Truthiness is killing the left

[lwcon]

Barack Obama, we're told, is "deeply progressive."

Career liberals sell us a bill of goods called "public option," a "plan" with no fixed meaning whatsoever.

Most of us just can't get enough of repeating these fictions as if they were keys to a progressive future.

Maybe Pete Townshend could update his song for us: "Will Get Fooled Again. And Again. And Again. And Again."

[ixion]

1. "Will get fooled again and again and again"

this is the story of humankind, unfortunately. :(

[lwcon]

3. We like to think we're "the reality-based community"

For most of us, it's just demonstrably untrue.

Or it would be, if people would stop clinging to tribal untruths. But since the truth hurts -- and because it threatens their identity and the nobility of their heroes -- most will not.

[Biker13]

2. K&R...

Subjective perception does not determine objective reality.

[KharmaTrain]

4. Money Trumps Ideology Every Time...

The government is not one person and those who put all sorts of hopes in a candidate based on ideology is sure to get hit between the eyes with the beltway. I was hopeful that the mandate this President received would energize the Democratic party to move past the status quo, but that wasn't going to be. Money is what drives the political system...always has, always will. The best one can expect is a Mexican standoff of regulations that keeps the greed and gluttony to a minimum.

A "Progressive future" is done at the grassroots...from the bottom up and takes hard work. It's so self destructive for those who thought that the political world would change over night following the 2008 elections. If anything, the work has just begun. If there is to be a "progressive future" it starts with electing more Progressive and Liberals to the House & Senate and get bigger seats at the table. It's beating the system from within and forcing change. Right now that's not happening...if anything, I'm seeing some who are ready to walk away from the party and the overall process...leaving a void that rushpublicans are more than happy to fill.

[lwcon]

5. Most painful to me is the preponderance of sham liberals and sham-liberal agendas

They serve as a roach motel for progressive energies.

We get all excited about a Darcy Burner or a "public option," and we take our eyes off the ball.

[KharmaTrain]

7. A System Controlled By Money

Must be my too many years has jaded me to understand that words spoken during a campaign are purely that. I sat during the Presidential debate at 2007 Yearly Kos and heard and saw all the Democrats speak on this and other issues. Yes, I heard then Senator Obama come out in favor of Public Option, but I heard a lot of promises from all the candidates...good sounding words, and in some cases, paperwork to go with it, but the beltway culture of money and bloodsport is so corrupt and pervasive that it forces any administration to jetison the ideology in efforts to "win". This administration overestimated its ability to be "bi-partisan" and boxed itself into a corner...angering not only those who wanted to see it fail from the outset but its left flank as well. The power of the special intersts have gotten so strong and the money that runs the whole system so large that ideology doesn't stand a chance. Politicians cater to the large donors or the big industries of the areas they represent cause without the big bucks they can't get to the general election...then after a couple months of sweet talk to the voters, it's back to hawking for the big bucks.

I wish I could say there's a simple fix to this inequity, but there isn't. We're seeing obstructionism on many levels that have made almost any progress impossible. It's achieved the GOOP objective of demoralizing the Democrats and creating divisions that will weaken the party's chances of holding onto majorities this November. Sad to see this happening, but it is...

[lwcon]

8. Look how deep the rot is!

To praise Obama for once supporting the fake fake phony that is "public option" shows how fucked we are.

The administration isn't being thwarted from real goals by failed bipartisanship, it has no real goals to change anything. I think Obama wants to be some kind of ethereal healer, and he enjoys presiding over a little wonky chatter, but other than computerized medical records (a boon for all his Google friends!) I've yet to see him show any passion for any real issue.

[KharmaTrain]

9. And That's What's Hurt Obama

I think he thought coming from the Senate that somehow he could breakthrough the partisanship that had totally corrupted that body over the past 30 years. He thought his friendship with a Coburn or Gregg would overcome the gridlock that had turned the Senate dysfunctional. He was proven wrong and still seems to think there's some way to break through. The problem has been the Senate where a weak Majority Leader constantly is rolled as he's more fearful of a partisan fight than standing up for policies the party and this administration promised. The House has passed some progressive legislation, including HCR with the Public Option, but it's the Senate that has gummed up the works and turned this process into an ordeal. And, yes, it's the Insuarnce company money that has a lot to do with it...throwing a lot of money around has gotten results.

As a member of the Senate, Obama saw the legislative totally bypassed by the previous regime and hoped to restore the balance the founders had intended. His miscalculation has been that the balance within the Senate had shifted to a minority hellbent on total obstructionism...not unlike the tactics Gingrich played on Clinton during the 90s. It's hard to have passion when you face constant opposition.

[lwcon]

11. You're assuming intentions inconsistent with the record

And "It's hard to have passion when you face constant opposition." How low can we set the bar?

[tekisui]

6. knr.

[spanone]

10. buying into the spin