I join the growing chorus of critics who don’t believe that Obama has focused enough on job creation. In fact, I’m more than a little disappointed in the tepid performance by Democrats in general. They won the election by large margins, yet they seem afraid to lead. The Republicans have been successful at all kinds of stalling tactics on judicial nominees (remember the outraged demand by Republicans for an up and down vote for Bush’s nominees?), many other appointments, climate change legislation, and the despicable tactics being employed against health care reform. Yet Democrats don’t seem to have the stomach for a real fight.

It will take political courage to spend the money needed for more stimulus aimed at job creation in the face of rising deficits, yet that’s exactly what most economists think we need. I also seem to remember the mantra that deficits don’t matter, when Bush was racking them up; evidently they only matter when Democrats control the White House. Yet the Dems apparently are afraid of the consequences if they actually get out in front of controversial legislation. As a good friend of mine, a recently-elected Colorado legislator, reminded me the other day, people don’t vote to re-elect legislators who do nothing, and they especially don’t re-elect cowards.

Let’s have some backbone, people. Do something.