You be the President... (A Hypothetical)

[cthulu2016]

The economy is falling off a cliff. Congress is considering a fiscal stimulus package.

You KNOW these two things:

1) Congress will not pass anything larger than $800-900 billion, half of it tax cuts.
2) If that is the extent of what congress does then the economy will benefit only slightly from the stimulus, and one or two years later unemployment will still be very high and GDP limping.

You know what the economy needs, but it is politically impossible. And because of that unemployment will rise to about 10%.

Knowing that congress is fucking up, and that the Republicans are totally fucking up, and that thanks to republicans and conservadems the economy will not magically recover and the employment picture will deteriorate...

Knowing all of that that, what do you say at the ceremony when you sign (as you must) the package congress puts on your desk?

[gateley]

1. I'd call in sick and be crying in my bedroom.

You present this so well. To us "out here" it seems socut and dried, but you show the reality of what he's faced with. What a mess.

[DJ13]

2. For one thing, I wouldnt be a nice guy that tries to get along

I would be very vocal about how the other side (conservatives regardless of party) is playing politics, and I would find a way to make them pay a price for their actions.

This country is in trouble, this is no time to allow these games.

[hifiguy]

3. Agreed. I would be making it loud and clear who

the obstructionists were and why they were wrong, as often as possible. Pound the point home several times a week. Grant interviews and repeat the point again, and again, and again. I would not let them off the hook, as was done in '09.

[gratuitous]

4. Sign it like a wimp and take your lumps, enjoying your one-term presidency

After all, there's no other options, the bill's on your desk already, the Republicans are gloating over their victory, and it's far too late to do anything.

Of course, if you back up six months or so, and you KNOW this is what the Republicans would like to stick you with, what are your options? Seems to me the time to be taking action, showing leadership in both the political and public arenas, and organizing the caucus, is before you're presented with the shit sundae.

[TheKentuckian]

5. I call the the cons on their fail, explain that the hole is too big to be filled with what we got,

promise to pursue more if the need is there as I expect, tell a folksy story about a favorite mechanic that preached trying the lowest cost/simplest fix first and work up from there.

I'd strongly consider breaking up the stimulus into easier to explain and digest pieces, i.e. infrastructure, modernization, community investment, UI benefits, tax cuts, etc.

I would never, ever pretend this is enough or that it was adequately constructed.