R's have stymied economic recovery to try and sell more tax cuts for the rich and more deregulation

George W. Bush, for once, could not have said it any better...

Fool me once, shame on..........shame on you. Fool me...............you can't get fooled again. Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 17, 2002

Listen: http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/blbushism-foolme.htm

Our Democratic president, of course, has it right...

'We know how this movie ends, right? We don't want to see it again.' President Barack Obama, Summer, 2010

And, is this not who Bush and his fellow Republicans are--and what they do, Frank Rich? Why should the American people not be reminded of this as the mid-terms approach? We ignore it at our peril.

In Search of a New Playbook
Published: August 7, 2010

Democrats could start to banish that haze of memory by reminding voters what is actually in those giant packages of legislation: Protections for patients against insurance companies. Rules keeping adult children on health policies, and requiring coverage for pre-existing conditions. A new consumer financial protection bureau to fight lending abuses. The preservation or creation of nearly three million jobs, averting Depression-level unemployment. The local benefits of stimulus projects.

Republicans fought against each of those measures, and seem to be spoiling to hold hostage middle-class tax cuts in order to preserve tax cuts for the rich. Democrats have been far too timid in taking on those issues, to the point that they now will have to do more than simply remind voters of Republican opposition.

For most voters, the only real issue is high unemployment, and it is here that Democrats seem to have set aside bold thinking and fallen into the Republican trap of placing deficit fears ahead of job revival. Rather than spend time during the campaign stoking anxiety over Social Security, Democrats should aggressively counter the myth that the deficit is causing unemployment, and advocate using government in ways that might re- inspire voters.

A few suggestions: Using the revenue from reinstating taxes on the rich to put people back to work, rebuilding and repairing the country. Providing robust support for state and local governments, many of which have cut past the bone. Repairing the unemployment system so that it is a real safety net and not a political tool.

As the economy recovers, there will be money available for sane and careful deficit reduction, territory the Democrats know far better than their opponents. A House or Senate controlled by Republicans, leading to longer stalemates and years of political posturing, is not the way to get there. Instead of shrinking from their accomplishments, Democrats should use their remaining time to build on them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/08/opinion/08sun1.html?hp