Wrong Track Number A Killer
18 January 2010 12:37 pm by Taylor Marsh
updated
Obama needs to stop playing inside games with bankers and insurance lobbyists, and start being a fighter for regular Americans. Otherwise, he can kiss it all goodbye. – Robert Kuttner (Robert Kuttner is Co-Founder and Co-Editor of The American Prospect, from Massachusetts)
No one ever said what Kuttner wrote about Obama above about Martin Luther King, Jr. It’s rough out there, with no let up in sight.
Whether Coakley wins or loses, the current health care bill is an albatross around the Democrats’ neck. It’s infuriated and alienated people who voted and worked for Obama who know it’s a bad bill, while energizing Republicans and the far right in a way that is now manifesting in Massachusetts.
Even traditional media man E.J. Dionne has a message for die hard Obama supporters, those who still haven’t awaken to reality. When you lose E.J. Dionne, you’ve tipped past the point of trouble.
The president’s supporters comfort themselves that Obama’s numbers will improve as the economy gets better. This is a form of intellectual complacency. Ronald Reagan’s numbers went down during a slump, too. But even when he was in the doldrums, Reagan was laying the groundwork for a critique of liberalism that held sway in American politics long after he left office. Progressives will never reach their own Morning in America unless they use the Gipper’s method to offer their own critique of the conservatism he helped make dominant. It is still more powerful in our politics, as we are learning in Massachusetts, than it ought to be.
Obama’s lack of ideological compass, which mainstream pundits and uncritical thinking supporters of Obama have trumpeted, has now become a real issue, as it was always bound to be and as I predicted a long time ago. Even yesterday, Obama zigzagged across conservatism itself, laying blame on Bush-Cheney, which is the Democratic Party’s bright idea of a game plan for 2010. He missed a chance to go straight at the ideology that could sink this country even further into trouble.
However, Obama and the Democratic Party elite aren’t the only ones who are looking back.
As the Tea Party movement has now proven, with voters in Virginia and New Jersey already having weighed in, as they’re about to do in Massachusetts. The right wants in on this action too, and what they want changed is everything about what Democrats are doing, while sending a shot across the bough of Obama’s presidency. They’re coming and they’re bringing their own brand of change with them, with people so pissed off at this point they don’t care about details.
The good news is people still like Barack Obama. What’s not to like about him and his family? But when people look at their own circumstances and what they perceive coming down the pike on health care, likability goes out the window, with “direction of the country” heavily on “wrong track” at 62% or +25, which is a killer.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34895044/ns/politics/
‘While he praised Obama as a good president, Dean said the Democrat hasn’t turned out to be the “change agent” the party thought it elected, and voters who supported Democrats in back-to-back elections now are turned off. Said Dean: “They really thought the revolution was at hand but it wasn’t, and now they’re getting the back of the hand.”‘
He should have been considering those people clinging to their homes and paychecks all along:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/18/white-house-to-make-major_n_427014.html
‘One of the president’s top economic advisers pledged a major push on financial regulatory reform once health care legislation is done with, citing the need to “not live again through” the perils of the financial industry’s collapse.
“We’re coming to the closing chapter of health care,” said Austan Goolsbee, a close Obama confidant and member of the president’s Council of Economic Advisers. “The president has been pretty clear that when health care is done he wants financial regulatory reform, the holding accountable of financial institutions, and now he’s setting the stage [for that].”‘
Good post Taylor as always. About the likeability factor (he and his family).. absolutely, what’s not to like. Except that I think they need to tone down their parties, elaborate expensive clothes, and vacation rentals. I know that this is par for the course, goes with the office of POTUS, but in the current economic envirenment I bet a lot of people are resenting their lifestyle when so many Americans are hurting.. Just my two cents. I’m certain many will disagree..
Heya whitepaw, and thanks.
You know, djjl, the issue is that 1st years make an indelible impression. Obama and his entire administration will have to fight against what they’ve already solidified in many people’s minds and that will haunt all Dems this year.
