BY Douglas E. Schoen

The news for President Obama is bad. Very bad. This week's Gallup tracking poll indicates that public support for Obama has fallen to a record low - with his job approval rating dropping to 45% among all voters, and 38% among Independents.

With ratings this low, the President and his party will almost certainly be unable to avoid devastating losses in the fall midterm elections. The only hope is a fundamental midcourse correction.

What then should the President do?

The independent swing voters who hold the fate of the Democratic Party in their hands are looking for candidates and parties that champion fiscal discipline, limited government, deficit reduction and a free market, pro-growth agenda.

They respect leadership that bucks the Washington establishment and the special interests.

Above all else, these swing voters will not tolerate any lack of focus on the most pressing economic concerns: reigniting the economy and creating jobs while simultaneously slashing the deficit and exhibiting fiscal discipline. Some say these are mutually exclusive objectives. They are not.

I should know. When I first met with former President Bill Clinton privately in late 1994, jobs and the deficit were major concerns. In the aftermath of that year's devastating mid-term elections when the Republicans gained control of Congress for the first time since 1954, I emphasized that unless Clinton simultaneously stressed fiscal discipline and economic growth, he simply could not be reelected in 1996.

[SNIP]

Obama needs a robust, fast-acting job-creation strategy that doesn't throw fiscal responsibility to the wind. (Emphasis added)

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How can he not know that the vehicle is running out of gas??!!

Well, I sure hope he gets a handle on that strategy.   Let's HOPE that the President is runnig out of HYPE.  It is time to come down to earth and get to the hard work of SOLUTIONS.