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It’s not too late for Democrats

It’s been a rough summer for Democrats in Washington; even President Obama’s poll numbers are feeling the heat. Voters are irritated by a prolonged recession and by intractable squabbling in Washington. Populist anger over the lack of progress is likely a contributing factor to polls like the one released yesterday, showing Pat Toomey in a statistical dead heat with Arlen Specter in the Senate race. At this point, people are angry with anyone in Washington, with a throw-the-bums-out mood gripping a significant chunk of the electorate. This is a feeling that extends to elected officials in both parties, but as the party in power, Democrats are singled out for the pinch.

Yet not all is lost for the Democratic Party. There is a lot of time between now and Election Day 2010. Partisans on the right are already
talking about Obama’s Waterloo with health care, yet the fact remains that there is still time for the President to pass his ambitious
agenda for change before the end of 2009. The popularity of Obama, and Democrats like Specter more generally, will depend on primarily on how the economy performs, and secondly on how they perform in Washington in passing reforms in health care, energy, and new financial regulations. If the stimulus plan fails to pick up steam in the next six months, and Democrats are not able to pass the major parts of Obama’s platform before year’s end, they will be in an exposed and ever more vulnerable position in elections across the
country.

But if the economy improves, and Democrats are able to deliver on the President’s campaign promises, I believe you will see
Democrats withstanding and perhaps even growing stronger in the 2010 elections. While polls showing conservatives like Toomey gaining on people like Specter, its easy for Democrats to start getting hysterical about losing Elections.  These numbers should make every Democratic elected official put their nose to the grindstone, and work even harder to ensure the mandate the American people gave them in November to make historic change in this country is not squandered.

July 23, 2009 at 11:31 am

--Adam Schwartzbaum

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