Progressives Against Obama... Danger!

It should come as no surprise to readers of this blog that I'm somewhat disenchanted with President Obama.  I have no doubt that he is intelligent and that he is thoughtful.  I certainly don't doubt that he is patriotic.  However, many believe that he suffers from being too pragmatic.  The famed White House reporter Helen Thomas said yesterday on NPR that she believes that he lacks courage.  Perhaps this is a reflection of being too pragmatic?  However much we progressives may grumble -- and however much this grumbling may be warranted -- we should remember something: the election of 2000 and the alternatives to Obama.  America is far from perfect.  Obama is far from perfect.  Be this as it may, it could be much more bleak.  On this front, I think a reader post by JG on TPM today is worth reposting here in full.

I've been getting really depressed lately about politics. I was at first depressed because the public option was dying, but now I'm much more depressed because of the anti-Obama frenzy I've been seeing coming from progressives.

I don't know if these progressives are not old enough or simply have chosen to forget the year 2000, but there was a sizable disenchantment on the left with the Democratic mainstream then as well. And it manifested itself as both lack of enthusiasm for Gore and a movement for Nader. The lesson is clear -- if you're not willing to settle for a moderate and fight for a Gore, then you will get eight years of a Bush. I hate to think who that Bush could be in the next cycle.

But, but, but, Obama is so disappointing! Sure. I get it. And we should let him know it. But withdrawing support from Obama? When he has to deal with birthers, and tea partiers, and beckites, and the assorted nuts du jour? It's bound to backfire. There is absolutely no upside to vitriol against Obama, and there is so much downside. Think of how much better off this country would be if we had a centrist, semi-corporate-friendly Democratic president from 2000 to 2008. Not ideal by a long shot, sure. But we lost so much in those years. Another Republican future scares me.

The myth of the equivalency of the parties, that it will be easier to make things better if we let them get worse -- these are the most dangerous ideas to us at this point. It's the biggest threat to my hope, at least.

As always, I encourage you to hit the source site in full: TPM.

17 December 2009