Open Thread: Obama's Crisis Factory

December 28th, 2011 10:07 AM

As America heads toward the 2012 general elections, it's become quite apparent that with little positive record to run on, President Barack Obama is ramping up a strategy of inspiring anger and fear at conservatives and Republicans. Key to this idea, at least in the view of Investor's Business Daily, is creating a strategy of crisis:

Now, with the economy struggling and 2012 looming, we're "just" $100 billion away from hitting the debt ceiling again, and President Obama wants the OK for another $1.2 trillion in debt, lifting the total to $16.394 trillion.

Coming just after Democrats in Congress threatened to close the government unless Republicans agreed to extend payroll tax cuts for two months, we're beginning to see a pattern: Democrats create a crisis, blame Republicans for it, then reap the political benefits.

Cynical as it sounds, it's working. President Obama's favorability in a recent Gallup Poll showed a hefty 10-point gain from earlier in the year. And many congressional Democrats believe they can win in 2012.

Knowing full well their ideas don't sell, Democrats are intentionally manufacturing these minicrises, using people's fear of chaos and a pliant liberal media to blame the GOP for Democrats' own failures.

Quite a feat, considering how unpopular Democratic policies are. A new Rasmussen Poll shows that 77% of Americans want deficits cut, 71% want spending cut and 59% want taxes cut.

Do you see this strategy being effective for Democrats? Certainly they can count on the media to help them out with it. Or are the mini budget crises we've been seeing more the result of Republicans facing pressure from the right to get serious about fiscal matters?