Look, I sure don't like what is happening in this country right now...

[WCGreen]

Especially the perception that president Obama is weak and so ineffectual as a progressive.

The thing is I get the anger, I get the whole thing about perceived betrayal to the core values of the progressive movement.

I think some market people might tag this as buyers remorse.

But bear with me for a moment of two.

What I think happened is that the conservatives so dominated the airways in post 9/11 America that they were given free reign by not only the media but by the American people as a whole.

And since politicians are usually a "cowardly lot", an early Batman comic reference, they gave the wounded psyche of Americans what it wanted at the expense of the core values of the AMerican democracy.

The same thing happened after the conservative meltdown in the 2006 as the AMerican people seemed to have woken up from their terror stupor.

They wanted a new face. They valued a vision. They wanted change they could believe in.

Along came Barack Obama and the projection started.

We have no one to blame for the meltdown of the so-called progressive agenda than those who believed in the man who promised a new way in Washington. He had such a vague record of accomplishments that we all could paint this man in anyway we wanted him to appear.

Of course he took advantage of this situation, he is, after all, a politician.

But once in office, president Obama started to act like the neighborhood organizer instead of the strong leader. He has gotten tons of stuff done for our side, all of it documented along the way. But when it came to the big ticket stuff, the wars, the change in how we tax people, stuff to stimulate the economy, he adopted the consensus building exercise that is the preferred tool of neighborhood organizers.

But since the game seems to be all or nothing these days in DC, no one wants to build a winning coalitions. They want to win. all or nothing. Balls to the wall.

Again, I don't blame president Obama. I blame all of us who projected our hopes and dreams onto this man.

We wanted to believe in a leader who would fight to the end for us. Instead we have a man who is willing to compromise in order to fight another day.

That may work at the neighborhood level. But it sure doesn't work when the guys on the other side of the table are willing to go the distance for what they believe.

But I have to say this, as of tonight and all through the election in 2012, I will work for and vote for president Obama. The flip side is just not an option.

After all, I am, as our president is, a forward looking guy.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Well, good for you.

I have a lot of trouble looking forward these days. I feel very discouraged about our prospects with him.

I just don't see Obama working for our best interests. Maybe he never did. At least not the big issues...

I will not send money. I may not vote for him. I will just have to see how all this plays out.

I do respect your thinking here.

Recommended.

[WCGreen]

2. Well, Peggy, I look at the alternative and think that perhaps we should

take this one and start working for a democratic candidate for 2016 who is a progressive.

Just remember, president Obama will be naming some Supreme Court Justices in his second term.

If you vote for him for only one reason that should be your reason.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Ah, your points are well taken.

Esp. about the Supreme Court.

And there are some good progressive candidates out there.

I've even heard Sherrod Brown's name mentioned...

[WCGreen]

9. He has to win his sear here in Ohio first...

If you are going to donate to a candidate, this is the one...

I've know Sherrod since I was a page back in the Ohio House back in 1977. He is the real deal.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. I know he is the real deal...

And believe me, I'm on his mailing list, and I have been donating to him.

I'm not sure how much I can contribute, but you likely know. How much can I give him?

[WCGreen]

16. What ever the new cap is $ 2,500 per individual...

[CaliforniaPeggy]

22. Thanks!

[emilyg]

37. 2016 may be too late for

our country.

[WCGreen]

38. I truly believe if a republican gets elected in 2012...

the America we still believe in will be gone.

[emilyg]

40. I think the America I believed

in is almost gone now.

[Kablooie]

35. I believe tha Obama wants to fight for our interests ...

But like the op points out, he's not a battling heavyweight.
He doesn't have the cojones to hang over the edge.
The other side does.

[Morning Dew]

3. I was looking forward

to medicare and social security... now I wonder if I'll ever see either of them.

Mid 50s here and not enough income to retool to do it all myself.

[WCGreen]

5. I understand that completely...

But the way the situation stands now, the alternative to president Obama is not acceptable to me.

[Morning Dew]

10. I hear that. Your point about the Supreme Court is a good one.

It's all very discouraging.

[leftstreet]

4. Obama had four years to work for US

His reelection is shaping up to be a huge yawn

:boring:

[WCGreen]

7. Well, would you rather Bachman pick a few supreme court

justices...

[leftstreet]

11. What will the supremes do about No Jobs, No Healthcare, Losing Homes?

Seriously, if Obama's campaign is down to "supreme court picks OH NOES!!!" he should just give up.

[WCGreen]

15. Citizens United is all I have to say on this....

[leftstreet]

19. Citizens United didn't throw people out of work, out of their homes, off healthcare

I know you mean well, but that's not really a good example

[WCGreen]

23. It is a good example....

Do you think the tea party would have existed in 2010 if not for the Citizens United ruling...

[Dept of Beer]

14. Here comes the fear card.

She's not going to win.

Before Sara Palin was the fear card, but now I see it has move onward and downward.

