We're a long way from seeing the stimulus signed into law. What will help? I started with 5 steps to seal the deal, but with help from fellow Kossacks, we've added a sixth. AND, the president came close to fulfilling #2 on our list (and to rave reviews I might add)
So here's an updated list of what I believe will seal the deal and get America begging the Republicans to get out of the way.
#1 Time for an address from the Oval office. It will convey the weight and urgency of the message. Also, you can control the message, unlike interviews with anchors. Right now, no one needs to worry about cabinet appointments. The message is jobs.
#2 Use the D word. UPDATE: We’ll consider this one accomplished. While the president didn’t actually use the word Depression in his OpEd the other day, he warned of a situation from which we may not recover. We know what that means. Welcome to 1931.
#3 Stop calling it an Economic Stimulus. Call it a Jobs Bill. UPDATE: With todays dismal jobs report, how about we up that to an "Emergency Jobs Bill"?
#4 Spell out how many jobs, and when. Attach to each expenditure the number of jobs created, and how soon. It will validate the expenditures and quiet RW attacks. For example:
Line Item: National Endowment for the Arts
Jobs created: 1,000
When: Within 3 months
#5 Show you’re ready to hire. During your address cut to live video of one or more offices set up in some key districts—offices that will be ready to take job applications THE WEEK AFTER THE MEASURE PASSES. The locations could be selected to exert political pressure on holdouts, or placed in hardest hit economic regions. This will have a powerful visual impact. Wouldn't you just love to see a Republican congressman or Senator explaining why he's voting against opening that job fair?
UPDATE: #6 Invite a Republican Governor to help. This is an idea from Kossacks, and can provide a powerful punctuation mark. Here’s how it works. During the address, bring up a live feed with, say, Charlie Crist of Florida and discuss the importance of action. This does three things: 1) It shows bipartisan support. 2) It insinuates the Republicans in Washington are out of touch, while the folks back home are wanting stimulus, and 3) It quiets the RW carping that no one’s listening to them. The American people will know better—they will have seen their president sharing ideas with a Republican.