Testing the Waters: Whatever Water is Left

After what has become the biggest MAN MADE oil spill of all time, caused by corporate greed and irresponsibility, with no back up plan whatsoever, censoring the media, propagating lies, 11 oil rig workers dead, and a growing number of spill cleanup workers getting sick, Republicans are feeling sorry for BP... and want us to do the same.

John Boehner suggested last week that BP should be held responsible for everything that has happened and should have to pay for all damages along with the Federal Government (code for American Taxpayers). Boehner who falls very deep into the pockets of lobbyists, especially oil lobbyists, stood by those comments for about an hour or so, before recanting them that same day.

Today, another Republican Congressman, Joe Barton from Texas, the most Pro Oil state of them all, apologized to the BP CEO for what he called the government shakedown (code for financial accountability) of the oil company. Which after a short period of time he retracted his comments and wanted the record to be clear he believes BP should be held responsible.

This is the worst political strategy EVER. We have constant news feeds of the oil gushing into the ocean at an obscene gallons per hour ratio. The leak hasn't been capped and neither have the GOP's mouths. The overwhelming majority of the country despises this company. BP gas stations are having trouble getting customers to buy their gas, even when a competing gas station isn't right across the street.

The CONSERVATIVE mainstream media has been pumping the storyline of Democrat losses in the 2010 midterms over and over again. The Democrats aren't going to lose their majority and at this rate could actually pick up seats.

The Republicans shot down a bill that would raise the liability of Oil Companies for spills from $75 million to $10 billion. Republicans argued that would put a lot of oil companies out of business if they spilled and couldn't afford to pay it.

So what did Obama do...

He outsmarted us all. He gave a worthless, say-nothing-but-the-conventional, we'll-get-through-this-crisis speech, and had a closed door meeting with BP execs. Couldn't raise the cap to 10 billion that'd be too much. While everyone was panning his speech he had BP commit $20 billion for an account solely to reimburse residents and businesses hurt by the spill and has a check from BP for $69 million for the cleanup... so far. He made a point that this issue, much like the deep water oil pipe, has no cap.

He doubled down on the Republicans and won. Who is fighting for the American People? It's not the Republicans. We know who they're fighting for. With new numbers showing a rise in support for Health Care, something that will be hard for Republicans to take credit for when they've deemed it OBAMACARE, is building support for the Democrats chances in the midterms at the right time. What sort of message will the Republicans be sending to their constituents in the first week of November? Something they're becoming very good at doing lately - issuing ANOTHER APOLOGY.

Reform on Reform

If the Democrats want to persuade the public on reform projects, they need to get a word other than REFORM. Reform sounds like a political word. We're all tired of the same old politics. Everyday people want this country to improve. They don't care about rock star politicians or media personalities. They care about their families, their futures, and keeping their lights on.

These same people who want improvements, that are set forth in political packages with the word "reform" on them, feel tricked by the political game. I don't know when exactly the word "reform" took a bad name, but with Health Insurance premiums on the rise, the banks sucker punching America for all she's worth, oil spewing everywhere with no end in sight, and a heated immigration ruling in Arizona - people still don't want reform... but they want things to get better.

The Democrats are absolutely miserable at naming things. They rank right above the no-talent celebrities that name their kids Audio Science, Coco, and Apple.

Speaking of Apple, last week Bill Maher suggested that Steve Jobs should take over the country in order to get things done. Echoing that sentiment, why don't the Democrats come out with something titled "Securing America's Southern Border 3G" or "Main Street Before Wall Street 2.0?" People don't even read whatever updates pop up on their computers - they just install them. But if your iTunes screen asked 'do you want to install the latest reform for free downloads and a lollipop', users would rip their computers from the desk and slam them against the wall.

The Republicans are a party of no ideas at all, ever. They still get things done because they know how to use language to cast doubt. Democrats do that to themselves and their own ideas. If Republicans wanted to wage war on Apple they'd pull up a picture of the logo and say Steve Jobs is the devil. See this apple, this is the apple from the Garden of Eden. The same apple that has cast sin on mankind for eternity. That's the bite mark right there. Mr. Jobs is tempting you to eat more of the apple when you buy his product and wants to end Christianity as we know it and turn this country into a 3G network of anarchy and devil worship. And then two weeks later you'd find the same Republican having gay cyber sex with an alter boy using the iPad.

But I digress.

The Democrats just need to drop the word reform, call in the Frank Luntz equivalent for their side, and roll out some new titles. And if that doesn't work... then yeah, call Steve Jobs.

Learn From Last Time Barry

If Obama wants to get Financial Reform done quickly and without the chaos that plagued Health Care reform, he has to frame his position early.

Just come out and say "This bills means NO BAILOUTS for banks in the future."

Keep repeating it over and over.

Use the line "Protecting Main Street from Wall Street."

We already hate the banks for the economic misery we are in right now. The Left and the Right. We are all angry. Bring on the reform. Force the Republicans to say "NO" to Main Street.

The American People will side with who gets Financial Reform done in November. The Democrats have leverage. They can pick up momentum moving into the elections.

If Obama was smart, he'd take a small play out of the Glenn Beck playbook. Show the American People what you're talking about. Don't use a chalkboard though. Get some nice poster board or completely confuse the Supreme Court and use a touch screen monitor from like... a computer. Show the numbers. Show the banks profits and show the income of average Americans. Done deal.

You get reform passed with momentum leading up to November or you paint the Republicans as friends of the Banks and paint them as FAT CATS in campaign ads. Who knows, maybe both.

What's Wrong With Bein' A Little Folksy?

Nothing, if you're a Democrat.

Sarah Palin, the world famous Brain to Nowhere, is riling up the Tea Party about taxes, Obama, Health Care, and how everything in the current world in which we live - is Un-American.

Well, everything except what she does and the people who support her. All of those things are Real America.

Did Real America make a cool $12 million last year? (that just wouldn't be folksy)

Real America doesn't quit their job. Real America doesn't have a show on Fox and another on Discovery.

That whole fiscally conservative idea she's preaching about... does a $100,000 speaking fee fall under that category?

She's not part of the Tea Party when it comes to finances... but is when it comes to mentality. She's leading a large group of the Republican base away from home. She's going to split the GOP in two.

[That doesn't bode well for the 2010 elections.]

Scott Brown who early on was associated with the Tea Party now won't even show up with her at a rally. He had to think of his political career and pick a side.

She's going to take the crazy to a whole new level and won't appeal to those in the political center. All the Democrats have to do is make the elections a referendum on her and the Tea Party, and they will retain their majorities.

A Referendum on the Tea Party?

Ted Deutch won the special election in the Florida last night retaining the seat for the Democrats.

He ran against Ed Lynch who was basically running for the Tea Party.

The district is highly Democratic and the office was previously held by a Democrat.

When Scott Brown won in PA, it was deemed a referendum on Health Care. Scott was going to be the magic vote to stop Health Care. Well, it passed.

I wouldn't call the win in Florida a referendum on the Tea Party, but it does prove that they aren't as popular or powerful as they think, and that their magic hopes in November for upsets and Democratic bloodshed aren't as likely either.