Right now one of the things that drives me crazy is the elected Democrats' aversion to the word "stimulus". In the last 18 months...scratch that, in the last 2 decades Democrats have ceded all the high ground on most issues simply because their messaging sucked and the Republicans were always able to demonize the things they accomplished with clever word play. So even when Democrats do things that actually help people, like the stimulus, they can't take any credit for it because they live in fear of even uttering the word. The other day Robert Gibbs REFUSED to say the Administration would seek a second stimulus, not because they won't be seeking one but because he was afraid to use the word.
Well here's a novel idea on how to win that word back AND allow Democrats to actually run on something that worked.
The DNC, DSCC, and DCCC and individual candidates (as well as any Dem friendly PACs) should put together an ad campaign entitled something close to "Stimulus Failure?" And hit every major market in the country with it for at least two weeks. The ad would go something like this. Start off with Republican leaders voices decrying the stimulus bill. After a few different voices have been heard start showing pictures of those VERY SAME REPUBLICANS showing up to stimulus projects taking credit for them with words on the screen highlighting how the stimulus paid for the project and how many people were employed because of it. But as the pictures are shown continue with angry GOP voices denouncing the stimulus. Then at the end have a voice over person say something like "Boy, Republicans SURE like taking credit for failures don't they? And fade to black.
This will accomplish two things. First it will show the hypocrisy of the GOP which people are used to by now but its always good to keep driving home the point. And second and maybe most important it will show that not only was the stimulus not a failure, but it was so successful that the assholes that voted en masse against it can't wait to take credit for the project it funds.
The stimulus worked, period. Should it have been bigger? Absolutely. But we got our money's worth for the amount we did spend and it continues even to this day to help put people back to work. Its time for us to start winning the messaging wars so WE can start taking some credit for the accomplishments that have come since President Obama took office. A nationwide ad campaign meant to showcase the stimulus would go a long way towards allowing Democrats to run on it in a couple of months. It won't change everyone's mind of course but maybe it will change just enough people's minds to keep control of both houses of Congress. If nothing else I think it will be much more effective than just President Obama or VP Biden touting the stimulus because when your enemies try to take credit for something they say is "bad" I don't think there is anything more powerful.
Its going to suck to run as a Democrat this year, we all get that. But at the least Democrats should be able to run on Democrat successes of which the stimulus is definitely one.
Just a thought.
Oh and if you need footage, Rachel Maddow has PLENTY!
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