A Boston Tea Party …(It’s The People Stupid)

President Bush is nearing a critical time in his second term. The bold agenda he put forth in his State of the Union speech is losing steam. Obstructionist Democrats are doing whatever possible to prevent the President from succeeding. Last week in prime time he spoke to the nation and then took questions from reporters trying to explain his views. My thoughts before the speech were the same as they were after the speech.

It’s the people, stupid. While President Bush’s agenda is getting bogged down in congress he is failing to do what a leader should do. He needs to talk directly to the American people. I believe that fifty-three to fifty-eight percent of the public trusts him. As long as he explains his views and ideas to those fifty some percent, he will have their backing. It is the President they trust not his Republican Congressman. Everyone knows a Senator or a Representative is nothing more than a career politician. George Bush is not. He genuinely wants to do what is best for the country in many instances. He fails however when he allows his fellow party members to speak for him.

If he wants his judicial nominees voted upon then he should bring the argument to the American people directly. If he believes the Democrats will not support any changes to Social Security then he needs to tell the American people directly. He needs to lead and in order to lead speak to Joe queue public face to face. He should give monthly prime time speeches. He needs to be the national voice of his party not Bill Frist or Tom Delay. They inspire no one. President Bush does and President Bush can but only if his handlers will allow it.

Every time he speaks in a formal setting he does a great job. I would advise that he speak from the oval office rather than taking questions from reporters. Reporters such as David Gregory are to bias. They frame questions in ways that make statements of judgment rather than ask questions of policy. Like Gregory’s question last week on religion or another reporter saying “rich guys like Cheney” in his question. It is the people, stupid. President Bush can talk to the public without the help of reporters and he will end up with better results. Do as Reagan did, take your leadership to the people. If he continues down this same path and allows the likes of Frist and Delay to carry his agenda for him, it will fail. If a President wants to be great then he and he alone must win over the public with his vision for the country.