I would like to stop our jail society, save our dysfunctional schools, get a 1-10 ratio between lowest and highest incomes, create eco-sufficient human settlements, rein in the Pentagon and turn the "war on terror" into a police action. Am I on the "left"?
The plain fact is that we do not cross the finish line if we do not have a solid majority. David Wilhelm understood this the minute he backed Barack. Susan Eisenhower understood it when she abandoned her party for Barack. Most of the name progressives in the Obama camp understood it.
The term "left" is a blanket that covers a ton of diverse individuals who have radically differing views if you drill down and actually talked about things. But on certain issues, like Prop 8 or FISA, there is unanimity. I include FISA because that was an earlier instance of leftist rage at Barack, blown up by mindless MSM folk into an Armageddon.
Contrary to the current MSNBC-CNN wailing wall approach, the following is a more accurate picture of reality.
Many on political left giving Obama a pass SOURCE
By PETER BAKER, New York Times
... But they are mainly muting their protest so far, clinging to the belief that Obama meant what he said on the campaign trail and remaining wary of undermining what they see as the most liberal president in a generation. They are quietly lobbying for more liberals in the next round of appointments. And they are banking on the idea that no matter whom he installs, Obama will be the driving force for the change they seek.
"It's a great question -- one that many of us have been trying to avoid," said Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., the incoming co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, when asked how liberals viewed Obama's team. "The euphoria of the election is still there -- and still there for me. It's not a question of benefit of the doubt. It's a question of trust, and I trust that we're going to be moving in the right direction."