I've pulled in my horns for the past year or so.

[Jackpine Radical]

Many dear friends on this board were lost to me because I was quite critical of Obama's policies and actions, from health care to the way his administration conducted the bailouts.

Truth to tell, I am far to the left of Obama and deplore some of his concessions and--forgive the term--sellouts, but is is not my purpose to argue about issues of that sort right now.

What I want to say is that, although my heart lies with people to the left of Obama, my mind tells me that this is not time to let idealism trump survival.

The fact of the matter is, when the shit hits the fan, I would rather have Barack Obama in the White House than any conceivable Republican.

These are not times like others in the history of civilization. References to the Roman Empire fall far short. This is an era in which the survival of our species, and that of any other species, is at stake.

I don't think Obama will enact the policies that we need for survival. In fact, I think it would be political suicide for him to do so, because corporate propaganda and disinformation have so polluted the public forum that a majority of Americans have no conception of the magnitude of the crises we face.

Nevertheless, he will not be so rash as a Romney would be, and might accomplish some mild abatement of the huge problems facing us.

At the very worst, a second Obama term will buy us a little tim that we would not otherwise have.

Therefore, I cannot vote for a Green or a socialist or any other politician whose ideals are closer to my own. To do so would be to throw away my vote. I'm not enough of a purist to do that.

I'm voting for Obama.

I would prefer to vote for the Obama we thought we might be getting in 2008, but I'll settle for the one running in 2012.

Not happily, but I'll settle.

[The Magistrate]

1. Well Said, Sir

We hope for better, but the situation is what it is.

"Romney loves America like a tick loves a dog."

[patrice]

2. For the possibility of Single Payer systems at least at some state levels alone, we need time. nt

[limpyhobbler]

3. same here.

IMHO We need runoff voting or ranked choice or something like that .

[nebenaube]

36. actually,

I think we just need to get rid of the computers and hand count paper ballots.

[stevedeshazer]

4. We drink from the same cup tonight.

[Kennah]

5. Very well said

[seanpencil]

6. Thank you

for continuing to vote.

[Flatpicker]

7. Ok

I don't think any real progressive is satisfied with Obama, but, he's made things incrementally better than before.

It's a matter of evolution rather than revolution. The public isn't ready for any radical changes.
We just have to keep taking steps forward and make sure that those who want us to go backwards are unable to do so.

[progressivebydesign]

10. What constitutes a "real" progressive?

I love President Obama, and am happy with what he's been able to accomplish with the extreme conditions he's working under, and I'm progressive. What is the test to see if someone is a "real" progressive?

[Flatpicker]

18. No Offense meant

Relax.
I meant, real progressive as someone closer to an Idealist. A no compromise, we have to change it all right now type.

I consider myself a slightly left of center type. I realize that things need to be accomplished in steps. No large country can wake up one day and have a 180% change in course. I don't see myself as a real progressive, I just want to do my part and allow the next generation to take steps that are more left leaning than mine were.

[abq e streeter]

8. Very important and very well said. Thank you.

[progressivebydesign]

9. I appreciate the concession.

I do wish that people would understand that we will never, in our lifetime, have the type of far-left president that some people dream of. It won't happen... but damn, there is a good chance that we will get a far right President.. a tea bagger, if you will.

But what will happen, unless the liberals do what we always do and implode from within over our own personal interests, is elect a series of progressive(er) politicians, so that it can change, even if it's incremental.

There are simply not enough extremely far left voters out there. Most voters are either slightly to the right or left of Center. I would never ever dream of screwing the rest of my American neighbors with some political purity, that says the candidate has to be exactly what I believe, or I sit it out.. or I vote for someone that is basically a vote for the GOP, on principle. I know what's at stake, and I don't expect any President to be exactly what I want. The issues that matter to me are most likely determined by someone in Congress, or a State Senator....

i was here and had to suffered the fools that said on DU that Gore was no different than Bush. Thousands of deaths in Iraq, later, and the collapse of many industries in America, we know that to be untrue.

A vote for President Obama may not be the end all, be all for some people, but a non-vote or vote for a third party is a vote for Citizens United, the Supreme Court, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, et al. I'm not willing to screw things up for my kids and their kids. I'm not willing to stand on principal and let a republican appoint one more Supreme Court Justice. No way.

[nightscanner59]

16. Actually a Left-swing may be coming

In the form of summer temperatures in the next few years like we've never dreamed possible, extreme drought, violent, extreme weather events, the midwest turning into a dust bowl...
These things start happening as predicted in the next few years and the long neglected message of the green party will start to resonate like never before.
Now is not the time for a regime change, due to what you indicate. Our centrist leader re-elected is the best we can hope for. But the great plains of FAUX followers holding the country hostage to the status quo may just backfire... bigtime... by 2016 or thereafter.

[eridani]

30. Most voters are far left if you don't ask them about where they stand on the

--right to left spectrum and just talk about policies. All the policies favored by the majority are called "far left" by the Very Serious People.

