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Jonathan Chait Is Spot On
If the progressive blogosphere continues to berate the Obama Administration's every move to help save the economy, and to couch its criticism in the "Obama/Geithner are in bed with Wall Street" meme, the Senate will be less and less likely to pass any of his agenda.
Unfortunately, we need a strong executive to correct the dire situation we find ourselves in, and everyone who thinks Obama needs to be taken a down a peg or nudged harder to the left (I'm talking to you Krugman), will be responsible if health care, EFCA, and carbon taxes never become a reality.
Chait's latest in the New Republic is a must read. Whether you like it or not, only Obama can slap these DINO's upside the head and force them to do the right thing. http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=07bd4a20-60a7-44a9-ab92-115eeb62bd92
Unfortunately, we need a strong executive to correct the dire situation we find ourselves in, and everyone who thinks Obama needs to be taken a down a peg or nudged harder to the left (I'm talking to you Krugman), will be responsible if health care, EFCA, and carbon taxes never become a reality.
Chait's latest in the New Republic is a must read. Whether you like it or not, only Obama can slap these DINO's upside the head and force them to do the right thing. http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=07bd4a20-60a7-44a9-ab92-115eeb62bd92
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I don't agree that Obama's budget agenda is in any real danger. The concern over centrist dems is inflated somewhat and budget renconcilliation will be an option if necessary. Which is to say, it remains our duty to constructively criticize when necessary and support the President's agenda for our country's future with vigilance and hard work.
March 30, 2009 3:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
The problem isn't coming from the left it's coming from the blue dog wing of the party. Pick your targets, Candide.
March 30, 2009 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
My point is that only Obama can manage the Blue Dogs.
When the American public is repeatedly told from the Krugmans (supposedly on the left), and from Republicans on the right, that Obama's economic policies "favor Wall Street", " are doomed to fail" or "won't work period", Blue Dogs don't have to be scared of him and tend toward protecting their local interests.
We need a President who is feared politically by members of his own party, if you want big changes in the way things are currently done. I urge you to read Chait's piece and then tell me how Obama-bashing advances the progressive cause.
March 30, 2009 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am struggling to figure out why the loudest critics of President are coming from left of center.
They know that because they are left of they will get lots of media attention and that's what is so upsetting. My question is, is that all they want?
March 30, 2009 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
People like Krugman are typical of the circular firing squad that Democrats form everytime they get into power.
They demand purity of thought over practical and dramatic change. "We're not going to be in lockstep with Obama like the Republcians were for George Bush".
That's why in 2009 CE, the US has no Universal Health Care, no EFCA style union organizing, and no plan to eliminate carbon as a fuel source. The more Obama is taken to task by the ideological purists on the left, the less likely any of those things comes to pass.
March 30, 2009 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
"People like Krugman are typical of the circular firing squad that Democrats form everytime they get into power."
I don't agree with that at all. I'm all for constructive ideas and criticism. It's when they are on, their own personal agenda, that I get ticked off.
March 30, 2009 5:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
As usual, Candide offers nothing but tired name-calling in place of actual analysis. It's not your favorite flavor of demon, the "ideological purists of the left", who are stopping EFCA, UHC, and climate change legislation. If you got your wish and the left STFU and rolled over, yeah, I'm sure the Blue Dogs and the Republicans would make sure all that stuff got passed. Whatever.
March 31, 2009 12:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since when did political debate and discussion become "purity of thought"?
March 31, 2009 6:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
When the discussion and debate happen to turn to critiques of the policies, appointments, or practices of a certain elected official ;D
March 31, 2009 10:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Democrats eat their own. It is an established fact.
Thanks for this link. Chait is very astute. Of course, MJ Rosenberg has called Chait a neocon, which says more about MJ Rosenberg than about Chait.
Agreed with Des that the problem Chait identified is from the ship of fools in the Congress. The same ship of fools, by the way, that managed to pass the retroactive and purely symbolic 90% tax on bonuses in a day, but can't seem to stomach limiting deductions for the rich folk. Didn't seem to have the same problem giving those folk a big tax boondoggle a few years back, but that's how it goes. That the criticism is also coming from the left is all the more distressing.
March 30, 2009 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
poor obama .
this argument is pathetic.
blame the people who see trillions of dollars going to the people that caused the worse economy in history.
obamas plan is not only bad but doomed to fail.
sorry you think obama is only a super hero as long as the people think he is.
and btw..did you ever think that people like krugman are correct?
to all the people who have lost their jobs and their homes and the worse is still to come..
i say stop making it all up !//you are hurting obamas plan to transfer the wealth!
there!..feel better now?
March 30, 2009 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
We can not go forward if the greed driven mistakes of the past aren't reconciled. This is a very basic accommodation that must be made.
Where the senate supports retention of policies that uniquely benefit wealthy constituents we will remain in stasis and the larger population will continue to decline. The same is true for Obama where his administration fails to break the stranglehold our financial system has on Washington.
Both the senate and WH must be willing to undergo a fundamental change of how business is done in Washington. That is the central struggle unfolding before us. In its present form our system is dysfunctional. Unequal distribution of gains and losses can only end in failure. Unequal ability to influence our lawmakers can only end in failure. Representing ten percent of the populace while the remaining ninety percnet goes wanting can only end in failure. These are very basic notions of governance that when ignored bring us to the very place we are at. Unfortunately, if history is any indicator this is where we will likely remain. Until...
March 31, 2009 3:39 AM | Reply | Permalink