"Obama is too conservative"

[Mesteryo]

For anyone who doesn't think Obama is liberal enough or not as quick to push into social democracy with free healthcare, etc. I think you have a serious misunderstanding of the American political system and Presidency.

The Presidency isn't intended for the purpose of instituting a partisan or ideological agenda but to serve the will of the people. With Obama it's nice to know he won't just be shoving an agenda down our throats.

Yes Obama will institute more liberal policies than Bush and will govern from center-left of the U.S. spectrum but he won't do so at the expense of listening to the will of the people.

He won't become a social democratic version of Bush and institute an authoritarian presidency for his own agenda. The American political system isn't based on ideological mandates but serving the will of the people.

That's why it doesn't matter if Obama isn't liberal enough or able to institute a single-payer healthcare. What matters is his adherence to the Constitution and democratic governance.

[Mari333]

1. as long as he brings the troops all home asap. thats all i care about right now.

they need to come home.

[leftofcool]

2. He needs to keep every promise he made to the

American people. We hired him, now it is his job to do what he has said he would do, period

[tritsofme]

4. I take it you haven't followed politics very long?

nt

[Mesteryo]

6. he's not a pm

His job isn't to institute a set in stone blue print agenda.

[earth mom]

25. I agree with you and I've got my fingers crossed that Obama will keep his promises.

That said, I know there will be things that Obama won't do or can't do, and it will piss people off.

And don't forget, there are unfortunately still lots of rethuglican and dinos in Congress who will fight Obama tooth and nail on many issues.

But if Obama gets on board with global warming and is able to get RFK Jr. to head the EPA, I think there is an excellent chance that many problems this country faces will be solved because they have been created by our greedy thirst for oil. In other words, get rid of the need for oil, and there will be peace, prosperity and a healthier planet.

Which is a win win in my book.

[maxsolomon]

3. so if i can demonstrate that i understand the american political system & presidency

THEN can i say he's too conservative for me? because the will of this person is far to the left of the center, and my will has been consitently disparaged as un-american & traitorous.

[Mesteryo]

5. I'm not saying you are too far left...

I'm saying the US Presidency isn't supposed to be about instituting an ideological agenda. I never said you were unAmerican.

[baby_mouse]

7. All political positions are an "ideological agenda"

Including the proposition that the presidency isn't supposed to be about instituting an ideological agenda.

Basically you could use your proposal to stand in the way of anything. It's a beautiful piece of pure obstructionism. What you're saying, essentially, is that any ideas Obama has are somehow unpresidential.

[Mesteryo]

9. I disagree...

I'm not talking about a President not having political ideas I'm talking about how he/she institutes the ideas. Of course I'm not saying a President should be apolitical, I'm saying winning the Presidency doesn't mean you are a ruler.

[baby_mouse]

18. Well, okaaaaay. Perhaps I read you wrong - BUT.

I wished you had used other terms to make your point. I'm all for a more "listening" politics, that's a win-win in my book. I am wary of bad uses of the term "ideological", however. The right in the past have found it awful easy to use the term as a kind of smear and to me if you've no ideology you've no business being a politician.

[BanTheGOP]

8. FRANKLY, anything LESS that the COMPLETE...

...enactment of the progressive issues that President Obama has proposed will be a major shift to the right.

Anything LESS than restructing the tax code to it's pre-REAGAN years will be a major shift to the right.

Anything LESS than returning ALL our troops from Iraq before the end of 2009 will be a major shift to the right.

Anything LESS than the start of instituting a plan to nationalize all health care will be a major shift to the right.

Anything LESS than the nomination and confirmation of over 100 young, progressive judges in vacant federal slots will be a major shift to the right.

SO... if President Obama is true to his word, we will NOT move to the right.

I completely and absolutely trust his judgment and will back him to the death.

[Mesteryo]

13. he'll work towards all of that..

Within the realm of what presidential power allows. All of what you mention requires Congress still.

