Cenk Uygar: Progressives Have To Move Obama's Island

[njjdem]

So, what can we do? Well, showing him data on where the American people actually stand didn't help at all. Nearly a dozen polls showed overwhelming support for the public option across the country. That didn't budge him. There are now polls showing 40% of Democrats are not going to show up in the 2010 elections because they are so disenchanted. It hasn't even made a dent in Obama. The Washington force field is strong.

So, our only hope is to move the island. We have to move his center. If we can move what he perceives to be the center, he will naturally flow to it. In Lost, when they move the island they move across time. In our case, when we move the island we need to move across the political spectrum.

Right now, Obama perceives the center of the country to be somewhere between Dick Cheney and Harry Reid. Do you know where that leaves him? Joe Lieberman. That's why we're in the sorry shape we're in now.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/how-progressives-can-move_b_402779.html

[Armstead]

1. That is correct -- But be prepared for incoming popcorn from the Centrist Squad

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

11. Were you not the one plying for more civil debate?

This is the exact opposite of that.

[Armstead]

12. I also admitted I'm caught up in the emotional spiral too myself --

But my post above was pretty mild by comparison....A lame attempt at humor

[4dsc]

2. I was just wondering the same thing

Because I'm going to be in the 40% that sits out the 2010 election..

[Howler]

3. Thank you!!!!!!!

now that was well articulated!!!!!

[TomClash]

4. NO YOU HAVE TO MOVE NELSON, LIEBERMAN ETC.

You need votes in the Senate to pass the bill that comes out of conference. That means the Dem holdouts and Repuke supporters. People in their state have to email, write letters and call.

Obama is not the problem.

[sandnsea]

8. No kidding

They don't seem to grasp how a national poll works either. Just because 60% of those polled support something, if 60% in one particular state oppose it, then we've got a problem. And the reason this country stays a country is because justice for all comes from the premise of justice for one, even just one state.

[Greyhound]

15. We need 50 + Biden to pass reconciliation.

And it could be the chance to score a hit, but I'm expecting them to watch the pitch go by.

[stevenleser]

19. Yes, if the OP hadnt been tombstoned, I would ask him (and by extension Cenk)

what they mean by this. Did Obama veto or pass a bill that leads them to believe this? If so, I'd like a link.

[Meshuga]

5. I agree, reason does not seem to work

But I confess that I am closer to not being able to stomach politics anymore than fighting anybody. I'm contemplating whether to just tune out and pull out a George Carlin and just not vote anymore. If I want to help anyone I will have to do it myself as opposed to hoping that politicians will do anything to help.

My time will be much better spent helping others at a soup kitchen, for example, or giving classes to the unemployed so they could improve their skills instead of volunteering for Obama in 2012. My money will be better applied to help some charity feed, clothe, and provide shelter to the poor than throwing my money away by giving it to a political campaign. I am pretty close to being done with politics. Ignorance is a bliss and I am about to accept a nice shell to hide inside for the sake of my health.

[sandnsea]

6. Well fucking duh. Change Minds, Change Votes

You have to change the minds of people in states like Arkansas and Nebraska and Louisiana in order to change where the center is. Because it doesn't matter if the rest of the country is for the public option, no elected official in those states will get elected again if they don't have the support of their constituents.

And there is nothing you can do with Lieberman.

[jefferson_dem]

7. Mornin'... and Welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Cali_Democrat]

13. Dude's gone

That was fast.

[opihimoimoi]

9. Phuck all that shit///Obamaman rules....Joe L bet all in and he lost his ass...so will

mitchy McCongo of the GOPiacs..itd not right/left/center...Obama is plotting whads best for us long term...

The GOPiacs cannot match his Brains....no one in their Squad comes close

The GOP is void of ideas that work....all their predictions/warnings in the past few years have been bait and switch..and in error..

GOP sucks ass big time...

Tell me if Rash don suck ass....lol

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

10. Utterly ignorant of reality. (nt)

[depakid]

16. My guess is that you fail to see the irony in that comment...

[brentspeak]

14. Obama could care less about progressives other than asking for their votes

Many of them gave him their campaign effort and their votes. Now that he's in the White House, he is chuckling at their naivete of actually believing he was some sort of like-minded progressive. The only people who have influence over him and can actually "move" him are Wall St. bankers and major corporation CEOs and their lobbyists.

[treestar]

18. So vote for the Greens or Socialists

The image of Obama chuckling over your disapproval is hilarious. You've jumped the shark.

[treestar]

17. The overall national opinion is modified by the system

If all the supporters are in the liberal or blue states.

The Senate gives the conservatives disproportionate power. Getting anything passed was a miracle.