Obama's button

To cap off the highly successful Recovery Summer, the president this week embarks on yet another tour to help jump-start our faltering economy.

His first shot: Let's spend more money (which we clearly don't actually have).

Most of us are ill-equipped to discuss the intricate details of our massive economy and any potential solutions that will bring some balance to our budget. But beware of common sense.

There's not a whole lot of agreement -- except from the partisan crowd -- that the stimulus boondoggle had much of an impact on our economy. Yet despite that seemingly indisputable fact, left-leaning economists want even more spending. And with this president, they'll likely get their wish.

We'll have another national address from the president. But the message will be drowned out by the reality that each of us witnesses daily.

Here's what the president should say. He should talk on the theme of shared sacrifice. He should explain that to reverse our economic slide, each of us must share some of the pain of recovery. Labor unions and corporate America should share. Taxpayers and entitlement recipients should share. The young and the old should share.

By spreading the pain of recovery, we can overcome our economic drift and see some light at the end of the tunnel.

And, Mr. President, please quit talking about the "ditch" analogy. We've heard enough about how the bad Republicans got us into this economic ditch and how you and your buddies are going to drive us to prosperity.

After nearly two years, Mr. President, it's your damned ditch. Accept responsibility and change course.

When Gerald Ford limped into the highest office in 1974, America was facing inflation from the cost of the Vietnam War and an oil embargo. His solution was a bunch of silly WIN (Whip Inflation Now) buttons that became a punch line for late night comedians. The buttons helped to open the door for Jimmy Carter a few years later and we all know how that went.

So perhaps that is the plan that the president will unveil this week. New buttons to energize the American public and turn the tide.

Here are but a few suggestions.

SBF (Still Bush's Fault). Or DBU (Don't Blame Us). Or better still GUT (Give Us Time). Or the more appropriate SAT (Spend And Tax).

Just make sure the buttons are free. Not all of us could afford one right now.