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Liz Peek and Eric Yaverbaum on whether fiscal issues can really be used to give a bump to the Romney campaign.
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If you look back sixty years.
And you look at all the months we had with -- unemployment above 8% before President Obama there were 39 months.
It all sixty years where the unemployment above 8%.
Under this president have been 43 months under one the president alone he does not understand what it takes to create a real recovery I do.
That and you know perfectly well Internet.
Is Mitt Romney he is running for president and he won the nomination of the Republican Party.
This powered by welcome back as we -- the thunder into its second half hour of the big show today.
And so here's the question.
And this is a good question for you consider especially since we have and vice presidential debate coming up on Thursday.
That's going on down in the part of the hillbilly firewall down and Campbell Kentucky.
Between Paul Ryan who is the leading budget hawk.
For the red team and Joseph Biden who is the vice president of the United States so these things are coming into perspective a little bit.
So it is your good fortune in mind then that we can welcome from New York from the mother ship on the fourteenth floor.
In New York -- -- She's a columnist for the fiscal times she's someone who I've read for some for some long time and followed on Twitter -- -- Because she's Smart and knows things.
And as someone who I expect also is Smart and -- things is Eric you -- -- he's the associate publisher of social media nags.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- Is that correct -- yeah.
Bomb really -- really have a -- I'm not that Smart not a Smart actually yes thank -- got back over where this is what we believe this is what we call managing expectation.
Yeah.
-- exactly and so here's a quiz question.
Key and fiscal issues really -- used to good and David Brooks who is kind of a Republican I guess bill or something.
He he plays one on public broadcasting and the New York Times anyway.
And usually of this self losing streak but.
Ed piece today it's that this is the moment.
For Mitt Romney to own Medicare to.
They have no fear and plunge ahead and talk about Medicare and talk about big fiscal issues in the debt that's facing the country.
And -- we're gonna let you go first since you have.
Manager throwing that -- up half.
As good.
-- hit -- -- -- here's the issue is is that.
Most of the country does not understand the complexity is of some of the grander issues what everybody does understand is how much it cost to fill their gas tank.
-- what their house is worth and and if they had a job or not so I don't think.
It it's the moment this season I think it's the moment where suddenly you know the last week I was here Romney was all the way behind -- now suddenly he's pulled even so.
I think this is the moment the find out who's gonna pull ahead next week.
-- -- So -- we like -- you are dated for power play I can see that because you aren't you engaging in the kind of cynical political discourse that we rely on here.
On the big show but Liz.
Is there a way.
For Romney to talk about these issues.
In such a fashion that it is not become -- -- fine I don't care how good Paul Ryan's PowerPoint presentation as I do not -- because in the end these issues become sort of fun.
Don't act I think they do -- except when you put it in the context that first of all Americans rank.
Our debt and deficits as almost a -- concerns.
As unemployment and getting jobs so this is not an issue that is off the table Americans get -- That we have seen the first credit downgrade for the United States in our history.
They get it that our position around the world is enhanced and it could be weakened by dint of our fiscal position.
I think you're totally right that we cannot get with Ryan cannot get into the weeds on Medicare.
But he has got to confront the the caricature.
Of his proposals and platform.
As being something that really endangers our citizens our senior citizens and that's something that both Biden and Obama have been out there with since Ryan got on the ticket they have misrepresented his views.
And the Republicans came back pretty successfully talking about how Obama care.
Was gonna strip 700 billion dollars out of Medicare that's something that he can pursue what -- -- to keep it.
Very real my view is he should talk about doctors and how.
Obamacare is going to be taking money away from doctors away from hospitals how can they possibly think that's not -- -- impact care.
In other words make it very personal very real.
Don't get into I agreed you don't get into the flow charts in the stats -- -- an honor.
-- here's something that's been -- been an interesting development.
For Democrats.
They used to enjoy it was good shots total dominance on the issue of Medicare because they want on two fronts.
-- that told people that they would it was inviolate.
They've never -- it that it was absolutely sacrosanct and says security we're totally sacrosanct they were going to be okay because Democrats we're gonna do what was necessary.
To keep them that way and then they enjoyed a -- advantage probably as a result of that on that subject that people -- -- -- -- who do you trust more to deal with entitlements.
People felt like the party that was more compassionate to the needs of the -- -- better but they've lost the first month everything now because of the president's health law in 2010.
That did Alter the way Medicare works they've lost that first part to say that it's actress.
-- -- the president's help pilots don't nobody understands including -- I've read yourself and five times.
-- -- the whole -- I -- wanna I -- -- and what -- are.
