President Obama has had a winning week. He should enjoy it, of course, but in the back of his mind he should remember that everything has NOT gone his way this week. He's lost quite a number of his previous supporters, including me. It's been one straw too many and the camel has collapsed under the weight.
I saw President Obama's intense lobbying and hard work to pass a trade deal that will benefit corporations at the expense of working Americans. Where was that intensity when it came to doing anything for us? Where was that lobbying on the Affordable Care Act where he capitulated to the point that neither single payer, negotiation of drug prices, or even the public option were mentioned? Where was he on the need to actually prosecute the banks and Wall Street for the financial crimes they committed?
He was no where to be seen. But when it comes to something corporations want? Well, he was right there pushing, bullying, lobbying, and, likely, threatening to get what he (or, maybe, his owners) want.
We worked hard to elect him. We wore out shoes canvassing. We wore out our ears phone banking. We gave up meals to save a little money so we could donate it. Voters turned out en masse, stood in line for hours,
With dismay I saw him trot out his future White House advisors and Cabinet in 2008. After a campaign filled with progressive agenda items, it looked like we were going to get more of the same. I saw him giving away the store on things he said he wanted for the illusion of bipartisanship. I saw him give away more as Republicans kept moving the goal posts further right.
I watched him triangulate, something I never wanted to see. We waited for him to see the light on fossil fuels as his administration opened up more oil and gas drilling than ever before. Mushy for far too long on Keystone, he may have finally seen the light on that, but there should have never been that much foot-dragging on that decision after so many pipelines (that used to be new once, too) kept busting open and spilling.
Like others, I made excuses for him. I forgave him. I kept going with the hope of change. There was some, but not nearly enough. I no longer have much hope that anything will be done for 99% of America. I'll chalk him up as another Bill Clinton - great speeches in a fine campaign followed by Republican governance.
I'm not sure we've had a real Democrat as President since Lyndon Johnson or Jimmy Carter. It shows, too, when you look at income inequality, the demise of unions, wage stagnation, the loss of workplace benefits, turning college loan financing into a high profit industry, the rise of injustice, the increase in the number of people and corporations who pay no taxes, and the immense increase in the power of corporations and the financial industry.
Things need to change. I will no longer drool like Pavlov's dog when the right combination of words are spoken. I've been fooled far too often with progressive campaigns followed by disappointment. I want a proven track record.
I'm not alone either. Having worked on campaigns for decades, I can tell you that voters are feeling cynical for a reason. You can't keep promising and fail to deliver on those promises. You can't keep running a campaign on "the other side is worse". People aren't buying that any more no matter how horrendous that other side is.
You have to deliver on your promises. Push, lobby, and work for Americans and not donors.
When half or more of eligible voters stay home, they are not the problem. They just don't like the products on display. When I go to the grocery store and see a choice between crap cereal and shit cereal, I'm not buying cereal. It's not my problem, it's the cereal makers' problem.
There was a recent fine comment that noted that a failing business doesn't blame lazy customers for not showing up. Political parties and candidates could take a lesson from that and improve their products.
For me, this week was the last straw.