Obama defines a moderate Republican similar to Eisenhower or Nelson Rockefeller. Tweaking the edges in a moderate way, guided by science, technology and a heartland appreciation of fair play and justice.
A moderate sane Republican would look at the current US health care system and figure out some way to make it work for American people, be humane but still keep it as a profitable business for insurance companies and health care provider corporations. Also to control costs so US corporations such as GM are not destroyed by health care costs that are 10% higher than their foreign competitors. That pretty much defines Obama's health care plan, tweaking the edges vs. real change.
A liberal Democrat would be for a European type of national health program that matched the efficiencey (10% of GDP vs. US 17% of GDP) and humanity (100% coverage, no bankruptcy or your life) of the European system.
A moderate Democrat would be between Obama's moderate GOP and a liberal Democrats Medicare for All European system. The rest of what Obama has done on military, oil/energy, climate, deficit/debt, presidential power all fit the same pattern.
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