Obama Jobs Plan - What If Scenario #3

There's a few possibilities that come to mind with President Obama's impending joint session job's speech on Thursday.  He could go conservative in a big way.  He could set low expectations and meet them by delivering very little.  There are other possibilities.  He could also go big on liberal agenda items.  He's done it before.  He is certainly ideologically predisposed.

Despite the fact that he seems to be downplaying the coming speech as not the whole picture, there may be a big liberal reason for doing so.  Going big liberal all at once has the benefit for the president of firing up his base for the 2012 election.  He really needs to do that if you look at his poll numbers. It can't wait a few more months he needs to get started on that.

Going big on liberal principles provides the added benefit of being able to sway some of the non-committed voters.  Big plans on jobs make it look like his plan is comprehensive, it makes him look empathetic and most certainly will make Republicans look obstructionist after they vote against it.  Politically it's a win.

The downside of course is that economically it's the antithesis of a winner.  His 'tax cuts and investments' strategy is actually payroll tax cuts (money that doesn't typically go to consumer spending - fail) and more government spending (that didn't work the last time the president tried a trillion dollar stimulus, so why would it work this time?).

The reason for going big liberal is political not economic, which makes a big liberal plan quite possible.  That is despite the insider claims downplaying the speech.  That could be a misdirection play.

So what should the GOP do in reaction?  Two things and one of them they've already committed to do.  There will be no official reaction speech to the president's address.  That is a perfect initial response.  The president has asked for a joint session to make the speech.  That's supposed to be reserved for big deal speeches.  A big liberal plan that will not make it through Congress is not a big deal.  Not providing an official response helps minimize the grandeur of the Obama speech.  No doubt media spin will be something like the GOP were unprepared, couldn't argue against these solid and brilliant ideas.

That's where part two of the response kicks in.  The GOP must loudly, and ceaselessly explain why the plan is small, it will be ineffective and most importantly that it's more of the same that hasn't worked.  Every possible appearance on MSNBC and with Jon Stewart and The View and ABC news etc. must be made.  The message must be repeated for a while.  You'll know it's taken hold when the liberals move on to the meme of "the GOP hasn't offered any alternative since the speech".  That's the perfect time to start pointing out that the candidates have alternatives, and the Congress has provided numerous budgets and the ideas are both job producing and fiscally sound.

Next - there's one more scenario to run through before tomorrow.