Josh Marshall published an intruguing comment titled A Total Strawman. He claims:
"But I don't think anybody with half a brain (and maybe that excludes more people than it should) doesn't realize that the Democrats problems are overwhelmingly tied to the fact that we're in the midst of the worst recession since the end of the Second World War. Whether it's 75% of the problem or 80% or 90% I sort of go back and forth on in my mind. But clearly this is overwhelmingly the issue."
Talk about Total Strawman. Josh, you are missing the point.
Josh, do you really believe that voters in Massachusetts elected Scott Brown because he would be more effective at addressing the national economy?
Josh, do you really believe Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas and Harry Reid in Nevada are polling so poorly because they've been completely ineffective at addressing the national economy?
Josh, do you really believe Ben Nelson (who is not up for election in 2010) in Nebraska is polling so poorly because he's been completely ineffective at addressing the national economy?
Josh, do you really believe Chris Dodd in Connecticut declined to run for re-election because he's been completely ineffective at addressing the national economy?
Josh, reality check time. President Obama is not running in 2010. If he were I would grant you that the national economy might be responsible for some portion of his and the Democrats' problems.
Josh, the 2010 election is going to be a series of local elections. Voters will have a chance to express their desires regarding the issues important to them. I seriously doubt that voters expect their local leaders to have fixed the economy during the prior 24 months. Voters aren't that shortsighted.
Voters can be influenced. Voters can be distracted. Voters can be manipulated. There are powerful, wealthly, and determined forces who have, are, and will continue to influence, distract, and manipulate voters.
If you need any further proof that even the most intelligent and politically savvy voter can be manipulated to think that voters are angry at Democrats because Democrats fail to heed the "It's the economy, stupid" mantra, then all you need to do is read this.
The Democrats have an issue that can provide a winning majority for decades. President Obama knows all about this. He speaks about it all the time.
It's the middle class, stupid.
I have yet to hear any Democrat besides President Obama repeat every day how the health care reform bill, as imperfect and flawed as it is, will help the middle class. Right now.
That's right. The health care reform bill will help the middle class. Right now.
Democrats, instead of running toward the single most important piece of (imperfect and flawed) legislation, are running away from it.
You know it's true. That Democrats are running away from this bill.
You know it's true. The health care reform bill is the single most important piece of legislation that can help the middle class - right now - during the worst recession since the Great Depression.
How you can fail to see this is breathtaking.