Editor's Note: Today is the first installment of a six-part series by Jim Wallis reflecting on the past two years and painting a post-election vision for people of faith and Sojourners. To read more from Jim and join in a discussion with other Social Justice Christians check out his blog at God's Politics.
Inauguration Day was highlighted for our family by a visit from Dr. Vincent Harding, the eminent African-American historian, and a member of Martin Luther King Jr's inner circle during the Southern freedom movement. Despite health concerns and the dangerous weather, "Uncle Vincent," as my two young boys call him, traveled across the country to witness this moment of a history in which he had been so deeply involved. As we stood on the mall clutching our inauguration tickets in our mittens, Harding said, "It was a movement that started all this."
Do you remember how cold it was in Washington for the inauguration of President Barack Obama? Yet, it was one of the warmest days in memory; in the way two million people treated each other on the Mall, in the hope that filled the air around the country, in the sense of history being made with America's first black president, in the expectation that the country was about to move to a new place of change out of the grip of a deep recession, and the promise of a generational political shift. How ironically warm it seemed on that distant January day now stands in sharp contrast with the cold and very angry political atmosphere that was evidenced in the midterm elections.
In politics there is always a spiritual choice to be made -- to choose hope or fear. Leaders can build movements by appealing to a vision of what our country can be or by painting a picture of whom to blame and what to be afraid of. Obama won in November of 2008 -- in the midst of a recession, bank failures, and two wars -- by capturing the political narrative that spoke to our values as a country and by riding a movement that had reason to hope and was ready to work for change. But the new president lost the narrative, and the "movement" is now on the other side of the political aisle. A strong values narrative attracted many in 2008, including many religious voters who had long eluded the Democrats. But now, many seem to have lost faith.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, President Barack Obama, a Democrat, reached farther out to the faith community than many Republicans have, including his predecessor George W. Bush -- both in his campaign and the first two years of his administration. While voters have often viewed Republicans as the party most friendly to religion, polling by Public Religion Research Institute showed that most viewed Obama and McCain as equally friendly to faith in that election. Indeed, highly energized and predominantly religious black voters overcame their cynicism to believe that another America might be possible, faith-inspired Hispanic voters dramatically shifted their allegiances, Evangelical and Catholic voters decided to break with their recent past (or their parents) because of what they heard from Obama. They were all drawn to a political leader who seemed to want to move past old political divisions and boundaries, and was not afraid to identify the moral issues at stake in politics.
But if you compare 2010 exit polls to 2006, Democrats performed 14 points worse with white Protestants, 14 points worse with white Evangelicals, and 20 points worse with Catholics. Compared to 2008, Democrats did 10 points worse with white Protestants, 14 points worse with white Evangelicals, and 20 points worse with Catholics. That is quite a swing vote.
Given many obstacles, administration advocates believe that Obama has a two-year record of great accomplishments, including some things that his predecessors failed to do. He thinks so too, and points to historic health-care legislation, the most serious financial regulatory reform since the Great Depression, no energy bill but increased fuel standards, new student loan programs, unnoticed investments in infrastructure and clean energy, a much expanded national service agenda, and a plan for educational reform which we haven't seen in 30 years. Obama wonders why people don't see all that, which he calls "the most successful administration in generations in moving the progressive agenda forward." But Obama's legislative victories inside the beltway have clearly not connected to the everyday lives of too many Americans or to their core values. Many families who are struggling and afraid don't believe that Washington or Wall Street care about them or are really with them. And they showed their anger at the polls, or their disillusionment by not even showing up.
Four years ago, and two years ago, people voted decisively for change; and now, in a shift no one could have predicted after the last election, voters have just voted for change again in 2010. And chilling polls show that the vast majority of the country, this time, voted against rather than for particular candidates or policies. The Republican leadership made it clear they were running a campaign that was meant as a referendum on Obama's first two years in office. The change promised in 2008 never came about in the minds of many across the political spectrum -- on the left, the right and the center. The new president has been up against almost insurmountable odds, especially from all that he inherited, or as he puts it, the "cards we were dealt." But, from the results we just saw and the Republican priority of making Obama a one-term president, it clearly seems that many in the country would seem to disagree with the White House assessment. What happened?
Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: On Wall Street, Main Street, and Your Street -- A Moral Compass for the New Economy, and CEO of Sojourners.
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I ended up voting for Obama only after McCain picked Caribou Barbie as his running mate; but I had those same concerns and that was one of the reasons that I'd have preferred (and still do) that Hillary Clinton was running. Despite any drawbacks -- which were aired quite thoroughly in 2008 -- she'd had enough time in the White House to know that she would be trying to win over people who'd have none of it. That amounted to trying to make friends with a bully.
"Would FDR have been re-elected and re-elected and re-elected if his physical deterioration had been widely known? If the details of JFK's philandering had been public knowledge would Camelot have shown so brightly?"
Just an historical footnote: John Kennedy was in deteriorating physical condition, and his 'tanned and athletic' image was one that was carefully manufactured and maintained. But IMO the answer is "probably not" to both.
Of course, we did know the true Obama. He wasn't a socialist, he wasn't a progressive, he was a conciliator with a perspective left of center. That was clear throughout the campaign. And conciliation was never in the cards. Nor was he a sufficiently forceful leader to rein in an ADHD Congressional leadership...no LBJ with feet firmly planted and the power to twist arms. No, Obama was as advertised.
Problem was, we ignored the sales pitch.
How about having two referendum questions on each election ballot paper? They would not necessarily need to be acted upon. But would give some indication, as if any politician cared, of the people’s true desires. These queries could be composed, one each, by the duo of major parties involved. This would permit claims of “the people want†to be definitively verified. Rather than speculatively pulled out of thin air, as they are at present. For example, the question: Do you, or do you not, want an independent body established? With responsibility for creating transparency in all branches of the political system?
Alternatively the question might be: Do you, or do you not, want use of unlimited covert funding to be a factor in political activity? Of course, such dispensing of democracy could only come about in a system not already terminally corrupted. So in the current circumstances, it is indeed a big ask.
so far every journalist has missed that aspect of his first two years.
is there one journalist out there that understands that. just one.
yes americans are a results oriented society and want instant results.
but his base saw him cave on every issue. that is what did him in.
what he did do well was lose a large part of his base and the independent voters.
americans wanted leadership what they got was more of the same from the demos. ie weak and fearful leadership.
reid needs to become the poster child for the demos.
obama needed to stay as a professor and study and teach "how" the political system is "supposed" to work in america. those that cannot do become professors. I know I was one of those professors types. :-)
if he would have spent more time studying roosvelt rather than reagan he might have had a chance.
obama's papering over (ie coverup) of the fraud may be the last straw. the republicans won't or can't do anything about it either, so the fraud is now baked in.
the time will come when the people will enforce the law since the government refuses to.
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I will be your huckle-berry.
The Barmen Declaration drew a sharp line between the German state and the church for ecclesiastical matters in so doing clarified to their church members the primacy of Jesus over State. Though in the end Bonhoeffer and others eventually determined it fell short of standing against Nazi atrocities, it begs the question, where are the Evangelical pastors who will clearly tell their congregations that Jesus is neither a Republican nor Democrat and to make no mistake, their church will not stand by while its members are co-opted by a US political system. Will American Evangelicals make these same declarations today or has the US Evangelical Church truly become an “organ of the State�
I voted for Barack Obama and never have had any trouble understanding what he said, or what he did. And everything he said about the voters who tended to think a change in politicians was what was needed made sense to me
Perhaps you think I'm from another planet, too. Sorry, I'm as much a "real American" as you, and you don't get to take our country away from those all those who don't think like you. That's what a democracy is for -- sometimes you get a chance at the ball, sometimes it's people who didn't have 8 years to scroo up.
Sounds like Democratic talking points
"Janet from another Planet" is a rhyme you were getting a little defensive in your "Real American" comment, also quite assumptive that she was implying he wasn't American.
Where did you see her say that she wanted to take the country from those who disagree?
For a person who seems so offended at her not respecting an opposing point of view your response doesn't seem very open to those who disagree with you.