For the blog this week we are going to take on the role of campaign advisor to president Obama and/or his Republican challengers. First, take a look at the major issues that have dominated recent political headlines. The President (and Congress) have many issues that they are dealing with while always positioning themselves for the upcoming 2012 election (even though its 13 months away!). Whether President Obama, and his Republican challengers, effectively address the issues most important to Americans could go a long way in changing how people feel and who will win the upcoming election. Remember, most don't follow politics too closely and have relatively short memories in terms of political and economic issues.
Start by taking a survey similar to those conducted by polling companies and news organizations regarding what issues are most important to you. You can find the survey here.
Next take a look at how your responses and the responses of your classmates compare to national polls here.
Then
please post a comment describing your reactions and offering advice to
the President Obama (regardless of whether you support him in real life)
or his Republican challengers. You can use any or
all of the following prompts as a starting point if you wish.
- What are your reactions in general to taking our class survey (results will be available in class), or the professional survey results?
- Based on the polls and the news, what issue(s) should President Obama and/or the Republic challengers focus on in terms of his reelection bid?
- How should President Obama address these issues? What rhetorical/leadership style do you think would be most persuasive? Is this the same or different from how Republican candidates should address these issues?
Note: This is a double blog opportunity, meaning that if you post
more than one comment (leaving a few days and comments between your
entries, you can earn two blog credits for this week. As the blog
discussion evolves feel free to allow the conversation to move away from
the original prompts.
According to almost all of the polls listed, even those going back over a year to Fall 2010, Americans are mainly concerned with jobs and the economy. Therefore, unless something drastic occurs in the next 13 months (which is possible), in which many people find jobs and become employed, voters are going to be searching for a candidate whom they feel can provide them with jobs and "fix" the economy or at least business success. (That feeling is unique in and of itself as we discussed in class, the president is unable to physically make jobs, although he can provide incentives to companies who hire people. He is also powerless in regards to the economy as the Federal Reserve is not within the scope of his power.) However, most people do not know that the President is powerless, and even if they do, they believe that with the right leader, anything is possible. That being said, I would advise a candidate to frame themselves as "the job creator" or "the economy 'fixer'" or the successful businessman. They should find a situation in which they either did something that led directly to job formation or to a "fixing" of the economy or some sort of success in business, and they should point to that success as proof of their capabilities. They should then argue that the capabilities which led to those successes are found in the candidate and that is why he/she should be elected. He/she should be elected so that he/she can implement his/her successful plan on a national level.
ReplyDeleteLike Ezra has says, clearly the most important thing that the American people are looking for now is dealing with the economy and job creation. In every single poll the numbers are extremely lope sided towards these categories. With this being the case, it seems the Democrats and Obama have the Republicans exactly where they want them. Despite peoples frustration over how poorly the economy is doing, it doesn't seem that any of the polls, in the last almost two years, feel that the Republicans can do a better job. In almost all the polls you can see that the Democrats have a couple percentage points higher, in terms of "who do you trust to do a better job."
ReplyDeleteObama has to continue to give off the impression that he will create jobs and fix the economy. I know nothing too drastic can happen in the next 13 months, but the best thing would be if the economy starts to improve and that Americans have a good feeling of hope when they vote next November. It will be hard for Obama to frame himself as "the job creator" or "economy fixer" like Ezra said if he didn't do that in his first term. Why would Americans believe him if he couldn't do it in his first term? He has to hope that the economy improves and try to prove that he is doing anything in his power right now to make a change. But like I said, for some reason American's dont think that the Republicans can do a better job. Maybe thats because they dont currently have a leader, but for now maybe Obama should just stick to what hes been doing.
Hey Mr. President, long time no speak. Listen, nearly all the polls prioritize the economy over any other item, be it partisanship, the wars, the deficit, illegal immigration policies and so forth. This should come as no surprise, of course; as far back as Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid" philosophy, we've known that what concerns the public most is what affects them the most - economics. Ironically, it is the one thing that you have the least control over. Nevertheless, economics ought to frame your re-election. Let the public know about how much worse things would be if not for your stimulus package. Even when you remind the public of your non-economic accomplishments, such as your administration's health care bill, focus on their economic impact.
