Pundit Says Republicans Committing Unforced Errors

Conservative economist Peter Morici writes today that Democrats are closing the gap with Republicans in polls nationwide, a trend he attributes solely to Republican missteps.

GOP leaders are failing to address the real problems ailing the nation’s economy, which he says were created by the policies of former President George W. Bush and continued by the Obama administration.

“The Pledge to America is a rehash of the platform of President George W. Bush-less taxes and government-and does not address the fundamental problems that have left the American growth machine broken,” Morici writes.

The ‘Pledge’ Morici refers to is a 21-page document released by a group of House Republicans two weeks ago intended to explain how the party would govern if it wins back Congress this November.

Morici, who teaches business at the University of Maryland, writes that instead of making vague promises to reel in the size of the federal government, Republicans should figure out how to crack down on Wall Street banks and help businesses compete in the global marketplace.

“Banks can’t lend because President Obama’s bank reforms boosted bonuses on Wall Street but left Main Street banks to the wolves,” he says. “Businesses can’t sell, because the trade policies of Clinton, Bush and Obama have permitted China’s manufacturers a huge unfair price advantage in U.S. and global markets through currency manipulation, mega subsidies and high barriers to U.S. exports.”

Failure to address these issues, Morici writes, will cost the GOP a sweep of both Houses this fall.