Jonathan Martin has a very interesting article in Politico this morning about Democrats who are freaked out about the liberal interest groups that aren't showing up for them:
Twice in the past week, House Democrats used closed-door meetings with Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver an urgent message: They're being crushed on the airwaves by outside groups, and they need her to do something about it.
In the meetings, according to people present, Democrats cited the nearly unmatched advantage Republicans are enjoying from conservative, third-party organizations. A sympathetic Pelosi vowed to pressure liberal groups to do more -- and quickly.
These officials are particulary angered by the relative absence of support from the environmental and pro-health care groups that were so aggressive in lobbying House Democrats to support energy and health care reform legislation.
Jim Jordan says he can't raise money on the left to defend Democrats. "The progressive donor base has stopped writing checks," he explained.
In an not unrelated story:
There was once a candidate named Barack Obama who knew how to whip up enthusiasm and inspire people to vote. Here are a few things he said on the campaign trail:
The Obama campaign website used to say "Obama will protect Social Security benefits for current and future beneficiaries alike. And he does not believe it is necessary or fair to hardworking seniors to raise the retirement age." As Peter Bray of Slate noted at the time, it was removed from his website on September 19, 2008:
In 2008, Candidate Obama mocked the very idea of appointing a bipartisan commission to deal with Social Security:
I think we should be honest in presenting our ideas in terms of how we're going to do that and not just say that we're going to form a commission and try to solve the problem some other way.
And now Alice Rivlin, the chief wonk President Obama appointed to the Commission, has been running around telling any journalist who will listen that they've got to raise the retirement age and reduce cost-of-living adjustments in order to "strengthen" Social Security. It's no surprise. It's what she's wanted to do for years. You don't appoint her unless that's what you plan to do. He appointed, and continues to back, Catfood commission co-chair Alan Simpson.
And so President Obama can't make the kind of promises that Candidate Obama made on the campaign trail to inspire voters. His speeches about protecting Social Security from the evil Republicans always leave out the details about raising the retirement age or cost of living adjustments. Instead, he says he is "committed to working with anyone, Democrat or Republican, who wants to strengthen Social Security."
Well, here's what Candidate Obama had to say in 2007 about people who who tell you they want to "strengthen Social Security":
Since this is Washington, you won't hear them answer those questions directly when they talk about Social Security. Instead, they use the word "reform" when they mean "privatize," and they use "strengthen" when they really mean "dismantle."
The only thing the President seems to have any passion for these days is not creating jobs, or protecting Social Security, or delivering on any of his campaign promises -- it's lashing out at liberal critics. And anyone looking to place the blame for low Democratic turnout in the fall need look no further than the man at the top. He stole the mantle of progressive reform to get himself elected, and now scorns the people who think being a "progressive" is more than just a bunch of campaign slogans.
If his goal really is to turn out Democratic voters in the fall, President Obama may want to have a word with Candidate Obama. Because that guy knew how to inspire voters, and he never did it by orchestrating an elite hectoring campaign.
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Obama = Bush 3rd term
I agree I didn't see any push back from Firedoglake when the President was being attacked by the Tea Party people, Rush Limbaugh, Jim Demint or any of the yahoos that want to comment. It's like because the President hasn't done everything he promised in his first year the progressives are getting some satisfaction out of his being attacked. It's like progressives got so caught up in the election of the "Man" President Obama that they forgot about the House, the Senate and a very angry beaten Republican Party.
The liberal base is known to try to destroy the Democrats when all their needs aren't met. Knowing that It surprises me that they give Clinton two terms, even after DADT, DOMA, NAFTA, 3 strikes your out law, the unequal penalty placed on Blacks to Whites in prosecuting drug offenses, Welfare reform. Most of them social issues. The liberal base gave Clinton 8 years. President Obama actually 1 year. I say one year because the whining and jumping ship started early. The Democrats have done more to show change in two years than Bush did in 8 years. President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, Clyburn and Reid have worked their @sses off. The liberal base seems to think they can criticize but are above criticism themselves. We are suppose to be family and should be able to disagree but the professional is being unfair and regretful for what has been accomplished.
If you watched Bill Maher on Thursday, you will see that now he has embraced the right wing nuts. Imagine having Andrew Breitbart on his show, the man who distorted the video and make a black woman looks guilty of reverse racism. Imagine that? I'm done with all Professional left, for they are the real enemy of the Democratic party.
We, who are routinely dismissed a a fringe group suddenly had the power to elect Bill Clinton all on our own?
If Bill Clinton were running for office today, we would give him exactly the same treatment. Why? Because thanks to the internet, we can more easily find out what elected officials are up to.
I would not have voted for Clinton, knowing what I know about him today.
He is not a Democrat in my book.
Each Dem candidate should be able to claim their own throne and able to defend their own record.
Presidency is only two term to defend & support them.
So, it is better if they learn to stand on their own two feet.
Brilliant!
