i've seen a lot of people here criticize Obama for not being liberal enough

[RobertPlant]

but what would happen if Obama does exactly what we here say? He could end up losing a lot of states like North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, or Nevada which were democratic pick-up states in 2008 that voted for Obama because a lot of independents, moderates, and even some republicans and libertarians voted for him.

[zipplewrath]

1. Why do you say that?

The things for which he is most criticized by the left are things that poll very well, like the public option, or closing Gitmo, or prosecuting torturers, or stopping bonuses at banks we bailed out.

[NC_Nurse]

2. That's what they always say. It's always about the next election. A great excuse to

never have any6 real change and keep the vested interests happy.

There's not much point in voting for Dems if this is all they care about. If you
are afraid to take a stand then you should try lobbying - because that's what you really are, a shill.

[geckosfeet]

3. I don't think he is liberal. But he is infinitely better than anything we have had since Kennedy.

[chillspike]

4. I agree

I say let us, as liberals and progressives, work to whittle down and vote the conservatives out of existence before we hold our representatives feet to the fire. Then, when repubs and conservs are out of the way politically, we will have a more comfortable split between extreme dems and mild dems.


It's a political strategy aimed at getting the kind of power we need to pass everything we want without major repercussions or loosing control of power but the fair weather dem voters don't get it.

It's better than voting the repubs back in..We know they damn sure won't back our causes.

[Nite Owl]

5. Urr, NO

First: off noone likes his corporatism, right, left or middle. the only ones benefitting are the corporations.
Second: the public option was VERY popular, even single payer would have polled well if it were presented with leadership.
Third: he was elected on what he said during the campaign, people wanted "hope and change" and it isn't what they got.

[Go2Peace]

18. +1

[katandmoon]

6. This person who doesn't think he's liberal enough ain't ever voting for him again. Maybe a Repug

Will pick up my slack.

[polichick]

7. That's what DLC types want us to believe...

But the truth is liberal/progressive Dems have always been on the right side of history - on the side of the vast majority of Americans, on the side of expanding civil rights, women's rights, environmental protection, advanced technologies, etc.

Our populist message just needs to be packaged a lot better - and delivered in a strong sure voice.

[phleshdef]

8. Its because people here are so in love with their own ideology that they could give a damn about...

...political realities.

They are more than willing to hold Obama accountable for every flaw in the process while ignoring the fact that we never had a majority liberal Senate, that the President does in fact have limited power and that the President is in fact President of the United States of America and not the President of Progressive Liberal Utopia.

[Go2Peace]

12. Strawman, the vast majority who think Obama is too centrist will still vote for him over alternative

I get so tired of people doing this shit.

1. This is just democratic (as in democracy) politics. If we all don't have the right to push for what we want and attempt to influence others we simply DON'T HAVE DEMOCRACY. We have a political dicatatorship.

2. DU is a freaking FORUM. Stop thinking that it is Democrats.com . We are meant to talk and discuss our opinions.

So relax your doggon minds and embrace a forum in a democratic country and talk to people and use your intellect to convince people they are wrong instead of calling them names and whining all the time as a number here do.

[Forkboy]

9. Thus summing up the DLC mindset.

Afraid to stand for anything out of fear of losing.

[Go2Peace]

13. And the DU minority mindset: Don't have alternative opinions on a discussion board

It's not Democratic ? :shrug:

[salguine]

10. Liberal "enough"!?

[lamp_shade]

11. Those same "lot of people" will criticize him no matter what.

[Go2Peace]

15. You forget we live in a Democracy and this is an opinion forum

Seriously, you can relax.

And FYI I will vote for Obama in the next election over a Republican, as I am sure most on this forum would.

There is such a doggon cult of personality here. Parties are always in flux and debating about policies and candidates. That has always been the way in a democracy. The only thing that is *new* is this idea that we all have to all walk in unison.

