Saving Progressivism From Obama

[ProSense]

Robert Kuttner

Saving Progressivism From Obama

What's the worst case, and the best case, that we can imagine for the next two years? Let's look at the economics first.

<...>

In this enterprise, I don't have high expectations for Obama. I cannot recall a president who generated so much excitement as a candidate but who turned out to be such a political dud as chief executive. Nor do his actions since the election inspire confidence that he will be reborn as a fighter.

<...>

I doubt that it makes sense to run a left candidate against Obama in 2012. The history of these efforts is one of failure that only weakened the Democratic nominee, whether we recall Ted Kennedy's doomed primary challenge to incumbent Jimmy Carter in 1980, or Ralph Nader's run in 2000.

The closest that the progressive movement came to realizing this strategy was of course in 1968, when Lyndon Johnson decided to abdicate in the face of mass protest. But in that tumultuous year, we had a surfeit of anti-war candidates and a real movement. Even so, we ended up with Richard Nixon. This year, it is hard to think of a plausible candidate (Howard Dean? Russ Feingold?) who could unseat Obama without further weakening the Democrats in the general election.

So our task is to step into the leadership vacuum that Obama has left, and fashion a compelling narrative about who and what are destroying America. Our movement needs the passion and single mindedness of the Tea Party movement, and it helps that we have reality on our side. If we do our jobs, we can move public opinion, discredit the right, and elect progressives to office. Even Barack Obama might embrace us, if only as a last resort.

That's it Obama supporters. Pack it up. He's a "dud." There is no hope. Leave the asylum to the kooks. I get the message now.

[jaxx]

1. Well, since it was said on HuffPo...

[babylonsister]

2. Jeebus. This should get a lot of rec's from DU. Oi. nt

[ProSense]

4. It will, don't worry. n/t

[Pisces]

3. "Clowns to the left of me, jokers to my right. Here I am stuck in the middle with you."

That is what Obama must sing every day as he gets ready for work. The crap that is spewed daily against the admin is ridiculous. I will stay in the middle with Obama and what i voted for. Not a
messiah that some were praying for.

[ProSense]

7. They're insane

They've lost control of the progressive movement, have no clue where it went to, and have been using the President to spark a fire. They've been outmatched by the teabaggers and are feeling lost and confused.

Everytime they elevate the rhetoric it accomplishes nothing, inspires nothing. Nearly two years into this Presidency and they've failed to ignite any serious movement, waiting on the President, who has a country to run. Other than trying to ridicule the President as a strategy, they haven't been able to organize to pressure elected officials to act on anything.

Organizations like the AFL-CIO, Americans for Financial Reform (Chris Bowers taking credit), Healthcare for America Now and others have taken the lead and took part in shaping the progress we've seen. They are not looking back or feeling hopeless.

[Mimosa]

13. "waiting on the President, who has a country to run." Or "ruin"

Why not finish the job Bush started? More war in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Fewer jobs here. And my partner and i will have to drop health insurance because we can't afford it.

What got into Obama to where he compromised with those who meant to defeat him instead of stick with the people who worked to get him elected? Have you figured it out, ProSense?

Like why defer the health care plan -including deductions- until 2014?

[ProSense]

15. You don't have to support him or wait for the country to be ruined

to do whatever you think is necessary. Why is that so hard to understand?

[Mimosa]

16. Because I'm one of the peons.

Because the wars are still going on and people are dying. Because my partner and I can't afford health insurance and aren't rock bottom for medicaid or old enough for medicare.

[ProSense]

18. I'm a victim too

What does that have to do with my point?

How does not supporting the President or complaining about him help your situation?

"Because the wars are still going on and people are dying."

And they were bound to be no matter what at this point according to everything you knew before the election.

[babylonsister]

22. You are uninformed. aren't you. You OBVIOUSLY didn't pay

any attention when the hcr was going on. YES, it's all about you and why YOU have to wait until 2014, because you want it done right the fuck NOW! :eyes:

[Mimosa]

23. It's not all about me.

How dare you?

What about working men and women who have cancer or heart attacks and could not afford to buy high priced insurance? What are they supposed to do until 2014?

DIE?

[babylonsister]

24. That is not the point; when has anything ever been done immediately

with a major bill? This is what has been agreed upon among people who finally got an agreement. I understand your anger, but this is the way it works. Bitch and moan, but we're lucky something positive was accomplished.
And for the record, I don't have health insurance either, and knock wood, I won't get sick anytime soon.

[Number23]

25. + 4 billion trillion

Everytime they elevate the rhetoric it accomplishes nothing, inspires nothing. Nearly two years into this Presidency and they've failed to ignite any serious movement, waiting on the President, who has a country to run. Other than trying to ridicule the President as a strategy, they haven't been able to organize to pressure elected officials to act on anything.

That's EXACTLY what the "strategy" appears to be. Trash the president at every opportunity and pretend that he is a conservative/corporatist etc. (while completely ignoring all of the real corporatists who hate him), and offer absolutely NOTHING by way of feasible alternatives. Rinse. Repeat. Sit open-mouthed with wonder because no one wants to align themselves with you.

[boppers]

27. +1.

1. Trash everything the president has done, will do, can do.
2. Obstruct anything and everything being done, for being "too much", "not enough", etc.
3. Blame the President for any, and every, resulting failure, rinse, and repeat.

It's a regrettable strategy, regardless of who employs it.

[Milo_Bloom]

5. Pretty much sums it up.

[ProSense]

8. If you mean insanity, yes. n/t

[Milo_Bloom]

9. Nothing insane... a very accurate blog post.

[ProSense]

11. I get to define what I think is insanity.

Unless you want to think for me?

[Milo_Bloom]

12. You can THINK what you want.

You would be wrong... but you can be wrong all you want.

[ProSense]

20. Thank you

Anyone who would characterize this President as a dud is not dealing with reality.

[Milo_Bloom]

21. Wrong again.

But, as I said, you can think the sky is yellow if you want.

[JamesA1102]

6. Maybe it should be Save Obama from Progressives nt

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Mimosa]

14. Your race baiting is getting embarrassing.

Do you realise none of us who worked hard to get Obama elected thought of his race? He's as white as he is black, btw, and nobody who contributed or worked for him cared. It wasn't our thing and this refrain 'if you don't like the policies you are racist' is ridiculous in the extreme.

[Catherina]

17. Normally, I'd recommend this because the blog part is accurate and

expresses the thoughts many of us have but I can't because of the spirit you posted it in.

[ProSense]

19. Thanks for sharing. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

26. Sadly, Obama does not stand for the FDR wing of our party. But will stand up for Repubs.

[ProSense]

28. Yeah, Republicans love him. n/t

[grahamhgreen]

29. He is the gift that keeps on giving.

[ProSense]

30. Yeah,

he gave them court challenges and a promise to their base to repeal health care reform and the rest of the government. The Republicans love him.

[grahamhgreen]

31. What he gave them was trillions of dollars to repeal what little reform is in the bill.

Big insurance loves the mandate - now all they have to do is repeal the rest of the bill, which may take years, but they'll never stop.

Bad strategic move.

He should never have given away Nationalizing medicine, or Medicare for All, or Single Payer, or, finally, the public option.

[Uzybone]

32. Kuttner should run for something, or try and create change

and stop obsessing over our "dud" of a president.

Fucking cowards always shooting from the sidelines.

[donco6]

33. Yeah, yeah, keep rubbing our nose in it.

Obama is our only option. And we might as well like it.

I'm so inspired.