Paul Krugman (on his blog) notes that the majority of people in this country believe we are already in a recession and that they may be right. In any event, he says predictions of a mild recession next year may be overly optimistic. So lets fast forward to this November when we will have:
1. The worst and most unpopular president in history (a Republican) in the White House.
2. An ongoing recession.
3. An ongoing, unpopular and totally pointless war in Iraq from which the Republican candidate will offer no relief.
4. A Republican party perceived to be in thrall to bigots of every persuasion in a country grown more diverse and, despite the best efforts of Republicans, more tolerant.
5. A coming environmental disaster that only the Democrats (if anyone) are willing to try to avoid.
6. Increasing energy prices with a government in thrall to oil interests.
7. Increasing economic inequality.
8. People losing their homes to foreclosures in record numbers.
Those are just the things I could think of offhand in about five minutes. There is literally nothing going right these days, and things are going to be going even wronger in November. Add to that that each of the Republican candidates is so bad that as soon as one rises in the polls even Republicans collectively gag and start looking elsewhere.
With all that going for them, how will the Democrats blow it (or the Republicans manage to steal it)? And if they don’t blow it or meekly submit to another theft, will they take advantage of the wind at their backs by promising real progressive change, or will they neuter their mandate by running another of their trademark don’t-offend-people-who-will-never-vote-for-Democrats-anyway campaigns.
Right now, it’s not looking good. I could vote with some degree of enthusiasm for any of the Democrats seeking the presidency. But I can’t see any of them as the next FDR. There is a ray of hope, though. In 1932, most folks didn’t see FDR as the next FDR.
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