My high school classmates and I loved Manfred Mann's cover of the song "Blinded by the Light," and not just for its energy. We listened to it over and over partly because we were certain that no lyrics played on the radio could possibly include "wrapped up like a douche"--could they? As it turned out, the actual lyrics are "revved up like a deuce," but our mistake was a common one.

The refrain that dominates the airwaves these days seems similarly shocking to the ears of liberals--downright obscene, in fact. It is the chorus of the re-energized Republican Party, with the Tea Party on backing vocals.

Democrats are revolted by the strains of racism, anti-Muslim hysteria, anti-immigrant xenophobia, anti-government radicalism and reptilian emotionalism in the GOP's siren song. But the sinister themes that rake on liberal ears like Beck's nails on a chalkboard--Tea Party bigotry, Faux News apologetics, partisan obstructionism and Palin/Bachmann-style hysterics--are all distractions from the overarching threat in this fall's elections. That threat is the populist appeal of fiscal conservatism.

While racism, bigotry, conspiracy theories and legislative non sequiturs are part of the conservative mystique that draws liberal attention for its audacious ignorance, most Americans are more concerned about Carville's Maxim: It's the economy, stupid.

It's understandable but unproductive that Democrats have despaired too quickly. While the recovery hits the doldrums and employment sags, the good news might seem too sparse to regain the support of Independents, who've shifted to pro-Republican by more than 60 percent since the 2008 election. And the support of the Democratic base is lukewarm, given the Obama White House's stupid attempts at triangulation and the feelings of betrayal on the far left.

But the strategy and focus of the DNC and its affiliated campaign organizations have been all wrong. Democrats have been blinded by the right and there is now no time to waste in regaining a winning clarity and vision.

The Democrats must present a unified strategy and focus. Arguing with the idiot fringe of the Tea Party won't work. Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann may garner all the morbid attention of a bad car wreck, but their message is not a winning message, even for Republicans. That leaves battling on the real turf: the economy. And it can be a winning argument if Democrats will stop wasting time on fringe issues and address it head-on.

Obama always said the recovery would be slow. It is. But why it's slow is important, and despite the criticism that Democrats can't run against George W. Bush, there's no reason not to run against the GOP's desire to resurrect and institutionalize his failed policies.

And Democrats don't have to leave it there. They can tout the recovery in no uncertain terms. They can point to months of straight jobs gains, small though they may be. Democratic leaders can talk about every improvement in economic numbers that comes out, whether about productivity, average work-week hours, exports, and more.

Obama and every congressional Democrat needs to speak with the optimism of Ronald Reagan, who campaigned that "it's morning in America" even while the country was gripped by stagflation and about to enter a recession. Bad news never stopped Reagan from accentuating the positive.

The Democratic campaign committees and liberal organizations like MoveOn.org can begin spending some of their money on ads to combat the negative psychic cloud that is holding back investment and hiring--and Democratic support.

Congressional Democrats can develop a new legislative plan that stimulates or directly creates jobs at minimal expense or through budget offsets. And they should do it with the same vigor and innovation with which they approached health care reform. But they have to begin now.

I don't buy the GOP line of despair and outrage. Most of you here at TPM don't either. Even liberals (progressives, if you prefer) who don't support anything Obama and the Democrats have done must know that Republicans would have done worse not just economically but in terms of strangling progressive debate, quashing progressive ideals and turning the clock back on decades of gains already made.

It's still the economy, stupid. Democrats have to run on it and make it their proudest accomplishment. If I had averted the Second Great Depression, I know I wouldn't accept the GOP's pessimistic blinders. Neither will voters accept a gift that's wrapped up like a douche.