ReplyDeleteFocus on how the health care bill doesn't add to deficits, for example. Providing 30 million people with health care without adding costs is the practical kind of government with which you want to be associated. The last thing you want to be doing is what you are currently doing - pounding the podium instead of the facts and stirring up partisan passions. People only do that when they have nothing to work with, or something to hide. Your contenders push emotional buttons because they need attention (Tim Pawlenty, for example, focused on policy issues and found, to his chagrin, that this didn't translate into news coverage). You, however, have that spotlight. Use it to frame yourself as the adult in the room. That's how you've been using it since day one for a reason. Compromise doesn't help you pass bills, apparently, but it will put you in the starkest contrast with your contenders.
I agree with everybody that it comes to no surprise that the economy, job creation, and the deficit are the main issues on American minds. Of course, the economy will the main priority that Americans would want the government to rectify. The American peoples’ mindset have not changed and they are solely focus on domestic issues such as the economy. Most Americans do not care about foreign policy, unless they hear the term “foreign aid”. Sometimes, people will be up in arms at the amount of money being distributed to other countries or that their tax money should be invested in social programs at home.
ReplyDeleteThe candidate who will win the presidency is the individual who “walks the walk and talks the talk”. The hot issues are the economy and getting fellow Americans back to work. Apparently, economists predict if a solution for our debt crises isn’t reached, America will be slipping into another recession. The American people are tired of any type of futile rhetoric from both parties. Obama is listening to GOP criticism and substituting his speeches with action. Obama is playing a smart move shifting from worthless pep talk words such as “change” and being proactive with his jobs bill. Even though it was rejected, at least he is attempting to fix the economic sector. I think the Republican strategy for all of its candidates is to keep bashing on Obama’s failed economic policies and give the American people realistic expectations for America’s economic future.
Mr. President it's time to start to focus on next years presidential election. It is clear that our main focus will be targeting the struggling economy. The way I see it that if the Democrats want another four years in office then you have to sell yourself as the only possible cure to the economies woes. Though, you cannot be solely blamed for the lack of jobs available for the American people the responsibilities still rest upon your shoulders.
ReplyDeleteIn Addition to finding cure for the dying economy, may I suggest you continue ensuring the country that our country is safer than ever and is no danger from terror of any kind. It is impossible for this country to ever feel as safe as it once had since 9/11 but thus far you have done an excellent job and ensuring our safety especially by taking charge and go after Bin Laden.
For my final suggestion, do as you promise. In the last election campaign you promised "Change" but truthfully Mr. President there hasn't been much change. Don't self yourself on words but rather sell yourself on your actions.
As said by everybody previously, the economy is the most important issue facing america today, and subsequently will be the most important issue in the upcoming election. The candidate who leads on this issue will give themselves a major leg up in the voters mind, but having said that, it is important to not just champion a change, but also to lead one. Americans elected President Obama on the idea of "change", but very little has actually changed. Any challenging candidate, or even the President himself, must prove to the American people that they not only speak the words of change, but will lead the charge towards the change. A possible way of doing this is to create a plausible plan to help the struggling economy and present it to the american people. I disagree with Jonathan on his point about the GOP strategy. In the end, mud slinging cannot work because the American people are too desperate in this situation and the only thing they will pay attention to is attempts at action. You cannot spend your time pointing out your opponents flaws because at the very least he is the President of the United States and he's trying to promote change (which is better then standing on the outside screaming about it but not presenting any alternative solution). To beat President Obama you must prove the merits of your own strategy and show why they are better than any he has offered, or can offer in his next term.
ReplyDeleteNoam, I dont think that Jonathan is suggesting that that the GOP should bash Obama for no reason. The way that I understand it is that he is simply saying that the GOP should bash the Democrats and Obama for the economy being bad right now. The Republicans have that on their side right now. If it's Obama's fault or not the economy isn't doing well right now and if the GOP can keep reminding the American people of this and say they have a way to fix it that in my opinion can straight up win an election. I know that Obama is trying his best to make changes, by creating the jobs' bill and doing whatever he can, but as we all know there isn't much he can do. Obama has to hope that the economy improves enough that people think he is making a difference, and the GOP has to hope it continues to stay bad so that they can shove all the blame on the Democrats. I guess what Noam and Jonathan are saying can really go hand in hand. I just dont think Noam can write off Jonathan's point completely. I think you are giving to much credit to the American people; unfortunately I don't think they are as smart as you.
ReplyDeleteI think the National Polling Report’s statistics are not shocking in the slightest. On my own poll I had written that the economy and jobs is “extremely important,” and as the National Polls suggest, most Americans would agree with me. Most people in the country trust the democratic government to handle issues like Health Care and Education more responsibly than the Republican Party, however regarding the issue of jobs and the economy, the race is much closer in who the people trust. Therefor my advice to the president would be we need to focus as much as possible on selling the Democratic Party as the ones who are going to stimulate this economy. Some polls as well show that the people have a growing concern in government spending. To catch the vote of the average American who does not know that much about politics, we need to reassure them that we will reduce government spending and that whatever spending the government does too, much of it will be towards helping people to find jobs. In upcoming speeches and public events as well, the democrats must continue to stress issues like health care where the average American has much more faith in the Democratic Party.
