check out a roundup of political cartoons on gas prices.]
There’s a disconnect between the politicians on the Hill inside the beltway and the rest of America who put them there. Some would say what those in D.C. are doing is political suicide, especially the Republicans, who care more about what will happen in 2037 than they do 2011. And, of course, who want to keep giving tax breaks to the rich, which now most of America favors doing away with.
When Rep. Paul Ryan first unveiled his budget, he was a hero; now he’s being booed at town hall meetings.
If Democrats and Republicans want to keep their jobs, they better start delivering on the promises they made to their constituents and start working together to get things done.
For those of you who love to blame Obama, the president’s ratings hang around 47 percent or higher; Congress’s approval keeps declining.
So, although it isn’t the government’s position to create jobs, cutting jobs clearly isn’t gonna deliver jobs or votes. And if Congress keeps it up, we’ll soon be hearing that swooshing sound of incumbents leaving Washington again.
Reader Comments Read all comments (12)
Citizen of WI 2:09PM April 29, 2011
Bill Hedges of MO 10:56AM April 29, 2011
Hunter of WI 10:16AM April 29, 2011