How to lose your progressive base, 101

1. Don't use your Democratic House and Senate majorities to pass health care reforms. Spend so much time attempting to be 'bi-partisan' that every progressive element gets stripped out of the health care bill... and still end up without any Republican support.

2. After watching the Democratic Party completely fail at getting a Democrat elected in one of the most Democratic states in the country due to gross incompetence, say this.

3. In a year in office, make no substantial steps toward getting rid of Don't Ask Don't Tell and DOMA.
3a. Stand idly by while Cindy McCain (wtf?!) becomes the new face of the marriage equality movement.

4. Continue Bush-era policies like bailing out Wall Street (to the tune of $1 trillion) and sending tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan.

5. Promise to close Guantanamo Bay and make very, very little progress.

6. Publish an article in Newsweek that says this: "For decades, America's leadership has been founded in part on the fact that we do not use our power to subjugate others, we use it to lift them up—whether it was rebuilding our former adversaries after World War II, dropping food and water to the people of Berlin, or helping the people of Bosnia and Kosovo rebuild their lives and their nations."
Mr President, you know darn well that's not true and I don't believe that you're even buying your own bullshit.


Yet despite all of this, I think Frank Schaeffer's column is absolute rubbish. Yes, we on the left are frustrated and disappointed in the Obama administration. And yes, many on the left in Massachusetts stayed home, resulting in the Brown election. But to act as though we are impatient - as if an entire year wasn't enough time to accomplish more than the Obama administration has (especially in regard to health care!) is just plain false. Heath care doesn't need to be 'perfect now' as Schaeffer asserts - but something should be passed by now! And saying that Obama hasn't moved quickly enough on gay rights (he hasn't) because of the mess he was left by Bush only serves to convolute the issues - these two political agendas (gay rights and cleaning up Bush's mess(es!)) are not intertwined. Perhaps one is further up Obama's political agenda than the other (as is obviously the case), but it is certainly within the realm of possibility to pursue both at the same time!

I was rooting for Obama, I really was (see my posts from after the inauguration for proof). As a 'lefty' and progressive I really, really wanted him to do well. I wanted CHANGE. One year on - there isn't enough for me. Maybe I'm being greedy, but I was promised more.

That all being said, had I been able to vote in the Massachusetts election I absolutely would have went to the polls for Coakley - because I accept that despite my disappointments, this is reality. The 37% of people in this poll who reportedly voted for Obama, said that Democrats in Washington DC aren't doing enough to challenge Republican policies and then voted for Scott Brown (a Republican!) are clearly off their rockers... and those who stayed home (39%) should realize that rather than become apathetic, using their frustration and anger to get more Democrats elected would be far more productive.

I'm going to end here because my battery died after writing that last sentence, it's now 2 hrs later and I don't remember what was coming next... but rest assured there will be more to come!