Who is responsible for the high unemployment?

[kentuck]

No doubt, this is the issue that is driving this election. The Party in power accepts responsibility when jobs are lost and the economy hits the crapper. Most voters are not sophisticated enough to think otherwise. That is the political reality.

The Democrats and President have been in power for almost two years and unemployment has gotten much worse than when he took office. But is he responsible? Are the Democrats responsible for the bad economy? Not really, but it doesn't matter.

It would do little good to tell the people that the Repubs and the last Administration ran the car into the ditch if the people feel like the car is still in the ditch. That is the argument that the Democrats are making. It is a true argument. The last bunch in the White House and Congress passed legislation and anti-regulatory laws that created a disaster that cannot be easily fixed.

If the Democrats had created jobs, then they might have an argument to make to the voters. As it is, they can only hope enough voters know what happened and will stick with the Democrats rather than returning to the den of culprits that caused the suffering.

[ixion]

1. We, the People are responsible

for allowing corruption and cronyism to dominate the government.

[Blue_Tires]

3. +1000

[SheilaT]

2. Well, obviously,

the people who aren't working. If they would only go out and get a job, the unemployment rate would drop pretty fast.

Oh, wait, there aren't that many jobs out there to get? Never mind.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

4. To effectively argue that the other side's obstructionism is to blame...

To effectively argue that the other side's obstructionism is to blame (which is partially true here) one has to fight that obstructionism like a wild-cat.

Had we been shrieking 24/7 that THIS republican vote/action was going to cause unemployment to be higher then we'd have a political argument to make.

But that case was not really made so we find ourselves with sub-optimal policy and sub-optimal political position.

[LisaM]

5. Reagan and his ilk

though I would argue it goes back to some of the multinationalism of the 1930s. In fact, if it weren't for the two Roosevelts, I don't know where this country would be. Where are this generation's Roosevelts?

[tridim]

6. Wall Street and their friends.

On purpose BTW.

[Life Long Dem]

7. The Democrats just pulled the car out of the ditch.

And the Republicans want the keys back so they can drive it back into the ditch.

[Initech]

8. Outsourcing

[postulater]

9. Our capitalist system

allows corporations to treat workers like raw material. To be used and discarded when not needed anymore, or to be replaced when cheaper labor is made available overseas.

When we demand that corporations owe more to the community than just wages, then we will be on the road to more stable jobs.

[BeFree]

10. Simple: Republicans

Why you would even question it is amazing.

All you need to do is stick with the true message. Republicans are to blame.

[kentuck]

11. We know they are to blame..

But the voters are not buying it, evidently.

[BeFree]

12. Because the message is being messed up

Like you did in the OP. Duh.

[kentuck]

15. How was it messed up?

Can you be more specific?

I am only pointing out the difficulty of getting the voters to see the truth.

Simplify it, please.

[BeFree]

16. Simple

The republicans are to blame for high unemployment.

[kentuck]

17. The voters do not seem to believe that simple truth.

How do you get it across to them? Or do you just keep repeating it, hoping it will eventually sink into their thick skulls?

[midnight]

13. I think Chamber of Commerece could be responsible for a large part of unemployment.

[billlll]

14. WPA- we must offer it - even now, would win this election!

Permanent WPA = ZERO unemployment forever

Michael Moore, Robert Reich just called for a new WPA

Site for JOBS FOR ALL info at link below....
site's Advisory Board -----------

Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor

2 Nobel Laureates - see below

John Kenneth Galbraith, (deceased) Harvard

Frank Roosevelt, Sarah Lawrence College

Pete Seeger, Folk-singer

Cornel West, Ctr for African American Studies, Princeton Univ.

J Nadler, US Congress, House 

Weakland, Archbishop of Milwauke
----------------------------
--- late advisers

Nobel Laureate Herbert Simon - Economics

Nobel Laureate William Vickrey - Economics - advocates "chock-full" employment

Rudolf Meidner, architect of Swedish full-employment welfare state
--------------------------
Member Organizations (In formation)
-Americans for Democratic Action     
-Unitarian-Universalist Service Committee 
----------------
Why would you ever tolerate ANY job shortage ... ever? Before the RW lied its way into power in the early '90's, Sweden had usually kept unemployment below 1%. We can also do that. Speak up.

-national JOBS FOR ALL coalition.. site--

www.njfac.org

[defendandprotect]

20. We don't "tolerate" high unemployment ... FED rather than Congress sets economic policy....

We have to force Congress to take on its role in setting economic policy --

and get FED out of it --

We should have goal of 0% unemployment --

Even if we have to -- like the French -- lower the retirement age and shorten

the work day!

That has long been a rational goal for those who support families --

[HopeHoops]

18. Cheney and the shrub.

[defendandprotect]

19. Trade Agreements ... and Obama/Congress for not overturning them... PLUS...

Congressional legislation which support/subsidize corporations moving

operations out of America --

Unless Americans are in a coma they certainly understand that wars -- especially

these two wars being fought with mercenaries -- are bankrupting the Treasury!!

They also presumably understand the corruption and crime of the Bush years --



Let's hope all Americans will decide to continue to push TO THE LEFT that we began

in '06 -- though I strongly question 2000 and 2004 as right wing steals.

We need to knock out the right wing -- knock out as many Repugs as possible --

then we can double back to deal with pro-corporate Dems!

[The2ndWheel]

21. Connie Fidence

Very fickle. Bipartisan. In with the corporate crowd, and fits in just as well with the working stiffs. Not sure that's who you want running the economy, but try finding someone better suited to do it.

[stray cat]

22. not an easy blame game

[kentuck]

23. Very true.

But I think it might help the Democrats if they talked about it more? Maybe?