It comes down to one simple problem, JOBS

[MadHound]

Housing market is continuing to tank, consumer spending is down, durable goods orders are down, the economy in general sucks. The reason is simple, this country needs jobs. Unemployed people, or people in fear of becoming unemployed, simply aren't going to spend money.

Expecting the private sector to create jobs out of the goodness of their hearts is wishing for the proverbial pony. Unless there is demand, real sustained demand, companies aren't going to create jobs. Of course without jobs, demand is weak. What a fine vicious circle, eh?

Which brings us to Obama and the Democrats. What is needed in this country is a WPA style jobs program. Vast, far reaching, and yes, expensive. But, what such a program would do is twofold. First, such a jobs program would repair and update our infrastructure, a project that has been suffering from benign neglect since the last major government jobs program under FDR.

Second, and more important, such a jobs program would stimulate demand in this country. People with a job and money will spend money, creating demand. This demand, in turn, would stimulate the private sector to create jobs, and thus go a long way to pulling us out of this recession, depression, whatever.

Furthermore, there would be an immense benefit to the Democrats. If people see that Obama and the Dems are actually doing something for the public at large, addressing the economic problem in a bold manner, they will reward them with their votes.

So, for once, the Dems in Congress and Obama in the WH need to do something they have yet to do up to this point, fight. They have to press home a jobs program now, no matter the bluster, no matter the filibuster, no matter the spewing hate, they have got to go to the mat for this one, fighting for what is right, what is needed in this country. And they have to do so now. Otherwise this economy is going to continue to tank, and with the economy, the fortunes of the Democratic party.

It's their choice, do the right thing and be the heroes, or continue to be meek little mice and suffer the backlash.