The Labor Department released another good jobs report today showing that the economy created nearly 250,000 jobs in February. What will these positive jobs reports mean for the Democratic Party's prospects in 2008? The answer is that it is much too early to say but it should be a caution sign for us that 2008 may very well be a struggle regardless of the good tidings that seem to be blowing our way for 2006. As we read and watch all the negative press about Bush and see his poll numbers sitting in the toilet month after month, we shouldn't assume that 2008 will be a cakewalk for us.
We can argue about how today's economy compares to the best years of Clinton's presidency and other previous presidents but, by any reasonable measure, it's pretty good. The unemployment rate has fallen from just over 7% four years ago to 4.8% today and the economy has created about 5 million jobs over this three year period, 2 million over the past 12 months.
And inflation remains tame, particularly in light of the huge increase in energy prices.
Today's decent economy may collapse between now and 2008 making our electoral victory a certainty. But then again, it may continue bubbling along. If the economy in 2007 and 08 mirrors today's economy, then we'll have a tougher job ahead of us. We must never forget that, while Bush has committed a host of misdeeds in his five-plus years, a strong economy trumps a world of sins.
We shouldn't let today's great poll numbers and rosy prospects for 2006 mislead us into not giving our all in 2008. The Republican nominee may very well be a more formidable opponent than it may seem today when you read the latest news in the Times or the Post. This means that we need to offer the voters our strongest, most credible candidate, not another weak sorry excuse like we've offered too many times in the past.