Obama embraced the moneyed interest and essentially turned his back on
Main Street. I find it despicable and entirely in line with his elitist attitude expressed during his California fundraiser referring to those clinging to their religion, etc.
That is why it is ludicrous to consider him a polulist – it’s about his popularity – NOT his populism.
Taylor,
At least he owns what he has done and can’t blame it on anyone else. His choices – he did it.
djjl says:
18 January 2010 at 1:30 pm
If BO approaches financial regulation the same way he has approached health care reform – God help us.
AliceP
Hopefully, he’s learned that he really isn’t all that he thought he was and will defer to the wisdom of the people and others.
Yes, the universe has given the president many gifts.It is time he earned them.
I know Tea Party (bagger) is a pejorative here and like everyone who opposes Obama the Tea Party folks have been smeared as racists.
I attended the first tea party rally. If you don’t understand that the tea party movement represents the vast middle — no matter how you try to smear them — then you don’t understand the magnitude of Coakley’s probable loss.
I suspect that the tea party folks supported Perot, Clinton in 96, Clinton in NH in 08, and McCain in 08.
They’re the people who serve our nation in war, pay taxes, vote, volunteer in civic organizations, go to church, are unashamed of their patriotism, run small businesses, who cherish their second amendment rights, and they drive trucks. They are the ones who you despise culturally.
I have much more faith in these folks than a “community organizer” from Chicago who ran as moderate to get their votes and then veered hard Left, who injects accusations of racism against his opponents (like Hillary), and who has bankrupted the country.
Blue Puppy~
The people you describe are much like the TP people I know except they were not for Hillary.
My problem with your argument is still that you insist that Obama went far left. That is just not factually correct. Please cite one example of him going left.
“Obama’s lack of ideological compass, which mainstream pundits and uncritical thinking supporters of Obama have trumpeted, has now become a real issue, as it was always bound to be and as I predicted a long time ago.”
Yes!!
People still like Barack Obama? Personally, I’m sure he’s a great guy. I’d love to chat with him.
Job-wise? About half the people approve, sort of like Coakley (ouch!). According the latest job approval rating average, 49% approve and 45% disapprove, (Rasmussen has him at 48/51.) That’s a change from 63/20 a year ago, and with higher war casualties and no improvements in employment or housing, and higher mountains of debt, there seems to be little reason to hope for improvement.
http://tinyurl.com/dhwd2n
BluePuppy
You absolutely make little sense. Tea Partiers have been pointed out because of their racist signs and comments. Have you not seen them?
The Tea PArtiers as identified by themselves may have something in common with the vast middle of America – but it sure isn’t shown by their appearances and placards as shown on national media.
The tea partiers I’ve seen surely would not have voted for either Clinton at any time.
And this comment is simply preposterous: “They’re the people who serve our nation in war, pay taxes, vote, volunteer in civic organizations, go to church, are unashamed of their patriotism, run small businesses, who cherish their second amendment rights, and they drive trucks. They are the ones who you despise culturally.”
You appear to drop in to make these absurd comments without reading. The vast majority of posts here are in complete support for the people you just described for the reason you described. The vast majority of posters here ARE the people you describe. And these people are definitely not despised in anyway.
I have more faith in the “people who serve our nation in war, pay taxes, vote, volunteer in civic organizations, go to church, are unashamed of their patriotism, run small businesses, who cherish their second amendment rights, and they drive trucks than I do in any of the Tea Party activists I’ve seen carrying racists, bigoted, hateful signs.
Your source of information is obviously way off base. Obama did not run as a moderate. He has not veered hard left – hell, I don’t think he’s even looked left. Had he veered even a bit left, he’d not be in the political mess he is today.
