Politics
Obama rails against “do nothing” congress
U.S. President., Barack Obama
President Barack Obama has been railing against Congress to pass his jobs plan and casting Republicans as obstructionists who would rather score political points than help the economy rebound.
Obama’s message is straight out of the playbook of former President Harry Truman, who overcame a midterm drubbing by Republicans and assailed a “do-nothing” Congress from the back of a campaign train to win another term in 1948.
The Truman strategy lets Obama blame Congress for the stagnant economy at a time when Washington lawmakers are loathed by the public. It also sets up a contrast with Republicans, allowing Obama to campaign on popular issues like tax cuts for small businesses and aid to rehire construction workers and teachers, whether the bill advances or not.