[Scuba]

31. +1000,000,000

[Comrade_McKenzie]

11. You are not alone. nt

[DonCoquixote]

12. Thank you

For what it is worth, I am angry at the Obama we got in 2012, namely because he reminds me way too much of the Clinton that ran in 2008, and the one in 1992 that seemed to hate the left only slightly less than the GOP did.

But when you are bleeding, you need First Aid to make it to the hospital..Obama is, at worst, the First Aid to keep us alive.
And you damn well do NOT need someone that has already sold your organs to the Chinese. Mitt is that person.

[zeemike]

13. Well I never got mad with you.

Even when I thought you were wrong about some things you were right about some too...but then I am OK with decent.
I thinks it makes us better to listen and debate win or lose.

When you come right down to it this election is not about Obama...it is about what will happen if Obama loses this election...I shiver to think of 4 years of sociopathic rule.

[Raster]

14. I agree wholeheartedly. Well said, thank you!

ANY rethuglican in the White House is NOT AN OPTION. Period. There is far, far too much at stake.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. I feel for you. Trust me as a Kucinich supporter.

I feel Obama may become that guy in 2008 when he doesn't have to face reelection but that guy was still a moderate.

But it's the best we can get right now.

BTW: If you like the idea of President Biden (Who is much more Liberal) the best way to go is Obama having a second term.

[kooljerk666]

40. agree on all points

I want Joe B. in 2016 unless it is possible for Dennis Kucinich to run.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

42. There are people speculating that Obama may offer Kucinich a cabinet position in his 2nd term.

[just1voice]

17. Agreed, but it's too bad it's another "lesser of 2 evils"

I'm also voting for every local (D) here in Virginia.

I disagree about effective policies being political suicide for the Obama admin, if the Justice Dept. arrested a few bankers and torture camp creators it'd be a huge lift to the entire democratic party for decades, not to mention completely dumping the AHA and pushing for single payer/universal health care for all.

[midnight]

19. It's late and I should be off this board, but saw this and had to let you know that being from Wis..

you were just seeing first hand what is coming for the rest of the country...

[Jamaal510]

20. Good post.

I would also add that it is pointless to vote 3rd party right now, anyway, because there are no 3rd party members of Congress to help get their agendas through.
I had hoped he would've accomplished even more of the things that liberals want like cracking down on the Bush Administration war criminals, advocating single-payer health care, and ending the Drug War. But it isn't as if Obama sat on his butt and accomplished nothing--he ended the Iraq War, repealed DADT, he pushed for the Jobs Act and tax hikes on millionaires, and there have been over 25 straight months of job growth. That's probably more than what I'd ever expect from any Republican.

http://obamaachievements.org/list

[WCGreen]

21. As a former Green Party member and officer here in Ohio, my intent was always to get the

message out and see if we could nudge the so called left a little bit that way.

I made some good friends but I retired from the Green Party and went back to the Democratic Party where I live.

As long as we have a winner take all political system we will never have the room for more than two party's.

If there were five to ten competing party's, then it would force forming coalitions to constitute the leadership in the House and Senate. But until that day, I believe we will be a two party system.

[brush]

27. I hear you

You are right. Our two-party system is just about broken. Any fool senator can filibuster to defeat measures that the public wants and needs because of some whim or backwards view he/she has. Some sort of parliamentary system with other parties where coalitions have to be built would offer opportunities for more progressive measures to get passed. Alas, that won't be happening here but we can look forward to, with our fast-changing demographic, the regionalization of the Republican party. They've nominated just about unelectable presidential candidates in this and the last cycle and this may have been their last chance to win a national election. They've alienated women, Latino Americans, African Americans, Gays and progressive whites so the only ones voting for them are their base and many of them will age out soon enough. It may not come as soon as we would like but it's just a matter of time.

[chknltl]

22. Has my support, wish be would address election fraud.

It could guaranty his re-election as well as the election/re-election of many other Dems.

[ErikJ]

23. Money in politics

"...because corporate propaganda and disinformation have so polluted the public forum that a majority of Americans have no conception of the magnitude of the crises we face."
Right, and we are beginnining to see the immense power of RW billionaires in politics, something Obama probably realized long ago.

[brush]

24. Welcome back

Voting for the President's re-election, with all the opposition he had to deal with (even party members betraying him with their blue dog votes) should be a no-brainer. What is equally important, and this is just a reminder as I'm sure most on DU know this, are the down ticket races. We have to work to get true Democrats/progressives elected to the House and Senate so that the President's policies can get passed without all the compromises that were necessary to get anything done in the first term. I think many had unrealistic expectations, considering the workings of Congress, especially the dysfunction that is the Senate. No president without a house and senate majority get anything near their whole platform through. I feel that the President's heart is in the right place and he knows now the repugs are not worth even talking to about bipartisanship and he will continue working at quietly accomplishing even more in his second term. And those that were disappointed need to review and acknowledge that quite a bit was accomplished despite McConnell, Cantor and Boehner.

