1) “It’s the economy stupid.”
Bill Clinton’s camp bludgeoned Bush 41's reelection chances to death with this little observation. Apparently, the same myopia that tunnel-visioned the elder Bush right out of office is blinding President Obama. Americans respond and are concerned for their pocketbooks (oh, and two wars still being waged). So when the Commander in Chief becomes Dr. No, there’s a two-fold problem: one, he isn’t fixing the economy that Bush broke and two, he’s talking about reforms that everyone (everyone but he and his administration) believes will cost consumers more. Which brings us to the next reason Americans continue to reject health care reform.
2) “What are you talkin’ about Willis?”
A quick anecdote: my brother is a mechanical engineer. I once asked him how a thermostat works and this was his answer verbatim, “It’s a bi-metallic strip of two dissimilar metals affected by the coefficient of thermal expansion.” Wow thanks; that clears it right up, how could I have missed that?
There’s not much difference in my example than what Mr. Obama is telling seniors (the biggest demographic actually listening). They don’t have a clue as to what he’s saying because it’s always something different without being new. Get it? First it was about reform, then about competition, then about stabilizing the economy and now it’s been hijacked by talk of racism. While the reasons purporting for it have changed, the devil in the details have not.
3) “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”
When big pharmaceutical airs ads backing the President’s health reforms, people are naturally skeptical. Why in the world would big pharm be backing this plan? The inescapable logic is they want to make more money. While average Americans are all for the American way, they tend not to be so keen on gigantic corporate entities that manufacture costly prescription drugs. Although big pharm’s profits are under 5%, seniors don’t care as they pony-up the dough for their prescriptions or have to wade through Medicare red-tape to get prescriptions.
4) Trust me, I’m with the government
As President Obama’s agenda tanks in the polls, out onto the public stage comes former President Carter to throw in his two cents. Jimmy Carter really? Arguably the worst president in the history of the republic; a man that was tossed out of office on a 34% approval rating, who left the economy in shambles, botched foreign affairs and relations, unchecked high interest rates and unemployment and this is your surrogate?
I’m sure it doesn’t help Mr. Obama’s cause when the former President says the opposition are a bunch of racists and because of that, they don’t have the mental capacity to see how great Mr. Obama’s plans are. (For those of you “George Bush was the worst president in history” types, I beg you to ask yourself one simple question…why was he reelected? While his second term economic policies surely paved the way for the crisis we’re in today, he kept the country safe. He kept his eye on the ball and the one issue that mattered to Americans most, national security.)
Today, the issue is the economy and Mr. Obama is not only not doing anything about it, it doesn't seem to be important to him).