[leftstreet]

17. No kidding. OMG we could get mandated health insurance and more wars!!!!1111

Ugh. This election season already blows

[WCGreen]

21. Well, all I can say is there really isn't a viable alternative to president Obama...

So I will work to get him another four years.

As I said, the alternative is not acceptable.

[leftstreet]

24. If there's no viable alternative, he doesn't need our help

People will vote for him, or they won't, but he'll be CEO for the next four years

[WCGreen]

18. Okay then substitute Romeny or Pawlenty or Gingrich....

[Dept of Beer]

25. Or Obama.

I am waiting to see what happens to SS and medicare.

I won't say any more than that until it happens.

[emilyg]

39. This is not working for me - this fear thing.

[UrbScotty]

27. He's had 2 1/2 years. Not even that.

That's 38% less than 4 years.

[WCGreen]

29. Good point...

And that is another reason why I am going to vote for him in 2012...

[Dept of Beer]

8. In essence what you just said is that you blame us for being suckers.

Your words: "Of course he took advantage of this situation, he is, after all, a politician."

He campaigned on issues that are at the core of the progressive movement and you again blame us: "Again, I don't blame president Obama. I blame all of us who projected our hopes and dreams onto this man."

So after you define him as a politician that took advantage of a situation...of his supporters (who obviously don't know jack), who compromises with an sworn enemy of him (rat-phuck republicans), you then extend an invitation to work on the campaign of a politician you say has taken advantage of you?



Is this sarcasm or flypaper? I'm dumbfounded.

[WCGreen]

12. That wasn't my intent...

we wanted something new, something different from the nightmare years we had just lived through that I think so many embraced senator Obama because of who he was instead of what he had accomplished.

It happens all the time in politics.

[Dept of Beer]

20. His verbal contracts have somewhat been compromised.

Had this been a legal doc between two parties then one might now be suing for breach.


I see this as a breach of political responsibility: hence loss of the trust of the ones who supported him.

[WCGreen]

26. Are you going to not vote for him on 2012...

Look, I would rather have someone else at the top of the ticket but the reality is we are almost certain to have president Obama as our standard bearer in 2012 against a republican who has nothing but utter contempt for people like us.

[Dept of Beer]

28. I will not be placed into a litmus test on loyalty

where the OP stresses that loyalty at the top for the electorate is only an illusion.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1470535&mesg_id=1470680

[WCGreen]

30. Illusions are extremely important in politics....

And once an illusion is created, it is difficult to refute.

[Dept of Beer]

33. That is so jaded an answer that I can not take you seriously.

[WCGreen]

36. That, of course, is your prerogative...

[Honeycombe8]

31. Obama is NOT a progressive! I wish everyone would understand that!

People keep talking about Obama being a progressive, or that he had campaigned as a progressive, etc., etc.

He did NOT campaign as a progressive. And he is not now a progressive.

I'm perplexed as to why anyone would think he was. Is it because he's part Af. American, that you ASSUME he was/is progressive? Or because he was against the Iraq War? Or because he was for healthcare reform? Just what IS it that you guys think made you believe he was a progressive?

I was for Obama from the start. I followed his campaign fairly closely. I saw every debate. I watched his campaign speeches on TV. I knew, ABSOLUTELY KNEW, that he was a moderate. He was against the Iraq War, but FOR the Afghanistan War. His idol former Presidents were Abe Lincoln and REAGAN. Remember when that ticked Bill Clinton off? He stressed over and over that he was a COMPROMISOR, someone who would work with the other side to get legislation passed. He was for healthcare reform, but NEVER STRESSED THE PUBLIC OPTION...I think he only mentioned it, or it was a minor provision in his bill that was on his website. He wanted to see UNIVERSAL COVERAGE in the country...that means health insurance for everyone. He did NOT say that he wanted the government to pay for it. That does NOT mean single payer, which is what the Republicans spinned his statement to mean. He said more than once that HE WOULD CHOOSE REPUBLICANS TO BE IN HIS CABINET AND/OR STAFF, like Lincoln did. He did NOT want Social Security privatized, but I don't think he ever said that it didn't need tweeking in order to be viable in the future. He may have said that, but I don't recall that.

I'm not saying that he hasn't turned out to be different from his campaign days. He has...and not in a good way, in some ways. But he was NEVER a progressive, and never presented himself to be one.

I voted for him. I voted for a moderate Democrat. His views weren't that different from Hillary's. She's a moderate, too.

[WCGreen]

32. I understand that completely....

He wasn't my first choice. I preferred Edwards and then Clinton.

Mrs WCGreen worked hard on his campaign. I couldn't due to health issues, but all of the people I met that were working on the campaign truly believed he was a progressive.

Perception in politics is more often than not stronger than reality.

[Zorra]

34. Didn't you mean "a man who is willing to compromise in order to

capitulate another day"?

[provis99]

41. so would you vote for Hitler or Stalin? Which is the lesser of two evils?

[WCGreen]

43. Oh please with the hyperbole....

[AlabamaLibrul]

42. You don't like the PERCEPTION that Obama is weak and ineffectual as a progressive?

How about hit up the guy that causes that perception.