Winning Strategy

News reports indicate Mitt Romney will ‘run out the clock’ during the remaining five months of the campaign. Political strategists state this is a tactic that minimizes his risks while keeping the pressure on Obama. Here’s how it works: Romney makes statements “of fact’ about joblessness and slow economic recovery; blames Obama’s policy. No discussion offered. No questions taken. No solutions offered. Just a claim. Then duck and cover.

This method leaves the negative message out there hanging in midair to be rejected if you are from the opposing camp, or accepted as fact if you are a Romney fan. Everyone in the middle is left to decide on their own what is fact; what is fair.

Hot heads from Obama’s team might respond but this is defensiveness; in America that’s a sign of weakness. So the Obama team says very little about these attacks.

Is there another way to do this? Yes. And I think it is obvious. A person doesn’t even have to play the blame game: who created this mess and why?

Doesn’t matter. The who and the why are for history to sort out. Besides, most people who do research and serious analysis know what happened, who did it, and why. That doesn’t really matter anymore, does it?  No, what matters is fixing what’s broken. So here’s my tactic that should be pursued by the Obama campaign.

Every day list a problem that needs to be fixed. Define that problem briefly and report on what’s been done to address the problem. Going forward what is the Obama solution and who has to help make this happen?

Every day do this. Every day provide a solution. Every day report achievements. The record is clear: Obama has a track record of identifying problems, and taking action to soften their effect while engineering long-term solutions; unfortunately the record of congressional support action is dismal. Republicans have blocked remedial action nearly every time.

This tactic requires voters and candidates alike to think. It requires answers not claims. It requires brains and creativity to address the complex issues facing the nation. And it keeps the President on the offensive in the campaign. Hopefully it will place Mitt on the defensive and demonstrate his inability to produce independent thought and action.

Mitt is a sniper. He dodges issues rather than embracing them. He addressed medical care in Massachusetts and won. Obama used Mitt’s basic idea and applied it to the nation. He won. Mitt realizes his backers don’t support Obama’s health plan. But it is his own design. And Massachusetts did not suffer negative effects from his program; nor has the nation suffered under Obama’s health plan. But now it is in Mitt’s tactical interest to disassociate from this issue. Duck and cover. No suggestions on how to fix the problems.

Joblessness solutions? Don’t focus on private sector job creation which is the sector needed to recover the most. Just watch the incomplete numbers. Government jobs have shrunk under Obama. That’s what the republicans say they want. But lost government jobs are subtracted from new jobs created in the private sector. Result? Dampened job creation data. No mystery. Normal and logical. Shouldn’t be a problem except a politician says it is. Is the problem getting fixed? Yes. Is the problem getting worse? No. So the point is…….?

The housing crisis continues. The bubble was more enormous than anyone truly thought. But there it is. What to do? Modify loans; check! Urge lenders to write down loans; check! Encourage lenders to lend with more guarantees; check! Bail out banks as needed, get them over the hump; check! Encourage inventive programs in housing the low income and elderly via vacant foreclosed homes; check! To do more requires congressional support and innovation; both are not likely based on historical track records.

European economy holding America back? We can’t do much about that but help in G8 collaboration and we have done that. We could also support World Bank initiatives; done that too. We could jaw bone large corporations to help European employers and entrepreneurs but we already have done that. We don’t run Europe; and they don’t run the USA. Cooperate yes; accountable for? No. So although Europe is a major product market for American business, it is also a huge competitor for world trade. If they are a little down, we can capitalize on that and prosper competitively, innovatively. Are we doing that? Yes but you wouldn’t know that from Wall Street pundits! And if they are right, what’s their solution? Mitt? Not aware Mitt has ever discussed this issue openly.

Look; it’s pretty basic. Our nation has problems. We know it. We also know solutions are available but political dogma is the sticking point in congress. The time to be innovative is now. We have the track record. We have the brain power. We have the assets. Why aren’t these being applied?

Ask Mitt. In fact, demand it of him. Please do that before you decide on who you vote for! Let him catch up to Obama in this department.

Thank you very much.

June 16, 2012