Glorious were the days of ‘Give me liberty or give me death.’ Since the beginning, America had established a firm foundation of a nation based on the ideas of ‘freedom’ and ‘independence’. However, once established, campaign topics then evolve overtime to address the questions of the day, issues of the time. How does political campaigning look like today, in modern times. What are we discussing about today?
Chapter 1 It s the Economy, Stupid!
Coined successfully by the (Bill) Clinton campaign team, and tested with an electoral win, ‘It s the economy, stupid!’. Domestic politics was transformed during Bill Clinton s Presidency to focus not on politics but economics. Bill Clinton was in tune with the average American that most average Americans were not as concerned with what happened with Washington, as with how much asset they would like to see in their bank accounts. For most people, economic welfare itself were a satisfactory answer to a political question.
The economic solutions and promise did bring in a period of relative growth. With better prospect for wealth, the average Americans had been happy, and there came a period of relative growth. This growth, however, came unchecked. The infrastructure and institutions which propelled individuals to greater wealth had succumbed to the emphasis on growth and the wealth generation. The result was a growth that was not entirely organic.
This is where we came from. It had then be proven, that this political campaign slogan would not be popular in the near future, and if ever, it would be quoted with caution.
Chapter 2 It s the Unemployment, Stupid!
Robert Kuttner, the Co-Founder and Co-Editor of the American Prospect predicted, ‘It s the Unemployment, Stupid!’ In his view, the persistently high unemployment could translate into political incompetency which would weaken support for political incumbents. Under the situation, the Democrats could be forced to cede it s majority status to the GOP and erode support for a Democratic government.
Yes though the Democrats have three more years to address the unemployment problem, the verdict likely will be placed before then before the next Presidential Election. Even if healthcare has been reformed, if the current high unemployment is not addressed, the effectiveness of the President is likely to be thrown into question which might affect the outcome of his re-election.
This is where we are right now, and this slogan would become a serious campaign issue, if it is not resolved by then.
Chapter 3 Read My Lips, No Tax Increases.
This phrase quoted by then Presidential candidate George W. Bush, if it had not helped with his re-election, certainly had not hurt his chances. Whether it came from a sincere promise to the welfare of the voters or not, political campaigning formulae had proven through time that any mention to raise taxes by political candidates would most likely result in a failed campaign bid.
As a generic promise during elections, we should expect to hear this time and again. Whether it is in the past, at the present, or in the future, Americans would not like to have their taxes raised. Politicians must demonstrate enough political savvy to work with what they have in delivering governess. For any successful political candidate, this phrase would certainly be uttered.
Chapter 4 It s the Deficit, Stupid!
What has not been addressed in the past, and can not be addressed at the present, but what we must face in the future, is the credibility of the U.S. as a nation with a runaway deficit. We hear that Social Security Funds are running out, the current Financial Industry bail out had cost deficit in the hundreds of billions, and the healthcare problems that we need addressing do come with a price tag. Furthermore, there were tabs from the two wars in the Middle East that have yet to be accounted for.
The current economic recovery is paid for through future borrowing. Few people are thinking about paying back now as the predicament that it would ve been worse without the spending is a position that no politicians would like to subject the nation to. But at some point, the burden of interest payments, the imbalance, and lack of money would certainly prop up. I would not be surprised, but even expect, that what comes next is: ‘It s the Deficit, Stupid!’
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Tks. It’s incredible what the next generation is faced with. I am not sure how he came up with the number either but it is a number in the negative nevertheless. We are simply ignoring ‘debt’ right now because there are too many other issues on the table, not that it is not yet a problem already at all!
Bravo! I just want to add this little tid bit. A local radio host here in Seattle mentioned that his 11 year old daughter is already $108,000 in debt because of the deficit that will be passed to the next generation. That’s on top of what she will pay once in the job market. I’m not sure how he came up with that number, but it brought home the point for me. Although the price tag so far for the two “over seas contingencies” as they are called now has been calculated into the deficit numbers. Moving forward however, is another story.