Many of my friends in this group have been bitterly disappointed in Obama's performance over the past two years. At one meeting there was a woman crying over the fact that she was a progressive and had expected a great deal more from the Obama Administration.
We had a mandate for change in 2008 - but not enough for U-Turn
Admittedly, I too had expected far more than what we got. I felt that with the democratic sweep there was enough of a mandate for change that we would push through a lot of legislation in the first two years of this administration and set about the business of steering the country back on the right course. Certainly, the middle and working classes had been hammered by the terrible policies of the previous administration and often I wish we could have gone back in time and have a redo of the Bush vs. Gore election of 2000. Certainly, the country would be in a much better place had Bush not been handed the White House by the Supreme Court.
However, given the tone in the country right now - I have to say this much - just as the republicans are overstepping their "mandate from the 2010 election - we progressives overestimated our own mandate by a long, long shot. It was a mandate for change, but not a 180-degree turn. Further, we underestimated the severity of the corruption that had become entrenched during the past 30 years of supply-side economics and had been solidified by eight years of Bush-Cheney.
Eyes on the prize…
I'm hearing a lot of people on-line espouse the virtues of a 3rd party candidate in the next cycle. For God's sake! Will these dreamers ever learn? Don't they remember Nader? Ralph Nader was the spoiler in 2000 that made the conflict in Florida possible. He is just as responsible for putting Bush in the White House as the Supreme Court and hanging chads.
So what prize should we keep our eyes on? The Supreme Court of course! If Obama does not get a second term and conservative or God forbid- a tea party candidate wins the White House, the Supreme Court could be stacked with radical conservatives for the next 20-30 years….
Think on that when you listen to the State of the Union address tonight. You may think Obama is appeasing the right - but he is playing to the mainstream - as is necessary. Remember - the republicans are grossly overstepping their mandate. Let's not overstep ours.
Meanwhile - watch this video by Lawrence Lessig...It's long but worth the time. He shows why we didn't really win as big as 2008 as we thought.
© 2011 RMG Hicks - http://therobberbaroneconomy.com - All rights reserved.
Well said. Have a good time at your party. There's something nice about the very words, "Progressive Party". Cletis
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