Must read CNN article-The Sweep: What went wrong for the Democrats

[Politics_Guy25]

Fascinating analysis by Gloria Borger of CNN, who seems middle of the road.

Basically, her thesis is that President Obama tried to sweep away the Reagan revolution too soon and too quickly. Don't forget that a significant portion of the US lives in right-wing kook land. President Obama's agenda was so sweeping and involved so much change that you had the inevitable blowback.

What he should have done was implemented the same agenda but far slower. Perhaps over 4-6 years. Not 2 years. He also should have focused exclusively on the economy. Most voters are too stupid to understand that fixing health care will fix the economy as well.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/10/06/gloria.borger.sweep/index.html

Key snippet:
Obama was elected as the corrective to the Bush years. Yet when you're the winner, the temptation is always there to see yourself as something more than just an alternative -- something larger, like a paradigm-changer or a transformational political figure. And Obama wanted nothing less than a change from conservatism to his own brand of 21st century activism.

"When you win an election," says political scientist Bill Galston, "you are always inclined to believe you won for the reasons you wanted to win."

In other words, you believe you won for the big stuff, not just because the voters didn't like the other guy.

And when you win with a large majority, it's more enticing. If the political control is universal -- as in, the White House as well as both houses of Congress -- the power is an aphrodisiac, feeding both the agenda and political ambition. There's a sense there may never be another chance to do what needs to be done, and that may be rational.

The question, of course, is always the time frame. In other words, did Obama need to do it all at once? And, in the end, was the overarching ambition -- no matter how understandable -- ultimately self-defeating?


So despite what many on DU would have you believe, i.e., that President Obama comes from the same ideology as Bush and Reagan, serious politial scientists like Ms. Borger, will tell you otherwise, and in the end, it was his desire to implement sweeping change so quickly that has brought this situation about.

Slow and steady wins the race. The W.H. should have known that.

[dionysus]

1. if it was any slower DUers would be ten times as pissed as they are now.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

27. I was just about to say something similar

:eyes:

Obama didn't even run on a platform of totally reversing the so-called "Reagan Revolution" and/or turning us into a truly "Socialist" state. He ran on making government more fair and more effective and holding corporations more accountable for their shenanigans. He had to take some rather extraordinary (but not unconstitutional) measures such as continuing TARP and bailing out Ford and GM to help keep the country from sinking into another "Great Depression" but virtually nothing that he has done or advocated for so far has AFAIK altered the fundamental (private) structure of our financial and/or health care system in this country- despite what the Republican Tea Party have been falsely claiming.

[dionysus]

31. right, tebaggers think he's mao and half of Du thinks he's a hard RWer

[Proud Liberal Dem]

34. Or, as is more often the case here at DU, he's a CORPORATIST!!!!

:eyes:

It's interesting how two distinct groups of people could have such diametrically opposing views of President Obama- and then some of us don't see him as being EITHER way. :shrug:

[joeybee12]

2. Um, Gloria Borger is fairly right wing...

and she's way off base on this.

[DrToast]

4. This too. Calling Borger middle of the road is laughable.

[Whisp]

22. I could hardly read after that line.... middle of the road

HA!

she twists in the wind every direction to harp at the dems and make light of the horrifics of the pugs.

[JamesA1102]

49. Well said nt

[DrToast]

3. What a load of horseshit

When the economy tanks, there is very little any politician can do to hold their approval ratings.

Obama's approval being in the mid 40s is actually quite astonishing given the unemployment rate.

[pscot]

44. I didn't realize

Borger is a complete idiot.

[closeupready]

5. Nonsense. She's advancing the Republican argument - contradicted recently in polling - that

for example, health care reform went "too far" when in fact, most people say it didn't go far enough.

I have no idea where Borger is politically, but I'd presume, based upon what we know, that she's as right-wing as most of the other overpaid newsreaders are in the mainstream media.

[Mass]

6. Classic Washington talk. From people who think they know America because they talk with their

colleagues in DC.

[chimpymustgo]

54. Typical CLUELESS Beltway insider.

[RandomThoughts]

7. Not true. That approach is how 1 step forward, 2 steps back is done.

And they really have not gone that fast, fast is letting the banks collapse, and exposing all the criminal activity.

Although I would guess they are doing pretty good, since they are mostly good people, with good objectives from what they say, and try to get done.

[JuniperLea]

8. If he had moved any more slowly...

Movement would have been imperceivable.

You're wrong about Ms. Gloria... she's way right wing... fringy even. I'm not sure where you got the notion she was left leaning.

And the Democrats will not be swept... and this election has zero to do with Obama. All RW talking points you should know.

[DJ13]

9. That sounds like another "he went too fast" propaganda piece

The voters WANTED fast in 08.

