Obama Turnaound?

If and when Barack Obama's Presidency turns around, we'll only know the moment that it did from hindsight, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it may be coming soon or may have already happened. On his listening tour of key Midwestern states, the President defended his health care reform plan and even tried to turn the phrase "Obamacare" from a pejorative to a badge of honor, saying that it means that he cares about people's health coverage and that his opponents obviously don't. But that's not the moment that will possibly be seen as his turnaround moment.

On the issue of jobs, Obama, says he plans to announce a sweeping jobs program (including, I assume, infrastructure repair) and dare the Republicans to oppose it, as many in the Democratic party base and the media have urged him to do. But he won't offer it until September, even though Chris Matthews seems to think that it would be wise for Obama to call Congress in session now. But Obama may be wise to wait. Who follows politics in August anyway? I mean, apart from Matthews? Right after Labor Day - a day honoring workers - would be a perfect time to galvanize his base and get people's attention, when everyone's settling into their regular routines. As for passing a jobs bill now, that's not going to employ the jobless any faster than passing it in September would. But that doesn't matter, as Republicans seem hell-bent on taking the dare and blocking it. And what better time to make them take the dare to oppose a jobs bill than when people are just beginning to focus on Washington again?

Meanwhile, Republican attempts to have two Democratic state senators in Wisconsin recalled failed, as both Democrats fended off GOP challenges yesterday in the second round of recall elections there. So, despite coming up one seat short of taking over the state Senate, Wisconsin Democrats have won four out of five recall elections and may have one Republican senator, the aforementioned Dale Schultz, on their side in opposing Governor Scott Walker's most extreme reforms. And they have more of an impetus to get Walker to face a recall election in 2012. So if this is a victory for the reactionaries (don't call them "conservatives," it's a misleading label suggesting that the American right shows restraint), I'd love to hear how.

And I'd love to hear from Mitch McConnell how the idea of the U.S. becoming more like European countries - and getting public medical insurance, paid family leave, paid child care, low homicide rates, quality public transportation, superior public education, and the opportunity to buy a Volkswagen Polo - is a bad thing.