ReplyDeleteI just read an book about the psychology behind time, and it argued that in two party elections, what drives voters is not how they feel about the candidates or their policies, but how they feel about the status quo.
ReplyDeleteThe shrew incumbent, therefore, assures voters they are better off than they were 4 years ago, and that electing the other guy (or even not voting, thus letting the other guy get elected) brings with it uncertainty, if not certain drawbacks. Meanwhile, the opposition has to assure voters that they are worse off than they were 4 years previous, and that electing this candidate will definitely bring good changes.
Mr. Obama raised his millionth donor last yesterday, which is quite a feat. After all, statistics say that you only need 45 million votes to win a presidential election this year. But the focus ought to be negative. The easiest way to cut off the opposition's support, according to the above argument, is to find short-term improvements to the economy. For example, during Bush's re-election, gas prices magically went down quite a bit, then went back to normal afterwards. While that cannot, in and of itself, explain his re-election, it certainly helped. If Mr. Obama could find a similar quick fix, even a very temporary one, the effect on actual votes would far outdo any combination of speeches.
I just want to clarify my stance on bashing Obama’s economic policies. I meant that Republicans should bash the president’s policies because they will simply not work now or in the future. Bear in mind, the budget deficit is not solely Obama’s fault; also, his predecessors who let this deficit spiral out of control. This president wants to raise every type of tax from estate tax to income tax to capital gains tax. The American people cannot throw its two cents in the economy and the government cannot print anymore money. If we do so, we are risking our economy into utter chaos. Obama is right that we do need to reform the tax code but we should not punish corporate America because higher taxes will curtail venture capital, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Obama is right that we do need to reform the tax code but families earning $250,000 should not be in the same tax bracket as millionaires. Bottom line, we are taxed too much in this country and if Obama wants to eradicate deductions and raise the capital gains tax, Americans will not have more money in their pockets and economic productivity will decline. I believe that Hermain Cain’s 9-9-9 plan is our best bet of getting the economy back on track.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Zamir that voters care about the status quo. The status quo is the economy appears sluggish and Obama needs to at least find a “bandage” for the economy come election time. The time for rhetoric is over and the American people demand action!
This past weekend I was at the University of Pennsylvania and walked by a huge group of upset people with signs in their hands who were protesting House Majority Leader Eric Cantor from speaking at Wharton. I stopped to ask some of the people what exactly their thoughts were on the protest and if they felt their actions would be heard. It seemed like the general consensus was that these people were simply fed up with the fact that the top 1% of the American population is earning over 40% of the wealth. They felt it is a necessity that these CEO’s and wealthy businessmen should have taxes raised on them and should be doing more to help stimulate the government debt and the economy. I would seriously encourage Obama to recognize these ridiculously large and only growing movements like “Occupy Wall Street” and “Occupy Philly” and reach out to them. While elections are only getting closer I think whoever is going to win needs to seriously address this seriously upcoming and influential group in America. After all the average American only knows so much about politics and probably doesn’t understand how many social initiatives big corporations are responsible for. They understand that the unemployment rate is overwhelming and they need to point the finger at those who have the most, the minuscule minority.
ReplyDeleteWhile the consensus in our poll as well as the national polls seems to stress a need for job reform (and much needed)- I think the deciding factor in the next election and definitely in the Republican primary, is going to be the areas that ranked towards the middle of these polls. Issues such as Health Care (which has been a source of bickering during these republican debates- everyone vs Romney) and the changing Middle East will be the deciding factor in the eyes of Americans.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the President's response and forthcoming attitude- I believe that he needs to continue to pressure the Republicans to get the Jobs Bill passed. In addition to that being his (in my opinion) ticket to re-election, it is important for the American people to feel and not just hear that the market will turn around.
I agree with everyone else that President Obama should be focusing (and is focusing) on the economy. Although I definitely do see the merit, like Menachem says, in reaching out to Occupy Wall Street, I would have to guess that most people at Zuccotti Park would rather see Obama reelected than any of the Republican candidates, no matter what the President does.