They expected changes when a campaign is based on "change".

The inside the beltway folks (like Borger) prefer stasis to any real change.

[LonePirate]

10. There is nothing slow and steady about the Republicans' destruction of America.

Obama should have persuaded Reid to reform the filibuster back in January 2009 and then the Dems should have rammed through all sorts of change legislation, a lot of which the House has passed. Now that would be a record of accomplishment and hope the Dems could be proud of this cycle.

[stopbush]

11. One must ignore the crisis the economy was in to believe Obama should have moved slower.

The WH had to make moves on the economy or risk a meltdown. They had to deliver on HCR because they ran on it. And HCR is a part of a long-term economic policy.

Sometimes "sweeping change" is nothing more than an over-the-top characterization of what was in reality "necessary actions so the whole thing didn't end up in the toilet."

[Vincardog]

12. The People wanted MORE radical CHANGE not tinkering around the edges. The Key snippet: is BS

[WCGreen]

13. Take a look Gloria, the Derivative markets are clogged with cash

again...

People are still being denied health care coverage and can't buy into a plan until sometime in the distant fuzzy future...

One war is stalemated with only a ceremonial withdrawal of troops while the other is spilling into a third country...

Campaign funding is exploding with right wing money and "god: is still firmly ensconced in almost every fucking political debate....

Yea, Slow down whiz kid...

These fucking people are morons

[Politics_Guy25]

14. The polls largely don't back that up

There was support for the public option to be sure but as far as stimulus, health care, etc., pluarlities said it went too far. It's not right. I support single-payer let alone the public option but that's just how people felt.

The truth is that Mccain was very much in the race all year until the 9/15 economic crash. President Obama got elected because of the economy only. He was trailing in most post-convention polls. He was elected exclusively because of the economy and, to a lesser extent, Iraq.

The better solution would have been to build up capital by fixing the economy. Then, once you have the 'Obama recovery', then implement HCR, etc, AND POST RECOVERY OBAMA HCR would have been FAR stronger.

Perhaps even approaching single payer.

[WCGreen]

35. I think he did the right thing because he knew the GOP's lust for power

would over shine any inkling of "partisanship" they might have had.

He knew going in that this was going to be his one shot.

No matter what he did they would call it Socialism.

Do you really think that Dick Army wasn't putting together the ground work for the "tea Party movement long before the first absentee ballot was cast...

[DJ13]

38. as far as stimulus, health care, etc., pluarlities said it went too far

As far as stimulus it wasnt too far, it was too far tilted in only helping the Wall St class instead of targeting stimulus at the average person, which would have been more stimulative to the whole economy.

Health care, same thing, too far in binding our system to the insurance industry instead of increasing options by instituting a competing public option to reduce costs and lessen the grip of the for profit insurers.

Can you spot the trend running through those two examples?

[Blue Owl]

15. Counterpoint: What went right for the GOP

[Politics_Guy25]

17. And I'm sorry to have to agree with ANY member of the MSM

But when we are staring into the abyss of electoral catastrophe, explanations must be found.

[Whisp]

23. get off the ledge. There will be no electoral catastrophe...

It's the Gloria's that are saying that, it's not reality.

[OHdem10]

16. Borger comes at this from a Republican Perspective.

I was thinking about this recently. While I am not completely
satisfied with HCR, if Obama had not done this early it would
never have been passed.

It is in inevitable historically that the President's Party
loses seats in the Midterm. The only one who did not was FDR.
(FDR had been able to capture the public, get them on his side
and say these are the plans I want to try. He then asked the
American people to put enough Democrats in office to help him
try his plans.) It worked. That was a special case.

Democrats losing seats means Republicans gain. Therefore
if he waited on Health Care Reform, the Republicans would
have more members to fight him and push the Blue Dogs farther
right.

On Wall Street Reform--Same thing. The Republicans are running
on repealing Wall Street Reform.

I do not agree with Borger. If I had say where Democrats went
wrong. Too cautious with the Stimulus Bill. Many Economists
believe it should have been larger. A larger stimulus would have
possibly put more people to work and kept the Unemployment Number
in some sort of check. Being able to claim the stimulus failed
has put the Republicans where they are.

[Politics_Guy25]

18. I do agree with that-the stimulus should have been

far larger as Paul Krugman has said but I really do think it was the HCR debacle that created this GOP resurgence. Perhaps with a 1 trillion + stimulus though and the economy in recovery, HCR wouldn't have been a debacle.

[rocktivity]

19. The Sweep? Obama has been swept already?

I must have slept through the midterm elections--I thought they were a month away. And look at that "sad sack" pic--Nancy looks SO pale.

I guess CNN's new CEO (formerly of the Headline News Network) has decided to stay the Fox News Lite course.

