Obama Gets Caught Off Base

While driving to Philly to visit my parents for News Years weekend, my partner Jerry and I were listening to an African-American-interest show on NPR. There was a segment called From the Barbershop and they were reviewing both the year and the decade past. One of commentators noted that the actor Danny Glover recently stated that he didn't see much of a diffference between the policiies of Barack Obama and George W. Bush. The commentator said Hollywood people should not talk about politics and that included Spike Lee. But Glover's disillusion with Obama lead me to think about why the "left-wing base"--and there is one, it's just not as vocal or nasty as the right wing base and they don't dress up in 1776 costumes and throw tea parties, maybe they should--is disappointed with the president.

The left base is angry because Obama is turning out to be too much like every other president--he makes noises to appease those who elected him and then in order to get any legislation done, he compromises with the opposite side and winds up governing to the middle--which, like it or not, is where most of the country is ideologically. The voters who were enthuiastic for Obama from the very beginning of his candidacy loved him because they took his talk of change literally. They thought if he were president, he'd close Gitmo immediately, withdraw all the troops from both Iraq and Afghanistan (although he never said he would do the latter), repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, get at least a public option for health care if not single-payer, and give all their children college scholarships and run in a marathon and win every event in the Olympics all at the same time.

These idealist Democrats rejected Hillary Clinton because they thought she represented "old" Washington. She wouldn't stand for anything, she'd just get stuff done and how boring is that? I voted for Mrs. Clinton in the NY primary because I thought she would make the better president--she had been in the White House and in the Senate and she knew how the game is played. You cosy up to your opponents (she's friends with McCain) and give them something in return for what you need. Now Obama is doing the same thing--look at the all the compromises in health care, Nebraska's getting everything for free just because their senator wouldn't vote for it otherwise. The extreme left is all downhearted because Obama is playing the game. It would take a truly revolutionary person to change Washington--and they don't always succeed. Woodrow Wilson ruined his presidency and his health, suffering a stroke when he tried to get America to take a leadership position and join the League of Nations. Lincoln saved the country from disunion, but gave his life.

Obama's popularity is slipping because he's playing for the middle and is pissing off both extreme left and right. It's interesting there were parallel situations in both Congress over health care and Copenhagen over climate change with negotations producing results which made all parties angry. He accepted the Nobel Peace Prize yet maintained the importance of military force when necessary. Obama is trying for a balancing act and it's a difficult task. I hope he strikes the right balance so the Republicans can't use him as a target to make gains in the House and Senate and possibly take back the White house in 2012. Progressives need to grow up and realize nothing gets done with some compromises.