If we all thought like the minority who is always complaining about others expressing their opinions, we wouldn't have a dynamic party anymore. We would have something more akin to a two party dictarship. I'll take Democracy thanks

[lamp_shade]

23. Keywords: "No matter what".

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. Obama was never and is NOT liberal. If people could just accept that, they wouldn't be so angry.

There was never any evidence that Obama is/was/will be liberal. It was a lie propagated by the right wing and co-opted by the M$M. Too bad that we liberals are so gullible that we even buy into wingnut spin.

[Go2Peace]

17. It doesn't matter. In a Democracy people should expect varied opinions on a *forum*

People seem to forget this is an opinion forum. People's opinions have always varied. We didn't have electronic forums in most past Democratic administrations, but I gaurantee if we did you would find the same thing. Democrats are independent thinkers and this is just the way the party works.

Some here are so naive, the political process happens even within the party structure. That is the way it works. It's part of democracy.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

19. Yes. And I believe that me being liberal makes your point beautifully. Even liberals don't

all think alike and that's the beauty of the party. Diverse opinions sometimes do us in, but it often serves the party well because "The Big Tent" allows all ideologies into it.

[Bluenorthwest]

16. What would happen if the mule went blind, Ma?

Don't worry, the DLC will send us a new mule, son.

[donco6]

20. Gosh, if he just ran as a Republican maybe he'd win all those states!

That'd be perfect

[Dr Morbius]

21. What at the core do liberals believe in?

Government that works.

Obama is being a liberal when he gets things done. He is governing as a liberal. When government actually functions for the people, that's liberalism right there. When government diddles and implements policies which enrich the already well-to-do, that's conservatism.

Liberals may largely agree on some issues and undoubtedly strongly disagree on others, while still remaining liberals. President Obama is not an ideologue. He's a pragmatist. If we want him to move to the left we must push him in that direction. The right is pulling him their way, don'tcha think? Obama will follow the course that leads to accomplishment. That's his nature. If moving right gets more done, he'll probably move right. If we fight for legislation and support our elected leaders when they lean left, the President will follow.

Funny thing about leaders in a democracy; they follow the people. Hint, hint.

[LaydeeBug]

22. bullshit. nt

[jp11]

24. If he believes in liberal idealogy then he is failing otherwise he is being true to his own beliefs.

I feel he had/has a window to do some liberal things like pushing hard for the public option right after getting elected, before/after midterms especially when the 'super majority' existed some things could have been pushed through then he could have taken it 'back' to a more balanced POV. If you are only concerned with the presidential elections he had around 2 years to do some crazy things that might upset middle of the road people then could work to win them back with things they like and from a less liberal view.

Pretty much any way you look at it I doubt the republicans were going to sit on their hands and be out of power, whether he got a liberal agenda done or not, so not doing it runs the risk of having independents who blow in the wind turning to republicans or simply not coming out to vote along with any liberals who lost faith in him, not voting at least. Toss in the way democrats let republicans shape the arguments and don't stand up to defend their ideas and you'll have democrats getting hit here and there. You also have how the average 'Joe' looks on the legislative and executive branches being controlled by the same party as a bad thing because then they'll do whatever they want, except that isn't really how the democrats do it, they are often in my mind too weak/sane to do so.

[Vinca]

25. I have to laugh every time I hear some Republican pundit

blabber on about how Obama is so liberal. Liberal . . . right. So liberal he put the kabosh on single-payer before the debate started and served us up to big insurance. I knew he wasn't a far leftie like me, but I had no idea he was to the right of Dwight Eisenhower. If I knew then what I know now, I might have supported Hillary.

[freddie mertz]

26. Obama was new enough in 2008 to run as a kind of blank slate.

His ideological stance was murky, framed by inspiring calls for "Change" and empowerment on the one hand and soothingly "moderate" embrace of bi-partisanship and consensus-building.

Since then, he has amassed a record, and it is that record that is complicating things.

[tekisui]

27. They would see effective leadership and support him.

Results grow support.