So, likely you've already seen this clip from Hardball. Chris Matthews asked the simple question that should define the Democratic Party's messaging from here on out: What have the Republicans done for you?
Well, the coming fight over the budget should crystallize this message.
I saw this at Politico Money this morning.
EXCLUSIVE: Top administration officials tell Morning Money that President Obama’s budget, to be unveiled next month, is likely to include a fee on banks designed to recoup some of the cost taxpayers incurred in the bailout, which specified that the U.S. government should be made whole. This will stop short of a financial transactions tax, and the administration has decided that a tax on compensation packages would be too easily evaded. The officials said the final approach has not been locked down. The chief goal is a fee that is not easily passed along.
This is excellent on a number of levels. Tying it to the bailout is going to make it difficult to water down: the House is facing an election year and Republicans can not reflexively say no without hurting themselves at the polls. It will help democrats retake the populist high ground, and it'll be a way to illustrate the demonstration is fighting the deficit.
It defangs a lot of the most potent Republican attacks in 2010 IMO and would activate the base. Couple the coming financial fight with immigration reform and I think we will have a strong message to take to the public in 2010. I was very excited to read this; it gave me hope for 2010 frankly.