[calimary]

26. More good points, brush! And Welcome to DU!

Yeah, you've got to keep in mind the down ticket races, for absolute sure! AND future Supreme Court Justice nominees. CRITICALLY important to reelect our President. The Supreme Court is enough of a reason just by itself.

[brush]

43. SCOTUS

Calimary, you are absolutely spot on on the Supreme Court with 2 possibly 3 appointments coming up.

[calimary]

25. I appreciate this essay. Thanks for posting it, Jackpine Radical!

Well reasoned. Your point is VERY well-taken. Obama on his worst day is a million times better than the "best" of the GOP. Remember all the people who get the big access if the GOP gets back up on top. Remember also who WON'T be getting the big access if the GOP gets back on top. If you value your own concerns and political priorities, remember - they'll get short shrift in a romney White House. Or more accurately, they won't get any shrift at all.

I find a lot more to like than not to like about President Obama, even though I feel he compromised WAY too much with the bad guys for far too long. But I wholeheartedly support him, especially because of how many women's issues he's attempted to address. He has been inspirational at a time when our nation needed a tonic, a man of class, elegance, and dignity through out - truly "the adult in the room." And getting bin Laden doesn't hurt. I read a commentary about his foreign policy achievements that called him "the deadliest president" to the likes of al Qaeda and other anti-American terrorist groups. And y'know something? Damned if that ain't true! He's put more money where his mouth is than - as you word it - "any conceivable" republi-CON."

I particularly like what you wrote here:

"The fact of the matter is, when the shit hits the fan, I would rather have Barack Obama in the White House than any conceivable Republican."

No Freakin' KIDDING!!!!

[bayareaboy]

28. Now is the time ...

to take a breath or two, reconnoiter the situation and by all means stay horney!

You will feel much better.

[Larry Ogg]

29. Face it Jack were screwed...

And the only choice we are given is. Do you want to be hung with a blue rope or a red rope.

Take the blue rope and the inevitable will come slower then if you take the red rope.

So the difference between the lesser and greater evil doesn't matter much when the outcome is the same.

Unless we all learn what evil is and stop supporting it, we will all be screwed.

[Scuba]

32. Good post Jackpine (as always). If you look to your left, you may see me....

... as the Democratic Party is way too far right for my tastes. I agree that most Americans are left of the President ON POLICY but the media has convinced many of them that they are conservatives.

Barack Obama is imperfect in many ways and so much better than the Republicans it's a no-brainer.

Now get the horns back out and keep prodding.

[FSogol]

33. What if we don't want to buy a "little tim?" What if we'd rather have a little susan?

Good post, btw. K&R

[watercolors]

34. Good post, thank you

Don't always agree with you, & sometimes not with Obama, but this election is so important to all of us!

[progressoid]

35. +1

[annabanana]

37. I do believe, Dear Jackpine, that we are pretty close to being on the same page. . . .n/t

[sofa king]

38. Yay!

His left wing is shorter than his right, if you ask me, but he's also the best politician I have ever seen and he has been running a model Presidency, rebuilding it from an institutionally retarded old-boys network into a fully functioning government in only a few years without additional money or Congressional support. He has already undone a great deal of the institutional damage Bush and Cheney inflicted.

President Obama is on our side in this most important respect: He has identified the most important enemy to the future of the United States and is well on his way to wrecking their political apparatus for decades to come. His rise to office and everything he has subsequently done might just remain a prominent historical lesson for hundreds of years, for he has shown how to use the tools at hand to dismantle an oligarchy masquerading as a republic. It is this simple: set them against themselves and play their greed against them all.

We will do well to study that, for we'll be sure to need those tools again. We can't keep him forever, though I sure wish he had a twin brother.

And I will say this, too: President Obama does not show what he really wants until nobody is in a position to deny it from him. What he clearly wants is a Democratic supermajority in the Senate by 2015, and then in those last two years, we shall see if he is really a centrist, or a genuine progressive living within the rules of realpolitick.

[Phentex]

39. I appreciate the way you said this...

There are plenty of people who agree with you but some of the posts have been downright hostile. Nobody wants to be preached at or considered blind for voting for Obama by not wanting a Republican in the office. I am left of Obama by a mile and I still would not stay home or vote for anyone else in this election.

[zipplewrath]

41. What state do you live in?

Unless it is in about one of 8 battleground states, it isn't going to matter much. Outside of those, it's pretty much a done deal one way or another and the 3 - 8 % of people who might feel the same way you do won't affect the margin of victory much.

I unfortunately live in a battleground state and so therefor are stuck voting for Obama.

[Jackpine Radical]

44. WI.

I suspect it may qualify as a battleground state.

[JoePhilly]

45. I keep asking those on DU who are unhappy with Obama a real question ...

When will one of you start the Progressive Prez 2016 group?

For much of the last year, we had a contingent here on DU hoping for a primary opponent for Obama. It didn't happen.

Shouldn't those same folks be starting to gather a list of "better" candidates for 2016?

I mean, if you are "stuck" voting for Obama, why not expend some positive energy towards 2016?