Outside of DU, they're calling for Obama to "move to the center".

[Toucano]

I can't believe it!

It's like an alternative reality. How can someone who is such a centrist possibly move more to the center?

It's like the left is so invisible in the United States, that they wouldn't know "the left" if it smacked them on the head!



note: This was on NPR's "Talk of the Nation" just now. All three talking heads agreed that Obama should move to the center.

[Codeine]

1. DU vastly overestimates the "liberalness" of the electorate.

Face it, guys -- we're the odd men out here.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. I disagree. Obama has been squarely camped out in the center all along.

He's made some astoundingly bad calculations; that the GOP would work with him to solve problems, that somehow mythical "values voters" and moderates were more valuable on things like DADT or FISA than the oft-maligned liberal base... that no one was really paying attention when they promised to fight for the public option, that we wouldn't notice when it was silently vaporized from the plan...

Maybe you're right, maybe the electorate is further to the right; but I don't think he could have done any WORSE had he worked harder to keep the base happy.

[Toucano]

5. Yes, but he made those calculations because he knows he's a centrist.

As a centrist, you would think you could work with the other side.

The problem is - the freaky part - is they see him as a liberal. Therefore, they feel obstruction is the right course.

It's completely nuts.

[Warren DeMontague]

33. Unfortunately, he should have expected that. I know it didn't surprise me.

Same shit happened with Clinton. Now, I fear, we're going to have the next 2 years where the #1 priority of the House is subpoenaing Administration officials to ask about Obama's secret muslim birth certificate.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

8. DU vastly underestimates the right-wingness of the electorate.

FTFY.

[Codeine]

11. I stand corrected. nt

[laughingliberal]

9. In order for liberal policy to be popular, liberal policies must be passed.

It has to be proven to work. The only way to do that is get it passed, get it in place, and let people see and feel the results.

Otherwise, it's too easy for Republicans and centrists to sell their shit to people who think running a country or an economy is no different than balancing the household check book.

Remember the Republican during the HCR debate who, actually, said passing the public option wasn't feasible because people would like it too much and we'd never be able to get rid of it?

[Toucano]

14. There's the catch-22 n/t

[Naturyl]

24. Yep, you're exactly right.

What is needed is LEADERSHIP. Everyone is afraid of change, it's human nature. People are always going to be afraid of what's good for them - but so what? You're supposed to be LEADERS, so start LEADING. That means passing meaningful legislation even though you know some people are going to scream and cry, because 20 years down the road, they will see the value.

FDR knew this, and so did Johnson.

[treestar]

23. Very true.

so many posts talking like the progressives are a majority in the country. You have to live in the middle of a blue sea to think that.

[elocs]

31. I strongly agree. We tend to look at ourselves believing we see most of America

when being Liberal clearly is not where most Americans are. Many support aspects of liberalism but they don't agree with much of it.

Most Americans are in the middle and that middle is at least in the middle if not right of center no matter how much we like to spin it to the contrary. The way to get things done is to deal with reality as it exists rather than indulge ourselves in embracing the fantasy of our wishes.

[Codeine]

32. "embracing the fantasy of our wishes"

Wayyyyy too much of that here lately.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Considering that he'd have to make a sharp left to do so, it might not be a bad idea.

[hobbit709]

7. That's what I was thinking.

[Toucano]

10. Two wrongs don't make a right.

But three lefts do!

[HopeHoops]

4. FUCK THAT NOISE! Or wasn't that clear - FFUUCCKK TTHHAATT NNOOIISSEE!!!!!

He needs to hold his ground and show those fuckwads what a real president can do. We've finally got one again and we need to keep him in 2012.

[Hepburn]

6. Jesus H. Fucking Christ...

...if he got any more to the center...he would fall off the right side!

Sheesh...:eyes:

[Capitalocracy]

12. I agree

I just disagree on where "the center" is...

[EFerrari]

13. Do you know who the three were?

[Toucano]

16. I didn't catch their names, but from the website it says:

Syndicated columnist Linda Chavez and political analyst Keli Goff will weigh in.

I think it was them and Neal Conan, the host.

[EFerrari]

26. Thanks, Toucano. n/t

[w4rma]

15. The astroturf wants Obama to give more money to billionaires and big buisness. What else is new?(nt)

[ramapo]

17. Strange but true...Obama = entitlements

My coworker says Obama has done nothing more than push additional entitlement spending. Unemplyment benefits to name one. That defined the stimulus, it was nothing but entitlements. Of course, he could not give me any specifics other than UI...just kept saying entitlements. Is this a Fox talking point?

[Toucano]

20. Was "cash for clunkers" an entitlement program?

That was a boon for car companies and dealers.

I'm not sure exactly, but I think the entitlement thing is a TEA-party-Fox talking point.

[Naturyl]

27. It sure is. Been one since Reagan, and even before.

"Entitlements" is not just a Faux News talking point, it's one of the absolute core ones used to demolish the social safety net since Reagan and before.

[Egnever]

18. What a surprise!

I guess sitting it out and teaching a lesson once again delivers the wrong lesson.

[Egnever]

19. What a surprise!

I guess sitting it out and teaching a lesson once again delivers the wrong lesson.

[NV Whino]

21. Ha!

:rofl:

[Naturyl]

22. That means moving left, because he's already center-right.

Doubt that's what they mean, though...

[GreenPartyVoter]

25. LOL

[nadinbrzezinski]

28. Of course they are

and he will.

of course the center is to the center right of any other country...

[Jamastiene]

29. Well...if he moved to the center, he would have to move left to do it. n/t

[2Design]

30. he is already right of center - he started at center and never moved left

[Lord Helmet]

34. lolol. That's as ridiculous as the back seat drivers barking here.

eom

[MoonRiver]

35. I know. It's absurd.

The problem is that he alienated his base, IMHO.