I would like to see Obama do this:

Speak with clarity and determination about what is really happening in this country economically.

Lay the blame where it belongs, meaning the Bush mismangement of the economy with the two tax cuts and the unfunded wars.

Detail what happened with the rising unemployment rate during the Bush administration.

Detail the fiscal standing of this country when he took office.

Call out the tactics of the right wing nuts and/or tea party activists.

Lay out a broad based plan for economic recovery, a lasting one, including a new wide-ranging stimulus plan.

Detail a jobs program that includes infrastructure rebuilding.

Explain the widening wealth gap and how detrimental it is to the economy.

Close all tax loopholes that benefit the highest income earners, stop the policies that allow American jobs to be sent to foreign countries, shut down tax havens, and end all subsidies to oil companies and mega farms.

Explain the reality of what the previous stimulus plan accomplished.

Lay it all on the line, even his own re-election. A courageous stance is what is called for and in the end it might bring surprising results.

Are there any other suggestions?


edited to add more

to show himself to be a leader worthy of his position.

But it won't happen. He is a bipartisian mediator uterly lacking in the intestional fortitude, iniative, intelligence, political and leadership skills required to be a leader.

I'd love for him to prove me wrong in that assessment.

I do question his intestinal fortitude to take on this task at the risk of winning re-election.

I think he needs to accept the challenge and prove us wrong.

In the process he would also be proving the Republicans and the talking heads wrong about his will to govern.

It could only help him at this point in time.

But I find it much easier to accept Obama's poor performance if I do not believe he was intellectually up to the challenge. And he is not up to the challenge if he has surrendered his intellectual curiosity (not to mention his job responsibilities) and failed to question the recomendations and policies of his own advisors.

I believe he understands our economic problems. I am not so sure about his desire to take a stand and face the negativity that would ensue. That is a major concern for me. It does not bode well for his governance. It does not bode well for our country.

I want him to take a stand and do it forcefully. We need a Harry Truman type stance. "If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen."

that he really has a good grasp of our economic problems.

Consumer spending represents two-thirds of GDP. Government spending represents nearly a third. Less than 10% of US workers are employed in the manufacturing industries. The labor force participation rate has been dropping for many, many years. The new jobs that are being created do not pay a living wage - and those jobs are insufficient to meet the employment needs of new workers entering the labor force.

We have an economy that is ultimately unsustainable. And yet Obama's economic efforts have not focused on addressing the real underlying fundamental economic probelms. They have, instead, been focused on putting Humpty Dumpty back together again. And he has not suceeded at that.

So what do we need to do? We have to rebuild our infrastructure. We have to rebuild a manufacturing base. We have to have an economy based on real productivity as opposed to wealth creation. We have to stimulate new business creation - and with it business competition and innovation. We have to work toward energy efficiency and independence - and be environmentally responsible. We have to have life-long career training/re-training programs in place. We need to protect our workers from predatory and abusive employers - and from unfair labor competition. We must have a national healthcare system in place to enable our businesses to better compete in international markets. We have to have a government that is financially sound which will require both cuts in spending and increased revenues. And more.

Sorry, but I don't think Obama understands this, has a vison of this kind of America or begins to know how to put policies in place to bring these changes about.