I guess they expected Obama to wave a wand and forget about the republican obstructionism aided by those blue dog the Clintons supported. They expect one man to do miracles. People like Firedoglake are disengenious and phony liberals who like to hear themselves talk and complain about what's not getting done but they dare not address the true obstructionists and whines in our own party. Progressives sometimes get in the way of progress because of their arrogance and intellectual dishonesty. If Obama is going to get done what he promised in his first term, you are going to have to support him and have faith that he will get it done and in the meantime stop aiding Fox news and Obama's haters to further their agenda. I know there are a lot of Hillary supporters that are behind the scene working to sabatoge Obama because you want to see Hillary run in 2012. Well trust me, if you don't support this man we elected now, Hillary does not stand a chance. There ain't a chance in hell she'll win without Obamas biggest supporters unless she joins him on a ticket as VP in 2012 and she gets the mantle in 2016. You people that are pushing this hidden agenda had better think twice about it. There is no one republicans hate even more than Obama and that is Hillary and Bill Clinton.
The president was attacked for welcoming students back to school. Where was the left in defending him?
The president was disrespected time and time again and yet where was his supporters to help him? Really?
When the president went over seas to do what he said"diplomacy" he was attack viciously and the left?
Excuse me but I fell like we ask the elected officials to do what we won't do. That is, stand up and speak out , and COLLECTIVELY push against the fight of the right. Instead, we follow suit and began attacking our own
We expect the congress to fight and yet many who voted for hope and change will not speak out in their own communities. When the Tea Party acted a complete mess last summer, where was the collective push back from the supporters?
Change depends on more than the president. Any president.
GWB was "successful" in getting his agenda through because he had lots of coverage with a deep bench. Recall the almost days of people not daring to publicly disagree with the president? Like it or not, it enabled the GWB to concentrate on his agenda. This president doesn't have a bench. He has to do the fight himself ( day in and day out)
I respect anyone who honestly disagrees with any president. I have a problem when someone takes a cheap shot at this president because you see it as easy or him less perfect.
How about a positive plan?
I understand his fraustration with the left. He senses we of all people should understand the environment in Washington and push like hell to help him. Instead, we complain about what he hasn't done to our satisfaction. Really?
I hear people complain about his support of education even though he has provided more money for education than any other president
He has moved the ball forward on healthcare at the risk of his presidency. Would I have done it differently? I'd say yes but then I don't work with the fearful democrats and the ugly republicans who attack not only the president but his family as well
The biggest job he has is the economy. I heard the deficit has decreased by 1.8 Trillion -still no break for the president.
Backroom deals and cozying up to Pharma, Insurance, Wall Street, ... yep.
where is your plan and suggestion. It is not enough to complain anymore. The republicans have made a professional job out of that. I need to hear suggestions and plans that move this country forward.
Do we vote for people to do the work and thinking for us?
Oh, come on.
The Democratic Party has been increasingly moving to the right and leaving the majority of progressives and possibly the majority of Americans behind - disillusioned and disengaged from a government which represents the interests of the powerful and the privileged rather than the voters.
The American people aren't getting the kind of progressive leadership they deserve.
So it's good to see the mainstream Democratic Party shills complaining that they aren't getting what they think they deserve in progressive voter support.
Reap what you sow.
We can't get real change if we let the decay fester and spread.
It's sad, and it may be bad for a while, but there really is no other option.
It's a shame.
Supporting shills won't do that.
There is a time limit. Not my time limit, but our time limit. We live on a small sphere moving through space but are behaving like we live on an infinite plane. Things are progressing exponentially. This can't go on forever - and so - it won't. Change is not only a good idea, it is a necessary idea.
That is exactly why we are mad.
We thought we were voting for someone who shared our values, but he doesn't.
It's all just talk. Pretty words and nothing more.
The blame does not go to the president. He has made mistakes. His mistakes alone does not account for where we are.
Many people voted and walked away with the concept " now everything will be fine I have nothing else to do". As I remember it, one of the campaign promises the presdient made was that "change does not come easy" Yet no one seems to want to remember that.
The republicans strategized that the coalition that brought this president to office couldn't hold. You tell me were they right?
My parents fought all their lives to ensure I would be able to vote, live, get educated, and treated like every other person in this country. Some of those goals were realized before they passed away. Some not. It is now MY turn to continue the fight. I understand it will take more than 2 years. But then I come from a long line of fighters.
The word PROGRESSIVE encompasses a lot of people. Perhaps, just perhaps, you should engage instead of pull away. And perhaps there is still work to be done.
You are a Progressive? So am I. I am a liberal, progressive Democrat.
I refrained from criticizing the president for a long time. But I sadly came to the conclusion that I was fooled. I wish I was wrong, but I can't be convinced otherwise. I despise the republicans and all they stand for. They are a selfish, lying, cheating, hypocritical bunch.
But, many Democrats aren't much better ... Max Baucus, Blanche Lincoln, Rahm Emmanuel, to name a few. They have sold out their Democratic souls to Big Business.
I strongly believe Obama has too.
I can't keep voting for the lesser of two evils, because in the end all it does is perpetuate evil.
As I have said before, maybe we as a nation haven't suffered enough. Maybe we need to let the hold thing come crashing down under incompetent republican rule and start anew.
Until that happens, we are just prolonging the inevitable.
Well yea, these are the reasons I voted for Obama. If democrat candidates lie like that, we might buy their bunk a second time.