If Obama were actively trying to lose in 2012, what would he do different?

[mistertrickster]

Scene: Oval Office

President meets with advisers . . . .

Obama: "Okay, folks, you know the plan; I don't want a second term. I want to be the 21st Century's Jimmy Carter. How do I do that?"

Rahm Emanuel: "First, insult your base, you know the little people that pounded the pavement and raised money and sent in their own pennies for you last time, based on your soaring rhetoric of hope and change. Call them FUCKING HIPPIES, for instance, tell them they need to be DRUG TESTED. Don't be content to simply hang them out to dry on broken campaign promises . . . actively DEMEAN THEM for being the suckers that supported you.

"If a typical American gets a chance to complain that your policies are hurting her, BLAME THE VICTIM by saying something like 'you just have to buck-up.' You remember how Carter's blame-Americans-for-their-malaise speech did wonders for sinking his campaign."

David Plouffe: "Next, surround yourself with exactly the same folks that caused the job loss and economic meltdowns that got you elected . . . in fact, re-hire the same people BUSH DID like Robert Gates, Tim Geithner, and Gen. Petraus, because nothing breeds failure like a past history of failure.

"Bail out the big banks that sunk the economy and put homeowner's mortgages into default and stunk up everybody's 401K's. Do nothing for the victims of the rapacious fat-cats."

Austan Goolsbee: "Repudiate all your campaign promises, especially if those promises would benefit the broad working class. For instance, the Union Card Check Act that you prominently and proudly supported during the campaign? Just drop it, but trot it out on Labor Day to remind folks of how you sold them out.

"When the radical right-wing comes at you hammer-and-tongs, give them MORE than what they demand so that the American people can see what a great Compromiser you are. Nothing says WEAKNESS to Americans than having no core values that you must defend. Think of all the great Compromisers in history--Franklin Pierce, Neville Chamberlain, Herbert Hoover--they are all now widely reviled."

Pete Rouse: "When the Republicans show what vile horrible jerks they are like wanting to cut Grandma's Social Security so Halliburton can get another no-bid contract, do not call them out on that. Stand up and give a policy speech in which you sound exactly like they do, Social Security must be cut . . . but call it 'reform' so that people will also be insulted that you think you can fool them by calling a cut 'reform.'"

"Also, pay attention to the polls . . . find out what the majority want and do the opposite. For instance, if they want to raise taxes on the rich, agree to never raise taxes on the rich. If they want out of ten-year wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, not only keep them going, but start a new war in Libya."

Obama: "Thanks, guys, I think I've got it. Following your plan, there's no way I can win in 2012. I just hope the Republicans don't put Michelle Bachmann against me, or I might not be able to lose . . . "

[Autumn]

1. He's done a good job of it so far n/t

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. I'm beginnning to long for the days that I lived abroad. I think most Americans have become

too DUMB and can't help but sacrifice their and their children's lives for the rich to live ever-better, and vote against their own self-interests. How stupid can people be?

[BonnieJW]

3. I think he should stay the course if he wants to lose 2012.

He's really good at this!

[Recursion]

4. Cut Social Security and Medicare (nt)

[Atman]

5. Throw a bag of puppies from an overpass.

I mean...what more can he do to piss off Democrats?

[JoePhilly]

22. I hear he kicks puppies competitively for distance.

[mikehiggins]

6. He doesn't need OUR advice. He's doing a great job of it on his own.

As far as I can tell the only thing going for him is his name appears on the Democratic line, and all of the Republibozos seem certifiably insane.

But I guess that makes HIM confident that he can do whatever he pleases and still get a second term.

And he's probably right.

Quite possibly the most disappointing President of my lifetime.

[pscot]

7. I don't think I've ever expected more

or gotten less from an elected official.

[mistertrickster]

8. +1000 nt

[AzDar]

9. He's done everything except Twitter his penis.

:thumbsup:

[mistertrickster]

12. LOL . . . good one. nt

[ClarkUSA]

10. He would listen to all the Koch Bros. astroturf, freepers & PUMA know-it-alls that attack him 24/7.

That'd be a sure ticket to a Romney presidency.

[mistertrickster]

11. Ah, if you criticize the president, you want someone worse.

At least, you didn't call me racist.

Seriously though, we stopped Bush from destroying Social Security. How can we stop Obama from doing it?

On edit: "How many times do you have to get hit over the head before you see who is hitting you?" Actual Democrat Harry S. Truman

[ClarkUSA]

13. That's a false statement. You've created a strawman argument.

How predictable. You are aptly named.

[mistertrickster]

15. You attacked my motives, saying that I was in league with the Kochs'

That's a logical fallacy too.

Ad homenim

[onenote]

14. Here are a few things:

He could have let the economy spiral totally out of control by refusing to cut a deal with the repubs, who were perfectly willing to drive off a cliff in order to avoid giving in on taxes.
He could have used a gimmick like the 14th amendment to try to avoid a default and then taken the heat when the markets, which hate uncertainty, predictably reacted to this gimmick by downgrading the US credit rating, causing all measure of harm to the economy.
He could have accepted a short term debt ceiling increase even though that would mean the country would have to go through this again in a few months, the upshot of which might well have been a downgrading of US credit in the meantime.
He could have not insisted that the cuts be spread over ten years and backloaded so that most of them are far more theoretical than real, since predicting what the economy will be like and what a future Congress may or may not change five years from now is basically guesswork.
He could have vetoed the Lily Ledbetter fair pay act.
He could have vetoed stem cell legislation.
He could have promised to veto legislation rolling back DADT or DOMA.
He could have appointed Supreme Court justices in the mold of Alito or Roberts or Scalia and Thomas.

That's for starters.

[mistertrickster]

17. You mean he's not as bad as Bush . . . damned with faint praise.nt

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CakeGrrl]

18. Well enjoy your time here until the Dem Convention.

If you're not voting for the Dem nominee, this won't be the place for you after that point.

[mistertrickster]

19. Excellent post, and welcome to DU.

I thought after WPE Bush that Republiconism had been repudiated, but then Obama comes along and says, "look folks, it ain't so bad . . . "

[rug]

20. Fight them.

He already takes the left for granted, so he appeases his opponents for political gain.

[mistertrickster]

21. That would make sense except he doesn't seem to get any political gain.

The rad-right is still calling him a Marxist.

[Armstead]

23. BEST post of the day --

I keep asking What are they thinking?

But i'm kinda afraid to find out the answer.

[bornskeptic]

24. He could have made a strong partisan stand, refusing to negotiate at all

or refusing to sign anything without more tax increases than spending cuts. He still might have had an outside chance of being re-elected, but it would have been slim.