Reply #44: The reason Obama talk about the fiscal responsibility is because we need it

[killbotfactory]

Average voters respond well to the idea that the US spends money unwisely and cannot continue on that path. More so now that they saw the government funnel billions into reckless criminal banks in order to keep the economy from completely self-destructing. The problem is they don't connect that idea to the effects of republican policies over the past decade. It's not going to create jobs, and it's not an immediate concern compared to jobs, but it's still real.

If you ignore the issue you let the right wing frame it. And they will frame it like they always have: Cut anything and everything that doesn't benefit corporate. That's not something voters are in favor of, but if the idea of fiscal responsibility resonates with them, that will be a mark in the GOPs favor come election day.

Or you can do it the way Obama has: End the wars, reform government programs to be more efficient, and raise taxes on the wealthy. All of these the public is in favor of, and the only reason he hasn't gotten the last item yet has been due to republicans using every legislative trick within their power to prevent him from doing so, unless it also comes at the expense of the non-rich and unemployed. Obama has never championed the idea that cutting government spending will create jobs, not given credence to it. In face, Obama has taken the issue and turned it against them, showing them to be a bunch incompetent grandstanders on the subject, bordering on the insane. Since left-wingers are very aware of this fact, they give no credit to Obama for exposing them as such in the way he has, instead he's blamed for co-opting right wing causes. Now if we focus our rage at the right wing for deliberately taking the defecit issue hostage, being wreckless and stupid about it, deliberately harming the economy for political gain, instead of bashing Obama for not letting them force the country into default and "calling their bluff" because he can do some risky, constitutionally questionable action and possibly avert disaster, we might win back congress and continue honest attempts to fix the economy and push the country left.