We are losing election after election I don't see any recognition of this simple fact from the most progressive members of this community and I don't see any long term strategy to change that.
Elections have consequences and because of Obama's election an expansion of Medicaid was passed that will eventually give millions of childless adults who live underneath the poverty line access to health care.
While this is inconsequential to some and a very minor victory it is a direct consequence of voting for democratic majorities in 2006 and 2008
Republicans want to repeal this planned expansion but the one major line in the sand that Obama drew in this budget fight is the repeal of his signature legislation. So repeal seems highly unlikely.
again elections have consequences
an expansion of the social safety net is opposite direction republicans want to go. You could hear republicans collectively going "Fuck" as Obama signed Obama-Care.
But hear we are again going in a different direction we are on the losing side this time and we didn't just lose to spineless elected officials who policy positions change in the wind depending on which way the political winds are blowing.
We lost against candidates that are conservative fanatics who are willing to commit political suicide today in order to be remembered as conservative political martyrs tomorrow
So what happened after we collective elected these yahoo's to control the nations purse
They cut spending the most vulnerable be damned.
But thats what happens when u lose elections.T+the policy pendulum swings in the direction you don't want it to go
Thats why defeating republicans is critical because while glacier like change is frustrating and sickening to some. Regression just flat out sucks
there is a difference between democrats and republicans not small ones big ones and when you deny that reality you are only aiding the enemy because they want you to think there isn't much difference.
that is part of Obama strategy that I dont like to a certain extent when he praises these historic cuts that preserve some very important government regulatory functions he is saying basically " look tea-party me an the republicans aren't that different" and while that doesn't appeal to many on this site or to me as a positive statement to make.
its has the effectof discouraging ardent conservative rank and file republicans of voting at all. just as it has with some on our side
Obama compromises first because he wants to hold the reasonable ground. So the question is what is the reasonable ground? And how do we define it?
In a country that elected the most conservative congress in my lifetime and probably in your.s The reasonable ground is cuts in the budget. A blind man can see that.
So Obama takes the position I want cuts too but just not as big as their cuts.
The left complains that he compromised to early and he caved to fast. No he didn't he seen the writing on the wall.
If Obama would have waltzed in front of the camera after getting his ass handed to him and said I'll veto any bill that cuts spending. Obama would have been committing political suicide in this climate.
We have to change the climate not our elected officials the elected official will chose the path of least resistance
But in order to change the political climate we have to recognize the climate is overwhelmingly conservative and until that changes we will be fighting on their terms