Seriously, I've had enough of this. I'm tired how, we're constantly attacking Obama, already, mind you, because he isn't acting progressive enough. People need to realize that we didn't elect Russ Feingold.
I've been thinking about this more and more lately, and coming here recently, just seems to be such a downer. During the election, I was first introduced to Dailykos and found such a great community that was so supporting of a candidate for president of a type which hasn't been seen anywhere else. For disclosure purposes, I am a disaffected republican. Since Obama won the election, there have been pulls from all directions of the aisle, but I would have to say most prominently from the progressive/left. While it's true Obama does owe most of his success to sites such as this, people need to realize what Obama was actually talking about when he stated that he would "change the politics of the past."
People, on this site especially, have watched how Obama has been hiring Clinton people for a lot of his staff and have thought to themselves, is this change? People, in general, seem to be so focused on the people to bring change versus the actual change itself. For example, let's look at Sen. Joe Lieberman. Obama offered him a chance to save face by staying in the caucus. Many here, especially, have refused to let him go for his behavior. Instead of vindictiveness, Obama offered graciousness.
Let's look at what happened 11 days ago. Obama won a substantial victory. This is a historic mandate of 365 electoral votes. We could do what every party has done after a mandate of this kind, we could throw Progressive ideas down so hard and implement them so fast that the Country could change completely. Unfortunately, as history shows us, eventually the other party returns and stronger than before. It's simple physics, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
This is the change Obama has offered. We can break from history, by extending a hand to the other side. Like what Obama is reporting to have down to Hillary Clinton and may do so to John McCain on monday. We can destroy conservatism so that is no longer a threat by implementing/forcing our ideas through the country's throat, but then the country will yearn for conservatism after that.
The solution is simple, you get ideas that the Republicans have shown to have worked and you implement it into your own policy to get things moving. It forces the other party to change to survive. This is good for us and it is good for the country. Essentially, we could destroy the Republicans and Conservatism into no more than dust in the wind. However, in doing so, we may lose the chance to change the country forever.