Some crazy ideas

The next primary is over one month away, so the keyword for everyone is "regroup." I am no exception.

I have already posted on my strategy going forward. Now, I will focus on my thoughs of our current position.

To me, it is quite apparent that the campaign recently has been solidifying its base support. Obama's speeches focus mainly on the phenomenon that has occured, on his recent successes, and on the main talking points that commonly get the most applause ("the only candidate that stood against a war that never should have been authorized and never should have been waged"). Traditionally, this is good primary strategy, as the person with the strongest base gets funding and party support. However, Obama has already succeeded in mobilizing his base. And, as a new front-runner, there is a growing anti-Obama sentiment. Controvesial allogations are gaining more airtime, such as accusations of secretly being a muslim, being involved in shady Rezko deals, and generally being full of hot air.

In this period of regrouping, I would love to see a repeat of the education coup de grace. November 20 last year--after a strong performance in an Iowa debate, and amidst the release of favorable polling and fundraising data, Obama landed a strong punch by releasing an education plan. This was obviously an orchestrated effort, because withing hours of this plan's release, his plan was endorsed by a series of education policy makers.

He can do it again, only this time he should focus on the economy, a subject in which all three candidates are somewhat soft. There is great room--vast open space, one might say--for a candidate to take a stance beyond than ridiculing NAFTA and Bush's tax cuts. There is great opportunity to stand at the podium and say, "our country has been strongest when small businesses have thrived." In addition to increasing the budget for the Small Business Administration and the Community Development Financail Institution Fund (which he already supports, strangely enough in the "combating poverty" section of his blueprint), he can propose initiatives for greater transparency in our financial system, put pressure on the courts with regards to some recent rulings on competition policy (the SC recently overruled 100 years worth of litigation by eliminating the per se violation of price fixing), and widen the mandate of the department of commerce to promote R&D, vocational training, and urban development. All of these are reasonably within Obama's current ideological framework, and would give an opportunity to engage commercial experts for (hopefully) uncontroversial policies.

Furthermore, the timing is right for this move. In the weeks to come, as in any campaign lull, fundraising will take priority. Obama has shown a strength in this aspect of campaigning, and his March figures will undoubtedly be impressive. Furthermore, amidst recent financial developments, the economy is becoming more pressing of an issue by the day. By focusing on commerce and small business, he can offer a solution to concerns without having to embroil himself in a technical debate about our current crisis.

And, of course, I would be willing to help him with this.