:eyes:
rocktivity

[FrenchieCat]

20. Never, ever believe the Corporate media.....period.

They are not there to help you or me or the Democrats or Pres. Obama.

Once you understand these facts, you will realize that this OP didn't even
need to be posted, because anyone who wants to see what Corporate pundit Borger has to say
can simply watch Corporate CNN on a daily basis....and I'm hoping no one here is doing that,
as doing so could be dangerous to a viewer's mental health. Seriously.

The fact that you state that this is a "Must Read" tells us where you are coming from,
and that ain't necessarily from a good place, unfortunately for you and for us. :thumbsdown:

[Whisp]

45. I believe media like I did when they supported Bush and his lies

Why would they suddenly become truthful and without agenda?

i don't get how so many here suddenly believe these media professional lieing assholes.

[Ozymanithrax]

21. If he tried to dereaganize the U.S., he would have first...

re regulated everything. Reagan's most enduring and corrosive legacy is deregulation. He has made only modest attempts at re regulating anything.

Not surprised that a right wing idiot is wrong.

Considering the makeup of the House and Senate, he did quite a bit, which is to say only a tiny bit.

[Raine1967]

24. For someone who wants Obama to slow down, she's awful quick to declare

the Dems as a lost cause.

She might want to wait until AFTER election day.

[subterranean]

25. What sweeping changes did he make, besides health care?

Even that wasn't as sweeping as most of us would have liked.

What other big programs has he taken on that weren't focused on the economy? The stimulus package, which included tax cuts? Cash for Clunkers? The bailout of the auto industry? Extensions of unemployment benefits? All directly related to the economy. Re-regulation of the financial sector was a direct response to the problems that caused the recession.

So what are all these sweeping changes she's talking about?
Help me out here. I'm drawing a blank.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Well, there's these......

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009

The Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act

Omnibus Public Lands Management Act

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009

End of 22-Year Discriminatory Travel Ban

Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act

Stopping Conflict-related Sexual Violence Against Women and Children

The UN, Women & Girls

New policy steps towards Cuba

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia

Turkey, Armenia sign historic accord

New rules raising fuel standard requirements.

New rules to regulate coal air pollution

New sulfur dioxide emissions limits

New rules to limit water pollution from mining.

VA is making it easier for veterans to get help for PTSD.

HHS announces first national strategy for HIV/AIDS.

Federal Medical Leave Act extended by Department of Labor to include same-sex relationships.

Executive order reversing stem cell ban.

Prevent hospitals from denying visitation privileges to same-sex partners.

Reversed the "Mexico City Policy"

Banning antibiotics in livestock production

LGBT-Inclusive Sexual Education

Fair Sentencing Act

Enforcing the National Voter Registration Act for the first time in its 15-year history

Appointing Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court

International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission

The Tribal Law and Order Act

Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act

Ending the combat mission in Iraq

Strict Rules for Regulators on Ties to the Oil Industry

No more exemptions from environmental studies for deep drilling

Plus.....how are you going to "ignore" what was done for the economy?
Why wouldn't those measures count?

[subterranean]

37. I'm not ignoring what was done for the economy...

the author of the article seemed to be saying that because Obama made too many sweeping changes all at once, he took his eyes off the economy. It seems to me that he did focus a lot on the economy. Most of the other things he did were not radical changes, but were what I consider part of the ordinary business of government. Unlike the writer of this article, I think we should expect our government to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We don't have to put everything else on hold because we're in a recession.

But thanks for the list. I was not aware of some of those changes.

[jeanpalmer]

51. Really that's what I'm wondering too

All the things you listed were natural responses to a depression, that should have sailed through without much opposition. Extension of unemployment benefits, for example. Who would have guessed that there would be difficulty extending unemployment benefits? And yet in the end, Obama and the Dems had a hard time getting even that through. Simply amazing. That's how marginally effective they were. They were not eager to stand up for what they believed in, um, I guess the problem is they don't really believe in those things very strongly anymore.

[old mark]

26. How slow did she want-ten years? This is the same "argument" used in the

late '60's against civil rights legislation - Not yet, slow down, it's not the right time...

It will never be "time", and it will never be done at all using this formula. this is the old Republican stall tactic - lets take the healthcare bill back and start over again, and look at everything from the beginning...

No, Obama if anything was too timid in his first 2 years. I only hope Democrats vote him enough congressional support in this election to make some of the changes stronger and make the Democratic Party what it should be again - liberal/left/progressive.

Rather than sit home, take over.

mark

[AldebTX]

28. It Pisses Me Off We are Calling It A Sweep

The Damn election hasn't happened YET.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

29. They must have already counted the votes themselves

The votes just haven't been publicly reported.....yet. :shrug:

[Aramchek]

32. Borger is a complete hack. She used to try to keep up a moderate facade. No longer.

[Jane Austin]

33. Gloria Borger is a political scientist?

She's been a conventional-wisdom hack for decades and her mugging for the camera all that time hasn't helped a bit.

