We keep being told that the Obama administration endorsed the GOP talking points on the deficit, and gave away the farm in negotiations with the Republicans on the debt ceiling, as part of a strategic play to win independents come the next election. Only problem? Independents care more about jobs, which aren't being addressed, and which will be hurt by the President's budget deal.
From TNR:
So how’s the debt deal going to go over with these different flavors of independents? Well, Democratic IINOs and pure independents both are concerned about the job situation over the deficit by a margin of two to one, according to Pew data. In fact, the only part of the “independent” pool that actually thinks the deficit is more important than the job situation are Republican IINOs, who right now give Obama a 15 percent approval rating, the same as regular Republicans. Good luck winning that group over.I'll bet the Obama folks are thinking that they're moving to jobs next, so then they'll have jobs AND the deficit tackled, so all the indies will love them.
But maybe pure independents only say they’re concerned with the economy when their real passion is bipartisan compromises on the debt, and so they’ll ignore the bad jobs situation and turn out in droves for Obama. That’s not likely to happen either. As John Sides has pointed out, voting preferences among pure independents are more influenced, not less, by the state of the economy.
First off, good luck doing anything on jobs now that you've:
1. Decimated the budget - where you gonna get the money for a jobs bill now?
2. Added to joblessness by accepting the GOP budget deal.
3. Given up the best opportunity you had to tie jobs to "must pass" legislation, i.e., the deficit deal.
Also, what Republican in his right mind is going to permit you to pass a jobs bill when a failing economy is the best thing the Republicans have going for taking back the White House next year? And in any case, good luck passing anything next year, a presidential and congressional election year.
A jobs bill should have been added to the myriad of hostage crises we've already been through with the GOP. I suspect we'll get some kind of jobs package tied to the reauthorization of the Bush tax cuts, as if jobs is somehow a partisan proposal that we should have to trade for it. Then again, when you're not very good at messaging, and do nothing to correct the problem (because you don't even think you have a problem), this is what you get - a never-ending series of increasingly painful hostage crises sugar-coated as "victories."