In case you hadn’t been paying attention – the bankrupting was well under way during the last Bush administration and is some of what really insured Obama’s victory, imo, over McCain. Republican fiscal policy had proven our ruination.
hmmm
in the campaigns ive been in this usually doesnt bode well-hiring paid temps for gotv-
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/brown-campaign-hiring-scores-of-paid-temp-workers-to-get-out-vote-agency-says/
also police are investigating death threat to coakley
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/source-state-troopers-investigating-woman-who-hoped-coakley-gets-shot/
Anyone wondering if Brown will be the one to energize the Republicans and Indies in an upcoming presidential election? He won’t have much experience (assuming he’s elected)… but when did that matter…
Also — I think Obama, with his ruck comments, came across elitist again… stuck his foot in his mouth. His coolness has rubbed off…
meant “truck”
It was Barak Obama who ran around the country telling the American people that he was for a PUBLIC OPTION to keep the insurance companies honest, then he shafted us all and said it was only a sliver of HCR, then he lied and said he never campaigned on it. It was Barak Obama who pledged during his campaign that he would allow gays to serve openly in the military. He still has not had the courage to end DADT. This one was a no-brainer among his long litany of broken promises.
Virtually all Americans are for repealing don’t ask/don’t tell except for some conservatives, and the military brass, but he is commander in chief. He could have made his mark and put a positive stamp on his administration, as a courageous and gutsy one by doing this during his first week in office. Instead he’s the commanded-in-chief.
Krugman expressed it well this morning here: http://2su.de/7o8 and Robert Kuttner said it perfectly above.
WHAT has this man done for the people so far? Cherish your base; instead he has turned his back on his.
He is so cold; he’s as remote as any Republican. Given the stories this man told about his mother on her death bed, how could he cut back-room deals with the same special interests who have so wrecked havoc on people’s lives. What is hurting him is his coldness, his laissez faire style of leadership that makes him appear weak, and his failure or unwillingness to defend any coherent ideological position on anything, and a perception that he cares more about special interests — banks, insurance companies, oil, big pharma etc, than about about the people they are screwing.
Moreover, he adamantly, refuses to fight for working people. He does not have our backs. HE IS ON THEIR SIDE. If there’s a conflict he doesn’t want to be anywhere near it; he refuses to lead.
I, for one, am sick and tired of his same pattern of pretty speeches followed by empty exhortations on issue after issue. I remember he gave a great speech on Wall street to the banks scolding them, then the credit card rates tripled.
His administration will never see all this. They will not see that he emanates neither strength nor conviction; since he does not seem to be grounded ideologically.
The thrill is gone.
Death threat? Hoping someone gets shot is not a threat, and it isn’t against any law that I know of. In fact, in the last administration, as I travel a lot and don’t listen to the news, whenever I passed a flag at half mast I would cross my fingers and hope. I bet that some of you did, too.
When they make hope a crime I’m moving to Mexico for sure.
This is for you Don Bacon.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/us-military-weapons-inscribed-secret-jesus-bible-codes/story?id=9575794&page=3
New poll: Martha Coakley ‘in freefall’
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31621.html
BluePuppy says:
18 January 2010 at 3:09 pm
I use Tea Partiers or Tea Party activists, with “teabaggers” definitely a pejorative, which is why it’s used. I didn’t like it when Rachel Maddow used it either.
I’m hearing from Tea Party people who are disaffected voters for one reason are another. There are racists among them, absolutely, some who are Birthers and crazies. Their emails start off sane then end up in “Obama was born in Indonesia” land. That’s the trouble with revolts and party off-shoots.
If you don’t agree with your party it’s sometimes better to be a party of one, aka another lonely “independent” voter. I’m hearing from more Democrats every day who are heading that way.
guyski says:
18 January 2010 at 4:36 pm
Appreciate the link. Inside it:
A DailyKos/Research 2000 poll released Monday painted a much tighter campaign, showing the race knotted at 48 percent each.
“We’re about to learn whether Obama can deliver electoral votes,” wrote DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas on his Twitter page.
I disagree with Markos completely on this one. He and others expect Obama to perform a miracle. I’ve heard from very good sources that she didn’t even have much of a field campaign at all until just last week. Remember also that she took almost 4 weeks off after the primary. That is simply political malpractice and *not* Obama’s fault.
Taylor:
“That is simply political malpractice and *not* Obama’s fault.”
Whether its his fault or not, he will be blamed. Moreover, that will be three places he tried to help, and three candidates went down — Deeds, Corzine, Coakley.
