From the left we are so used to disappointment that we almost need it, but let's not indulge in sheer masochism. Politics isn't always about the bottom line, and for me, President Obama's invisible victories are immensely heartening. He has cleansed the Presidency, reinstated America's status in the world, championed ideals on every front, and spoken truth to power, whether that means calling both the Israelis and Muslims to account or facing down racism in this country.
We cannot shortchange the shift in consciousness that Obama's election stands for and that his Presidency continues to inspire in millions of people. For the first time in American history, more than a quarter of the electorate in 2008 was non-white. For Hispanics and blacks, who are grossly underrepresented in state and national legislatures, there's been a psychological turning point. For the first time, they can say "He's my President" in the same way the white majority takes for granted.
The left isn't famous for ideological compromise, and if Obama followed that example, he would be awash in failure. Instead, he has steered through Congress more stimulus for education than Bill Clinton managed in eight years. He has revamped the bailout to make it more democratic. I find myself agreeing with the Rev. Al Sharpton, who said on one of the Sunday news shows that Pres. Obama may not walk on water, but he's turned into the best swimmer in politics. If his ambitions for health care reform turn out to come anywhere near his stated goals, that will prove the point beyond a doubt.
Finally, the left is forever caught between a sense of vaunted moral righteousness and the reality that such an attitude will never win votes or pass legislation. FDR, JFK, and Bill Clinton are considerable heroes to realists and grave disappointments to arch idealists. I'm glad that idealism exists and keeps the pressure on Obama, as Hans Morgenthau did on FDR and Adlai Stevenson on JFK (there were many others, of course). Yet does he really need prompting on this front? I can't imagine a President with a clearer moral sense, a higher standard of policy, or a broader perspective about the direction of the country's future.
So let's settle back and enjoy the fruits of the most idealistic election since 1932, or if you prefer, 1960. A dose of calm and a little perspective are the right prescription, even if the anxious neurosis of being a leftist is incurable.
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Aaron Belkin: Obama Is Timid Because Progressives Are Timid
What can we expect from a President who presides over a relatively conservative public, whose party is fractured by a fundamental contradiction, and whose legislative agenda is held hostage by Ben Nelson?
"I can't imagine a President with a clearer moral sense -- a higher standard of policy -- or, a broader perspectiv
This observatio
This is O'bama's fault and we need leaders who are disillusio
To conclude O'bama is a good role model but he is not in the position to make the necessary institutio
Blessings X 10,
Ed
Dr. Chopra, I don't understand your reference to Hans Morgenthau & FDR.
Obama has plenty of Henry Morgenthau channelled by Geithner, Summers & Co. but Emanuel is sure as heck no Harry Hopkins and I don't see a Hopkins anywhere else. I wonder if The President really does need prompting on this front and he's not getting it.
As a "slightly-
His sophistica
I find it amusing that many Americans who profess to believe in the democratic process want him, however, to behave like a dictator and put into play everything he envisioned
Change in this world, the way most people imagine it, will not happen in one year...AND it takes ALL OF US to make that change happen. Not one man.
Thank you Mr. Chopra. I could not have said it any better.
That is not good for the majority party because a counter revolution was their mandate.
If they only attained the status quo, then they have not met their mandate.
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as change.
"What changed? I don't SEE anything different!
And therein lies the problem.
I see it as a tremendous change, subtle though it may
be. And we must keep the momentum going.
Thank you for being a voice of reason. A perceptive article.
Obama isn't the messiah. Too many people put him into office thinking, "okay, he's in, let's pass the buck and stick our heads back in the sand while he fixes everything
Obama is making the country pull it's collective head out of the sand. People are realizing it's not business as usual. And the old power players will learn that money don't mean a thing when the masses are no longer willing to put up with their self aggrandize
More people are starting to realize that they have to step up to the plate and become involved in their government
Obama can't do it FOR us. He can lead, but we have to follow if we are to make change happen.
A single voice can be lost.... a billion voices speaking as one cannot.
Yes, but there are others available who foresaw those holes, predicted the ship would sink, and tried to get others to patch the holes for years. He passed over them to hire the original hole-maker
When you make it a point to exclude from policy-mak
Change will occur, but it cannot happen "ALL AT ONCE" and people who think it can are doing the whole "head in the sand" routine. "Okay, Obama's in office, so now change will magically happen, I can ignore politics again."
Political reality = Congress riddled by corruption
You want change, MAKE IT HAPPEN by working for it, by lobbying for it and by voting for it.
Big money has been playing the system for years. the only way to beat them is to use the system ourselves and show that numbers trump money. It's time the other 90% of America stopped letting the 10% run things to suit themselves
One gets the sense that the malcontent
Here is a guy who walked onto the job with two failing wars, an economy on the brink of utter collapse; Israel, Iran, N Korea, China and Russia all flexing their muscles, the dire situation of global warming, etc etc...
It is amazing how so many otherwise politicall
If we accept this as "the best we can hope for", we are in serious trouble.
Will Obama listen to the Neocons and send 40,000 more troops to Afghanista
Not change we can believe in.. we are teetering on WW-III.
The hard core left wanted President Obama to have Universal Single-Pay
And they wanted it all in his first month in office.
Unfortunat