But knowing the fact that a five -- Don't get it all I got a five time that -- and I was joking I actually am.
-- Smart enough -- to understand a document that.
I don't think anybody who voted on that -- even rats I think -- and -- -- got it.
Reality -- of medical care in this country it's thanks for the doctors.
It's things for the patients it's safe for the insurance companies everybody's losing -- is rather health care system period and you know.
We can debate all we want about the budget about the deficit.
-- here's the deal that everybody can understand you got to credit card if you can't pay what you -- on your credit card in any given month you shouldn't be spending that money.
Puree it and the story so let's all just deal with reality when we're trying to for you know friends today.
Oh now you've violated -- know -- -- deal with reality and.
So I don't think Democrats ever want to deal with reality reality is Medicare going bust and that is something that they just don't want to confront her at all.
So then you really kind of play into Ryan's proposals which -- to basically change for future generations how Medicare set up.
What what people do understand.
Is that this is not a program that's going to be there for your children your grandchildren and I think that's a very.
Powerful.
Argument I also by the way things that Brian can frame the discussion of Medicare.
In terms of how he has worked across the -- -- he does after all have a Democrat who signed onto one of his earlier proposals on Medicare reform.
Rock widen.
And that's a very important thing that came out of the Romney debate I mean.
One of the things that Pugh I think has now raided them.
Rated Romney and more highly on is his ability to work across the Iowa we've seen from Obama is he has no -- ability.
Now Eric how does for the Democrats the goal here -- to -- I would assume to maximize their advantage on the party of compassion.
To talk about ways in which that they are going to take care of people because that's.
That's sort of -- (%expletive) that's the deal.
And what -- as.
Joseph Biden goes into the debate.
Is the job as his primary task on Thursday and Kentucky.
To either point out what he says are heartless -- this is inside the Ryan and it certainly Ron Wyden -- on that plan that was just mention.
Is he did his job to prosecute all right where is it his job more importantly talk about how if you said.
You're gonna care for people and how you can improve their quality of.
-- I don't think -- many of these debates between now.
And everybody on my side -- -- readily admit we've -- got killed in the first debate.
And I think what he better not.
Loses bad you know as Obama did in the first debate -- Otherwise we got a lot of momentum swinging against us but I but I but I believe about the president and the vice president have to not be on the attack they have to speak in terms of -- And looking at like for the minds of the voters -- can do Batman and then I'll be speaking directly to people not attacking each -- everybody sit in this attack each other nobody can figure out what the facts -- everybody has at least half the advertising is is filled with.
I don't dismiss it and had a history backs and everybody's checking every fact that every -- that some of Karzai about half -- about half of that is true.
So stay I think both of their jobs but President Obama and that Biden are gonna try to speaking in terms that the that the voter can relate them.
OK so -- we know why or I shouldn't do as you describe that you don't wanna just be okay.
A breeder agitation.
This -- of this litany of data points you don't want to try to be -- human -- but he can't bring his mom she's awful good.
Can't bring -- can't bring his -- with him because I think the rules say that you can't have you can't -- tag team debating so what what should he be doing how should he be talking about.
Well don't read Joseph can't bring his dad so I mean it's kind of an even even thing there and -- -- brings his dad and almost every conversation any probably will.
I think it if I -- Ryan I would really address this issue of who has most benefited.
The middle class Biden of course made that gaffe about how the middle class has been buried in the last four years and he really wasn't far off the mark.
Income for middle class Americans has actually gone down in real terms and that's a pretty staggering thought in the midst of what is supposed to -- -- recovery so.
If I -- Ryan I would talk about.
In the middle class how his policies and Romney's might benefit the middle class and I would most.
Particularly go after small business owners because today we had news that for the fourth month or fifth month in a row.
The national independent of the federation of independent businesses.
Saw their confidence level go down small business has been a group that has been really increasingly.
Unhappy with the Obama administration because of all the rules and regulations and taxes that are coming through Obama care.
And and I think -- can really kind of hone in on that if it's small businesses against you and if those are the job creators.
Really how -- your policies be deemed to be to be helpful and I.
You know I buy it if our Ryan I have a couple of small business people that he could.
Kind of conjure up and talk about how this person decided against expansionary this related to lay off people.
You know I I think that's very powerful but the but that's it.
-- -- wait Eric air way.
You've got to go first she gets to -- I thank you that's that's all that there was that's all that that's all of the excellence that is bandwidth that the Internet can manage today.
-- -- every bit as Smart as I thought you would be a container you sold yourself short tremendously.
Tremendously tremendously so we thank you both for your time thank you that's very good to -- you.
