Friday, September 02, 2011

Obama Disappoints Yet Again

I think it is fair to say that Obama has been a major disappointment to the left. That is not surprising as it is nearly impossible to be a leftist in DC these days, unless you are marching in the streets. But I also think it is fair to say that he has been a disappointment to progressives as well. From the continued wars overseas, to his failure to end the Bush tax cuts, to his acquiescence to Republicans on issue after issue (even as they refuse to compromise on any of his proposals) has made this presidency a failure for pushing the country away from the center-right. The latest decision, to scupper stronger air quality regulations (New York Times), is just the most recent in a relatively paltry record on the environment. 

Many have argued in recent years that it is impossible to be a progressive president in the contemporary environment. I think there is a lot of truth in that claim, though I would add that it is also true that no Democrat has seemed to have the backbone to do so either. One wonders why Clinton, who was essentially a better Republican than most Republicans, didn't take advantage of his second term to actually enact some of the more progressive social policies he endorsed? Instead media, banking and prison reform helped paved the way for the problems that followed. The great hope with Obama was that he would talk to the American public in a way that made more progressive ideas resonate. Instead, he has failed to capture the public imagination, or its hearts or minds, and thus fails to find supporters for his policies.

If he defies predictions (although not from all) and actually wins reelection, one hopes he will finally get tough and actually enact some progressive legislature to turn the economy around, stop the destructive practices of corporations and work to restore public faith in government -- and thus our democracy itself. There is no greater danger than cynicism, and that is what is reigning supreme in America today.

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