MyDD :: Is Barack Obama a Progressive?

Is Barack Obama a Progressive?

by ASDem, Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 12:11:45 AM EST

The answer is yes. However, in the last ten days, Barack Obama has taken public positions on four issues - campaign finance, FISA, the death penalty, and gun control - that, while not necessarily conservative, are certainly at odds with current liberal orthodoxy.

Politically speaking, I fully understand and appreciate why Obama is using such moderate-sounding rhetoric - he is running ahead, playing it safe, and (amazingly, already) trying to run out the clock. I don't believe for a second that, outside of the context of this presidential campaign, that Obama would made the same declarations - though I do think the campaign may have miscalculated the political costs and benefits of not embracing the progressive position on some of those issues.

Nevertheles, Obama will not pay an immediate political cost for anything that happened this week. Mike Lux has what I think is a brilliant diary over at OpenLeft about the difficulties of holding a presidential candidate accountable during the general election campaign. The desire that we all have for Obama to win (and for McCain to lose!) is almost certainly going to override any specific disagreements we have with him on policy. And so a lot of the angst that his lurch to the "center" has caused will soon be forgiven, if not forgotten.

What these last ten days bring into question is how often President Obama will choose political pragmatism over policy progressivism. (And before you say it, yes, I realize they are not mutually exclusive; still, there will be times when taking the progressive position comes with a political cost.) Campaigning is about building political capital, and governing is about spending it. So on which issues will President Obama be willing to spend his enormous political capital? On which issues will the progressive blogosphere force him to do so?

With a Democratic victory looking more and more likely by the day, now is the time to think about how best to unleash Barack's inner progressive starting no later than noon on January 20, 2009.

Tags: Barack Obama, General Election (all tags)

Permalink :: 19 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (2.00 / 1)

Barack Obama has always made clear that he will govern as he has campaigned. Your examples show him campaigning as a moderate to conservative Democrat, and that is how he shall govern. These instances are neither new nor surprising, the substance of his campaign has almost always closely hewn to a moderate to conservative Democratic line. He consistently walks back the few occasions when he slips into a more liberal mode, such as his positions on NAFTA or talking with adversaries. His one principled exception is opposition to the Iraq war.

His reformist impulses, largely around campaign finance, which provide the substance for his "change" message, were always more rhetorical and symbolic rather than a real challenge to the existing power structures in DC. No corporate interest is frightened by his refusal to take PAC or lobbyist money, they worked out more sophisticated bundling schemes to get around those gestures decades ago.

He is certainly a Democrat, and on that count far preferable to any Republican on policy grounds, but he is a moderate to conservative Democrat.

by souvarine on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 12:35:59 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (2.00 / 1)

If you see Obama as a moderate to conservative Democrat, John McCain must be Genghis Khan.

I still see Obama as a liberal (maybe I'm a part of the moderate to conservative wing) but Obama's problem is that if he's really a moderate to conservative dem, most of America doesn't see him that way. Almost seventy percent of the country views him as politically liberal according to Rasmussen.

I think Hillary's greatest strength was that she was a liberal (I didn't think she was any less liberal than Obama) but could present herself stylistically as a moderate to conservative dem, while remaining substantively liberal. However, my argument may not be supported by polls showing how much stronger Obama performs against McCain among independents.

by Blazers Edge on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 12:51:26 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (none / 0)

If you look closely at Obama's issue positions they have always been aimed toward the middle. On economics he prefers market solutions, many of his domestic proposals emphasize conservative solutions as part of his effort to move past the "divisive culture war issues of the '60s and '70s", and on foreign policy he promotes a larger military and an American Exceptionalist line.

I suspect many Americans assume he is liberal because he is black, but the fact is that African Americans are one of the most socially conservative blocs within the Democratic party.

McCain is less orthodox than many Republicans. On many issues he is a moderate Republican, but mixed in are some extreme positions on critical issues.

by souvarine on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 01:04:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (none / 0)

I've considered Obama a right leaning politician, ever since he came on the scene. All you have to do is listen to his speech at the 04 convention, to see how many of his views could be from a republican, and I do agree about your comment on black voters, this is something I've noticed for a long while, look at Conyers, Meeks and most of the black congress people, not to many Liberals there. In fact, MLK was one of the few blacks in public life, that have been what I would call liberal.

by muggle on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 01:42:00 AM EST
[ Parent ]

great point. (2.00 / 3)

and i was struck by a comment i read yesterday in the huffpo piece about BO and the netroots by a HRC aide that said:

"I don't understand why a group like MoveOn backs Obama," said the aide. "Hillary is the one who will build up the Democratic infrastructure. She's the one promising to fight the ideological battles. He's the one who is talking about moving beyond partisanship. And they love him for it."

basically there was so much projection onto these candidates it was breathtaking.