ReplyDeleteIn order to win over Independent and more moderate voters, I would advise the President to stress how the Republicans have repeatedly refused to compromise over bills like the Jobs Bill, and how even though the economy might not be doing well, the Democrats would be a better choice for them. It's also important to realize that the majority of Americans still blame the previous administration for the economic crisis over the Obama administration (http://www.gallup.com/poll/149600/slight-majority-blame-obama-economy.aspx). Independents generally blame both administrations. Convincing those Independents that the Democrats is a better choice than any of the Republicans is crucial for Obama.
(As an aside, I'm genuinely interested in hearing from Jonathan his reasoning why Cain's 9-9-9 plan is the best way to get our economy back on track)
Posted for Zach Goldberg:
ReplyDeleteOne can not ignore the issues of job creation and economic recovery. I agree with my fellow classmates that these issues are at the forefront of all Americans . Since the economic meltdown, Americans want their government to solve this economic issue before its to late. Americans disregards issues such as abortion and foreign policy. Furthermore, American are only concern about the economy and how much money they have in their bank account.
The candidate who will win the next election is an individual who has a strategy of how the economy needs to be fixed as well as stimulated. Enough with the arguing , Americans need to get back to work. Obama has 13 months to continue to push for solutions to our national problems. He has continued to fight to pass this job bill. President Obama is sending a clear message that its not about if your democrat or republic, it’s about the American people who are at stake. All and all, Nathan makes an excellent point. The president promised change. It’s time for president Obama to put his money where his mouth is. The republic strategy is simple, make President Obama a one term president. The republicans are sick and tired with Obama’s ways in Washington D.C. Likewise. the Republicans have had enough of his socialist agenda and want another individual to cease control of i the oval office. Lastly, The international community has no confidence in Obama’s influence domestically
Focusing on the economy in the upcoming campaign is crucial, but I don't think you can ignore the other issues contribution to the overall health of the American economy. I think the key is to frame everything as something that will put more dollars in peoples pockets and boost short and long-term growth. So on education, energy, infrastsucture, foreign policy, immigration give primary focus to the economic element. Speak with confidence, have a plan, and don't raise taxes on the 99%.
ReplyDeleteIts hard to remember way back to early 2008 when the economy was not the main issue on Most American's minds. Even in a so called "recovery" and having avoided a "double-dip recession" its still the main issue. Even as major controversial immigration reform is being passed and troops pull out of Iraq they still don't get the press that they would had the economy not gone south. I am a big fan of taking the survey but am not all surprised by the results, nor is anyone else. Even as the economy remains the big issue for all presidential contenders to focus on the war on terror still wages on, ties are strained with China and Russia, millions of illegal immigrants live in this country and a decision must be made by the president whether to grant amnesty or not, infrastructure is crumbling, gas prices remain high (does the president drill, invest in alternate resources, or both.
ReplyDeleteTaking this survey gave me some ideas of the different issues America is currently facing. Each one of the choices, I believe should be addressed by the president right away. As far as domestic issues are concerned, I believe that the three most pressing issues are terrorism, immigration, and the economy (including jobs). Internationally, I believe that the most pressing issues are the war on Terror and the economy.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw the results from the different polls, I was able to guess what many Americans feel about the different issues facing this country.
The one problem that I noticed when looking over the results was that the results differed between news organizations asking similar questions. Surveys from CNN or Newsweek tend to be more favorable towards the democrats, due to the fact that their readers and columnists are primarily liberal. On the other hand, surveys conducted by organizations such as FOX News or USA Today are more favorable towards the republicans because most of their readers/viewers are conservative. In addition, each survey had a different number of people who participated.
It is good in the sense that you can compare and contrast the beliefs of conservative and liberal Americans. But if you were to try and determine what most Americans believe, regardless of their political affiliation, the best way to do so would be to conduct a survey using a news organization that is politically neutral.
I am of the opinion that our country is facing really big challenges at the moment and I don't mean to say that the United States hasn't faced difficult challenges begore, it is only that these challenges are ours to grapple with. What kind of economy is the most efficient, what kind of tax code is the most fair and useful, what is the balance between economic profitibility and environmental concers, what are the advantages and disadvantages of letting illegals stay in this country, what are the costs and benefits of regulation of the financial systems, should we scale down our military presence abroad or take a more muscular approach, do we believe in a welfare state or radical self-reliance or somewhere in between. The questions are not very different then the ones we've been asking ourselves for millenia but the circumstances are uniquely 21st century circumstances and there are no easy answers. Every decision has positives and negatives and no paradigm will go unscathed in its implementation.
ReplyDelete