Dumbing It Down

I find this increasingly frustrating, but one has to start making the case that, if Obama and the Democrats really want to pass a jobs bill they will have to dumb it down.

Steven M. at No More Mister Nice Blog:

Republicans are going to take away unemployment benefits and Democrats are going to be blamed. But, um, does it have to be that way? Of course, you reply -- Americans just don't understand the filibuster.

But is there no mechanism whatsoever -- a prime-time interview, a prime-time speech -- whereby the president of the United States might explain the filibuster to peple, as if he were teaching Civics 101? Explain it, and explain the specific way in which this undemocratic relic of a procedure is being used to block these benefits and thwart majority rule? Why couldn't a president reach out to the public to educate us on how our government works, in the interests of his agenda? Would Ronald Reagan have hesitated to do so? Would FDR? Wouldn't they have found a way?

I know that Obama, while not a professor, taught for a while. Unfortunately, he taught elite law students. I don't think he quite understands how to educate people who really need a basic education in government.

He should imagine what he would say if Malia or Sasha were to ask him to explain why, if he has a majority, he can't get the law passed. And then he should explain it to us exactly the way he'd explain it to one of them.

This couldn't be more right. Yes he will get panned by pundits and news channels alike, but Obama is only doing his self and the country a disservice by allowing the misinformation campaign and dirty tactics of the Republicans to continue. The filibuster needs reform plain and simple. Educating the public on how it has contributed to denying funds for education, COBRA, unemployment benefits and jobs doesn't sound like a bad idea. I am not sure if there is any precedent on this, yet the current issue at hand calls for a new tactic.

I would like this to go farther why not a speech about the economy as well? Perhaps a historical lesson on the 1937 and how it correlates to today's austerity obsessed mouth pieces? Why not explain local governments whose policies have hurt their states? Alternative fuels? Climate change? I know it is stretch, however one can wonder how it would benefit the people if Professor Obama dumbed it all down.

Understanding government and how it works and how it is broken would in theory bode well for the administration. Heck, anything is better than the numbers we have been seeing regarding November 2010. And if you want to know why Republicans continue make cuts to education? It plays heavily in their favor. Idiocracy has a well known conservative bias.

I am Frank Chow and I approved this message