Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Winning Strategy For Obama

It would appear that the President has decided that the way to win re-election is through a two pronged strategy. 
The first is to attack Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital.  The President makes the argument that examining Romney’s record at Bain is appropriate because Romney himself has said that his experience at Bain is what qualifies him to run the country.  Romney opened the door…the President is going to walk through it.  Fair enough!
Romney says that he created jobs while at Bain and he will do the same as President.  President Obama counters that in fact Romney’s first allegiance as a private equity manager was to make a profit for his investors.  The President says that while Romney was very good at generating profits, he made those profits by downsizing companies, laying off workers and reducing or liquidating pensions.  President Obama says that the Presidency is about more than making profits; it’s about “making sure that everyone has a fair shot.”
This brings us to the second part of the President’s strategy…fairness.  The President believes that the path toward fairness leads to an increase in taxes on the richest Americans.  He argues that it is unfair for the richest among us to get tax breaks and subsidies while the poorest among us struggle just to put food on the table.
This two pronged strategy has a lot of validity; and it might work.  But if while making these arguments the President’s campaign is seen as demonizing Romney and the rich for LEGALLY making millions we believe that it will fail. 
We don’t believe that Americans want to hear about class warfare or sit through tutorial on the inner workings of private equity.  They want to know what the candidates are going to do to make things better.  Most Americans aspire to achieve the success that Romney has achieved.  To demonize Romney and the rich is to demonize the American dream.  The path that the President has chosen lies along a very slippery slope.
But there is a strategy that he could follow that would guarantee him re-election. 
Two words…Bowles-Simpson.
 If the President were to embrace the recommendations of his own debt commission he would win in a landslide.
Bowles-Simpson is a strong bi-partisan solution to our most difficult economic problems.  It cuts $4 trillion off our long term debt, revamps the tax code, eliminates tax loopholes, lowers tax rates, broadens the tax base and reforms entitlements.  It puts a “hurt” on both sides of the isle while at the same time providing bi-partisan appeasement on the most troublesome issues.  In short, it embodies all the difficult decisions that everyone knows we need to make for the good of the country.  And it would pass through congress today with bi-partisan support.
So if the President just wants a chance at a second term he can continue to attack Romney’s record and demand higher taxes from the rich.  That may work. 
Or he can endorse Bowles-Simpson and not only win a second term but do something good for the country in the process. 
Support Bowles-Simpson, Mr. President.  Dare Congress not to pass it.  Show the country that you have the political courage to do the right thing.
Slam Dunk!  Game over!              

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