Should be interesting what the exit polls tell Tuesday evening. Probably match the VA and NJ exit polls.
I think he will be blamed too. I am still wondering why someone from his political team was not keeping an eye on things in MA.How did she win the primary? Did she work for that? Has it been a matter of money?Did the DNC think she was a shoe in and not want to spend the money with so many bluedogs in trouble. Where has Kaine been?
Interesting questions LL. I was thinking the same thing.
To bad the Dems messed with the appointment power of the Governor when Romney was in office. If they hadn’t have there wouldn’t even be an election tomorrow.
TM, thanks for the reasonable response. I am an independent now, a former Democrat and PUMA.
There maybe a few racists among some loons at a Tea Party event. What I witnessed, outside of Olbermann smears, were decent people of every race who held signs regarding taxes, 2nd amendment rights, and the fact that their representatives didn’t read the $700 Billion porkulus bill — all reasonable objections.
Speaking of racism, Obama himself attended an explicitly racist church for 20 years and then he intentionally smeared both Clintons as racists.
So when I hear that Tea Party activists are racists (because they oppose Obama), I instantly detect a familiar smear campaign. You, Taylor, were smeared by Obama’s minions yourself.
Ted Kennedy’s seat may go to a Republican in MA, and many of your readers say Obama isn’t far left enough. This is actually a rejection of Obama’s extreme agenda and political tactics. People can deny it all they want, but it will be Scott Brown who has the last laugh.
BluePuppy
I consider the Tea Party activists who hold up racists signs are likely racists.
If you read much here BluePupppy, you’ll know that many, including myself, are none too fond of Obama, nor was I fond of his sleazy, dishonest and cynical campaign. I don’t give a twit about Obama – I do care about the success of this country based on Democratic Principles that allows the working people to have a share in the wealth they produce and not have it hoarded by the few.
Personally, I don’t think Obama is a racist. I think he attended that church out of political expediency and gain. I think his pooor character allowed him to smear the Clintons for political gain. I do think he may be a homophobe.
I called him a Manchurian candidate during the primaries because I thought he presented himself as something that nothing in his history showed him to be – a man of the people. He is an elitist, corporatist, and skilled opportunist.
I want his presidency to succeed, if he acts on Democratic principles, for the sake of us all. Especially the 99% who’ve beeen funding the bank accounts and trust funds of the 1%.
OT
Am I the only one who wondered how on earth David Gergen could have served up such a lob soft ball? Did Gergen ever see “it’s my microphone” or “John Kennedy was friend of mine”:
‘This race will be recalled for an occurrence in a recent TV debate when moderator David Gergen asked Brown about sitting in “Ted Kennedy’s seat.”
“With all due respect,” he said, “ it is not Ted Kennedy’s seat, it is not the Democrats’ seat, it is the people of Massachusetts’ seat.”’
And that answer was the game changer.
Agreed. That was the real connection. I’m not much into conspiracy theories; but that was moderator malpractice at least.
djjl says:
18 January 2010 at 5:40 pm
“… he presented himself as something that nothing in his history showed him to be – a man of the people. He is an elitist, corporatist, and skilled opportunist.”
Agreed. The only thing I’d add, which is probably covered by “skilled opportunist,” is “talented campaigner.”
Nate Silver now puts Brown at 3 to 1
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/
There go them thar 60 votes. What did they do with it anyway? Not a single piece of major legislation was passed with it.
“extreme agenda and political tactics”
Uh…
Agreed daubry
But you can telll that BluePuppy is not too into and facts.
oops
reading what is actually written and facts
Markos Moulitsas Zúniga (DKos) and Jerome Armstrong (MyDD) wrote “Crashing the Gate”, in which according to one reviewer, “the two are not shy about what they hope to accomplish: nothing but an all-out ‘people-powered’ takeover of the Democratic Party”.
For four years DKos has promoted the election of Democrats, without much consideration of how these Dems would perform, or are performing, while in office.
