With his polls in the dumps, especially on handling the economy, Obama is heading into a tough election season.  For Democrats as a party things are not looking much better.  Last election they nearly lost control of both houses and if they next election swings even slightly against them they will lose total congressional control.

They question for them has been what kind of strategy could possibly be successful against such a backdrop?  They certain do not want to run on their record; their record got them thrown out in the last election.  As the economy burned the Democrats were fiddling on healthcare and trying their hand at green energy.  Dealing with increasing unemployment and a deficit that was threatening to swamp the future of every living American (and even those not yet born) was not even on their agenda.   Instead they rammed through unpopular healthcare reform, passed massive green energy subsidies that actually cost jobs and put the energy and financial sectors in a regulatory death grip.  All of this while ignoring the country’s increasing debt and America’s nearly bankrupt entitlement programs.  With such a notorious record of achievements the Democrats only hope is to redirect people’s attention.   It appears that is exactly what they intend to do.

Like pulling a Rabbit out of a hat or coins out of a child’s ear the art of misdirecting attention can create apparent miracles.  Take for instance the strategy of Harry S. Truman.  His own policies were disastrous and his popularity was in the tank.   Truman’s strategy was to misdirect the people’s attention to congress and blame them for all that was wrong.  It worked, barely, but it worked.  The present strategy of the Democrats seems to be nothing more than the Truman strategy with a few twists.  Their strategy can be summed up by the following:

• Throw out lots of ideas but propose no budgets or major legislation.  By leaving the heavy lifting to the Republicans they have the opportunity to hurl stones at whatever is proposed all the awhile avoid being a target themselves.
• Do not miss an opportunity to throw traditional Democrat barbs like; The Republicans are the party of the rich or the similar the answer is to financial problems is to tax the rich.  Of course there are the Social Security and Medi-Scare tactics like the recent throw grandma from the cliff ad. (the fact Obamacare removes billions out of is of course never mentioned)
• Make sure no major legislation is passed and blame the intentional stalemate on Republicans.

This strategy of redirect and camouflage will certainly work on the party faithful and even those independents with short memories.  It is far from certain in this information age that they can successfully fool enough of the electorate to hold onto the senate and presidency.  It is likely but not certain that the lack of leadership from the President and immature antics of the Democrats in congress will be seen for what it is.  What is apparent is the Democrats and the President are just trying to tread water politically while picking away at the Republicans.  In this way they hope to edge another four years for Obama and maybe even regain the majorities in both houses of congress by the middle of his second term.   If this happens they will again be poised to wreak havoc.

It is a shame this is the course the Democrats have chosen.  The Democrats could of decided to dial back their radical agendas a little and played ball for the good of the country.  Who knows with such an agenda they might even gain back some of their losses. Unfortunately this is not in the cards.

With the economy heading back into recession (a recession some say never really left) and Europe poised to implode we need leadership and decisive action.  The U.S. economy is being hog tied by regulations, uncertainty and ideologically driven decisions.  When the president had a chance to add thousands of jobs by approving a much needed pipeline he punted it into next presidential term.  Another million energy sector jobs are being held hostage to those who think they can force the world into a post fossil fuel economy.  This is not to mention the work of the NRLB and EPA to stifle job growth whenever and wherever possible.

The fact is that the Democrats are too beholding to their left wing.  The moderate Democrat is fast becoming an endangered species with no place in the modern Democratic party.  This means to change course or even moderate their positions is not possible; which leaves subterfuge and redirecting people’s attention is their only weapon.  Like Nero comfortably fiddling while Rome burned safe in the knowledge he could always blame the Christians the Democrats are playing political gamesmanship while America’s economy and future is burning.  Whether they get away with blaming the Republicans for the unchecked chaos of the economy is yet to be seen.