She used to be a mainstay on PBS's Washington Week in Review, and would always supply the conventional wisdom to anything they discussed.

[vaberella]

36. Dude, Fox called Christine O'Donnell a Republican Strategist in 2007.

Anyone is a political scientist at this point.

[JoePhilly]

39. The media adds right wing opposition and left wing opposition to Obama and then ...

concludes that Obama is going too far.

Every time a poll about any policy is discussed, they lump opposition from the left with the insane opposition from the far right, and they use it to claim that Obama is going too far.

Even Democrats on TV fall for it ... too often they start off what the don;t like about an Obama policy, and then try to work backwards to say why the GOP is wrong.

Democrats and liberals are constantly loading the gun that the GOP uses to shoot us.

Meanwhile, the GOP understands politics, they repeat their talking points and never give an inch.

All of our infighting weakens us.

[woo me with science]

40. Missed the point entirely. People want someone to represent them.

Majority against bailouts. Check.

Majority against this health insurance bill. Check.

Majority for relief from joblessness and corporate raiding of our wallets. Check.

People are tired of having their real needs ignored, of having legislation they DON'T want shoved down their throats, and of being told to be grateful for it.

[AlinPA]

41. Gloria Borger "middle of the road"? You are joking.

[and-justice-for-all]

42. Bullshit...nt

[FrenchieCat]

43. must.not.read.cnn

[impik]

46. Obama did *exactly* what he said he'll do. This country

is just too stupid. People had no idea what they voted for, they were not listening during the campaign - including some so called progressives - they thought they elected a Messiah, their own magic negro. And when he started to do exactly what he said he'll do, suddenly the same people, from both sides, are SHOCKED!

DU nonsense aside, this is one of the most progressives presidents ever, and if he'll go home in 2012, the country - and the world - will lose. Not Obama.

[depakid]

47. Not sure what planet you've been on

But dealing away the public option, adopting mandates and condoning torture, etc., etc., weren't what "he said he'd do."

[JamesA1102]

48. Gloria Borger is not middle of the road

She is a RW shill and has been since her days at CBS.

[golfguru]

50. Health care is not fixed....if it was costs would not be escalating

My premiums are going up 30% starting January 2011. Hospital charges
and doctor's charges keep going up just as fast as before HCR was passed.

The only thing fixed is profits of private for profit health care insurers.
There is no public option to compete with private corporations. There is no
restriction on how high premiums, and other costs can inflate every year.
Can't buy prescription drugs from Canada. Can't buy insurance across state
lines. No reform of frivolous mal-practice suits.

[jeanpalmer]

52. Never mentioned the war

LOL. As if that weren't an issue. Obliquely mentioned Guantanamo. She exposes herself as a RW warmonger when she doesn't list the war as a problem for him. It's like discussing LBJ's problems and not mentioning the Vietnam War. You have to be a hardcore rightist for whom the war escalation was a great thing, to just totally disregard it like that.

But that's true of all the people, right and left, who say Obama has done so much and acted so fast. For them, the war is not a major issue. Droning people is not an issue. Assassin squads are not an issue. War is never on their list of (non)accomplishments.

And yet the wars are a major reason for the Dem's poor showing. Many people -- liberal and independent -- have been completely turned off by the escalation. It represents failure on many fronts -- not just failure to stop the war, but continuance of the insane spending on defense, the bankrupting of our finances, the insensitivity to the people Obama is attacking, the failure to confront the wer criminals and torturers. This issue goes very deep, to the heart of the falling support for Obama and the Dems. And yet, she doesn't mention it. But she's typical of our MSM which has stood by both Bush and Obama in support of the mythical war on terror.

[Hekate]

53. She's grave-dancing so she can look all serious. But the corpse in question is still alive & kicking

Gloria Borger is one of those who live inside the Beltway Bubble, schmooze on the Capitol Cocktail Circuit, and otherwise think they have super-special insight because they make their living being clever on television.

On the contrary, that shiny bubble keeps them from seeing what is really going on in the country -- and in the mind of someone like Barack Obama. Obama's administration is not fitting into their preset narrative, and never has.

Gloria Borger irritates me, but I never feel better informed when she's done talking.

edited to add: The damn election has not happened yet! Does she have an "in" with the electronic vote fraud machine people?

Hekate

[Kind of Blue]

55. Slow and steady, my ass. Change can't come

soon enough but we have to slog through it. Borger needs to learn how to keep up. Ridiculous analysis so early in the process after 30years of whittling away progress :grr: I've hardly ever unrec but this article deserves it.