Here is the purpose of the DKos site:
This is a Democratic blog, a partisan blog. One that recognizes that Democrats run from left to right on the ideological spectrum, and yet we’re all still in this fight together. We happily embrace centrists like NDN’s Simon Rosenberg and Howard Dean, conservatives like Martin Frost and Brad Carson, and liberals like John Kerry and Barack Obama. Liberal? Yeah, we’re around here and we’re proud. But it’s not a liberal blog. It’s a Democratic blog with one goal in mind: electoral victory.
And now that DKos and MyDD have got all these big-tent Dems elected to office, all those DINO’s, all those people in the Congress that share a 26% voter approval rate, and are over-rated at that, all those “electoral victories”, NOW when the cheese gets binding and there’s Dem trouble in blue, blue, blue Massachustts, NOW it’s up to Obama to deliver the electorasl votes?
What happened to the blog-driven people-powered takeover of the Democratic Party — is it now supposed to run on presidential power? Huh, Markos?
I honestly did not know where to even begin with that statement.
The truth is, the President and Co. thought not having an ideological core and beliefs was in fact, a good thing. (Its not a red state, or blue state, but the United States…)
And his supporters trumpeted the idea. Other candidates were polarizing and partisan.
Well how did this post-partisan shtick work? I hate sounding like a broken record, but until he changes course, there are going to be a lot more Corzines, Deeds, and Coakleys
It’s the wars stupid. Voter registration in Massachusetts breaks down like this: 51% Unassigned (Independent), 38% Democrat and 11% Republican. The people of Massachusetts already have universal health insurance so that isn’t a big issue for them. Martha Coakley is a terrible candidate so that issue has some legs. But a majority of that 51% of Independents and those 38% of Democrats want the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to be over. Those people are sending that message to Obama and to the Democrats in Washington by trying to defeat Coakley. All of you pseudo-Liberals who won’t listen that message do so at the Democratic Party’s peril. November 2010 is only a few short months away. Peace
Help me out here, I don’t get how not electing Coakley ends the wars.
I hardly think Coakley’s loss is a referendum on Afghanistan and Iraq.
The exit polls will indeed be interesting. The only problem is they won’t poll people who did not show up. That will help the Dems take the wrong message from this election.
It has come to this:
Democrats Seeking to Push Senate Health Bill Through House
“The White House and Democratic Congressional leaders,
scrambling for a backup plan to rescue their health care
legislation if Republicans win the special election in
Massachusetts on Tuesday, are preparing to ask House
Democrats to approve the Senate version of the bill, which
would send the measure directly to President Obama for his
signature.”
So now HCR is that pathetic Senate bill, with a promise to change it down the road. Well, I know that temporary measures have a very strange way of taking on a life of their own and becoming permanent. Again, we deserve the gov’t we have.
God, this is sickening.
No, we don’t deserve what we’ve got. Big money has slowly siphoned power from the people. We deserve much better. It’going to be hard to take our country back from big money.
It’s the wars stupid. Anybody remember the “Days of Rage” in Chicago? Sometimes you have to throw sand in the wheels and walk backwards in order to end up moving forward. When nobody is listening there are only a very few ways to get their attention. You could blow something up. A massive explosion always wakes people up. But, that is the least desirable action to take and it’s usually counterproductive. Now take a minute and noodle some other way to get someone’s attention. Perhaps by denying them something that they really, really want? Like Coakley? The 60th vote. Stop the wars. Peace
It’s economics Imhotep. It won’t be war again until everyone has some skin in the game.By that I mean a draft.
Talk about counter-productive! This sort of ugly hate-speech doesn’t help progressives in the least. It’s shocking that MSNBC would allow this to foul their own nest. It’s over the top, ugly hate-speech. Move over, Pat Robertson, there’s a new boy in town, and his name is Keith Olbermann:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31648.html
The implosion is complete; They are incredibly stupid in this administration.
OBAMA TO RIGHT OF MCCAIN, VOLKER AND WALL STREET JOURNAL ON KEY FINANCIAL ISSUE
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/why-is-obama-to-the-right_b_426808.html