[BanTheGOP]

26. We HAVE a pretty good senate presence!

It may still be a super majority when our lawyers can prove that Coleman stole votes to beat Franken (who by exit polls (http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#MNS01p1) should have won by at least 10,000 votes), and we need to ensure that Chambliss gets knocked off in the revote next month. With Lieberman (hold your tongue) and Sanders, we will have a supermajority.

So President Obama will have PLENTY of power...more than most. He will use it vigorously, progressively, and wisely.

[maxsolomon]

10. not my point

my point is that i have every right to say if Obama is too conservative for me. there's no test i have to pass to say that, no understanding i need to demonstrate. the progressive wing of the democratic party has been patient. very patient. the ONE TIME when some (not me) peeled off from the centrist, compromiser wing of the party, * got selected &, well, you know what happened.

how about someone throws us a bone this time? instead of "free" healthcare, why don't we have healthcare paid for with our taxes, rather than 700 billion in defense for pointless wars? how about we end the war on drugs? how about we end the prison industrial complex? how about we stop raping the planet? how about we stop treating the un-religious as anti-american?

wow i'm crabby today.

[alarimer]

15. I agree completely

(Well I don't know if you are crabby today or not- I certainly am but that's because I didn't get any sleep last night).

Obama at least has seemed too conservative at times and it is up to progressives to keep after him. We may not succeed at everything but they will have to know we are out here and we will not be ignored.

I wonder how long before the "Party unity above all" crowd starts telling us to get lost from this very site. Constructive criticism is a very good thing and we should not shy away from it. Obama does not get a pass from me. Things that need to be done immediately include the beginnings of a complete pullout from Iraq, some attempts at health care reform. I realize these things are incremental but that would be better than nothing. But perhaps most important is to rescind most of the Bush executive orders and signing statements.

[Mesteryo]

17. you should be relieved today..

I didn't say you have no right to say he's too conservative. I have the right to not be seen as unprogressive just because I'm not a social democrat.

[maxsolomon]

21. You said this:

For anyone who doesn't think Obama is liberal enough... I think you have a serious misunderstanding of the American political system and Presidency.

[Mesteryo]

22. yeah...

For anyone who doesn't support him as President because he's not liberal enough. I didn't mean anyone more liberal than him.

[Marr]

12. What an absurd statement.

Of *course* the President advances an ideological agenda. That's called politics. What do you think he/she is supposed to do? Just hold photo ops and golf?

As to free healthcare, it's got big popular support. Most of the people in this country want it. It's the very wealthy who do not. It isn't a left/right issue, it's a people/capital issue, and the Obama Administration should push and push hard to get it done.

[jonnyblitz]

11. that's all fine and good i just get annoyed with people who make

false claims about what a progressive he is when he ISN'T. Those of us who weren't bewitched by the irrational chanting and personality cult aspects never suffered from that delusion.

[Mesteryo]

14. depends on how you define progressive...

Obama isn't as liberal as right-wingers say but I think he's a progressive as far as his views on political power.

[TZ]

16. look at his voting record in the Senate

Its in the top 5 liberal. Where do I get my info from...Pew --whom my Poli Sci professor uncle works for. This whole notion that Obama isn't a liberal is bullshit.
Am I irrational for trusting a political expert on this?

[Mesteryo]

19. well I admit he's a centrist...

He's only considered very liberal because he opposed far right Bush policies.

[Spike89]

20. President is designed to be a leader, not ruler

It isn't a choice between following the will of the people or instituting his own agenda--that's a false choice. The real task is to LEAD. It is a subtle thing and one we've been lacking in the office for quite a while. (although I agreed quite often with Clinton, he didn't lead so much as manipulate in my opinion).

Obama is and can be a true leader.

[Mesteryo]

23. I agree...

I think you added to my point.

[Romulox]

24. Just FYI: There is no such thing as an "non-ideological agenda". nt