Bill, Where Are You?

The Dow Jones took a 500 point free fall today following a few more disturbing turns in our economy including Lehman Brothers closing up shop after 150 years, and thus reminding us how fragile our economy really is. Alan Greenspan commented yesterday that our economic situation as a nation is "by far" the worst he has ever seen. It seems we are in trouble.

There is a ghost in the machine and it is haunting us from the basement to the penthouse. For the vast majority of us, we cannot escape the haunting effects of high energy prices, job losses, the losses in benefits and wages for the available jobs, and on and on it goes. Even the large corporations are having to meet their greatest fears, except of course for the CEOs. Some of them are loosing their jobs, but reportedly not their money.

As I watched the reports on the Dow today, like taking a pulse to intuit the seriousness of the malady within, I kept hearing Bill Clinton say, "It's the economy, stupid." I found myself wanting to hear him say those words again, this time in front of a sign that says "Obama" instead of "Clinton." At this time, it seems to me, Americans need a reminder that it was a Democratic president who negotiated and promoted the government policies that helped balance the budget and strengthen the economy.

Of course it was also Clinton who pushed through NAFTA and continued conservative economic policies that contributed to the current failure (again) of the hands-entirely-off approach of the government to the economy. The horrific irony is that many of these laissez faire losers are crying out desperately for a good, long pull off the federal government's financial teat.

Clinton's policies were closer to reasonable, however, than his Republican counterparts. And Obama's economic policies are within the realm of our shared reality, unlike McCain's Bush policy ("I think everyone should be rich!").

What's more important, and I shudder to say this, is the perception of many Americans that President Clinton's economic policies were a screaming success. Although history is a more complex story than this, it is possible to utilize many American's fondness for a simplified narrative to the Democratic advantage. He still has huge political capital on this issue. He is one of the very few politicians who do, and none have more than he at this time. If Bill Clinton is truly concerned about the welfare of this country, he will get on the damn bus! The party needs his help, as today's polls illustrate, and the American people need the Democratic party.

I implore President Clinton, get in front of any camera that is shooting tape and yell into every American living room, "It's the economy stupid! Now vote for Barak Obama."