"Me Fail English? That's Unpossible." Ralph Wiggum

by canadian gal on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 01:13:39 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: great point. (none / 0)

"Hillary is the one who will build up the Democratic infrastructure."

I think we can agree to disagree on that one.

I see Obama investing major efforts into voter registration and building the Dem party in all 50 states. I also remember Bill (and Hillary) standing watch as the Democrats ceded the congress for the first time in 40 years and Hillary voting for the Bush's single-worst policy decision.

You've probably got different reasons for believing the opposite.

by Can I Haz Moar Snark on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 04:06:03 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: great point. (2.00 / 1)

You should probably go back and look at why we lost the Congress 2 years after Clinton was first elected. It had a lot to do with corruption by Democrats in the late 80s and early 90's that the country got fed up with and the Republicans (remember Newt Gingrich and the Contract for America?) took advantage of.

by skohayes on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 06:59:01 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (none / 0)

I don't agree that it's a "problem" that Obama is seen as a liberal - in fact, after the number that George Bush has done in the name of "conservatism" I think it's about time that we on the left turn that into a dirty word.

He's a liberal. But I don't think that necessarily means he'll govern like one.

On this front, we Democrats stand to learn something from the presidency George W. Bush. He campaigned from the center, governed from the base, was completely unafraid to spend his political capital to promote conservative causes, and was willing to win 51-49 if that's what it took. If Obama adopted that philosophy, it wouldn't be so bad at all.

Polawtics. Where awareness of the internet happens.

by ASDem on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 01:14:09 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The answer is no (2.00 / 3)

No progressives made the first cut in the primaries.

by JJE on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 01:14:46 AM EST

Re: The answer is no (2.00 / 1)

While Edwards is the favorite of the progressive netroots, I felt that his populist positions were tailored for the Democratic primary.

Russ Feingold once talked about how Edwards campaigned on positions that were diametrically opposed to those he took while in the Senate.

I like Dodd, and Kucinich was the most progressive, but I'm happier with Obama than with Edwards.

by Can I Haz Moar Snark on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 04:09:47 AM EST
[ Parent ]

As I stated many times... (2.00 / 2)

Anyone who thinks Obama was to the far left haven't been paying attention. Either that or they were only paying attention to the GOP.

He supports Capital Punishment (hasn't changed). He is for "civil unions", not gay marriage. He took a hard line approach to al-Qaeda within Pakistan, and for that matter, he is NOT against the war in Afghanistan. He wants to increase the size of our Army and Marines.

And really what many call "pandering" is Democracy in action. By design elections force candidates to appeal to the masses. If your a representative of a super left-wing district in California, you are likely going to speak on their behalf, thus, you represent them.

The Presidential candidates must appeal to the masses everywhere. By design they are going to be more centered. The only way to change that is to change the entire mindset of the country as a whole.

Gobama!

by USArmyParatrooper on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 04:07:02 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (none / 0)

I think to define Obama as a progressive, you'd first have to redefine the word "progressive".
As USArmyParatrooper mentioned above, many of Obama's positions lean more to the center than to the left.
His voting record says centrist. His speeches that mention working across the aisle say centrist.
It's up to us and the other true progressives we elect into office to bring that center more to the left (which as someone mentioned in a diary yesterday, is already happening, thank you GWB).

by skohayes on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 07:04:51 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (none / 0)

Sadly, I think the answer is no. He's my guy all the way, but no progressive would support the FISA capitulation.

Nos causidicus Obama , ergo nos non suadeo

by rb608 on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 07:15:19 AM EST

Re: Is Barack Obama a Progressive? (2.00 / 2)

As a progressive, I would say, no, neither he nor Hillary are/were progressive. They are both fairly centrist Democrats. The only reason they feel progressive is because this country has moved so far to the right over the last 7 years.

accepting McLettuce is like being 9 years old and forced to eat your own cooking

by Sychotic1 on Fri Jun 27, 2008 at 10:58:55 AM EST

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