Leftwing Extremism

Some people might consider me an extremist; I certainly advocate my liberal views vigorously. Yet there are some liberals who fall even further to the left than I and who, I feel, lack the same reality-based thinking as their rightwing arch-foes. Perhaps this includes some who bought into the Nader lie that ultimately “there is no difference between republicans and democrats.”

Eight years of Bush had appeared to cure them of that nonsensical notion, but many have relapsed. Increasingly on progressive blogs, I am seeing a lot more handwringing and “chicken little syndrome.” From a Daily Kos poster:

He does not represent Liberals! He is a continuation of George W. Bush, from the War in Afghanistan, to TARP, to the lack of Transparency, to Gitmo, to Rendition, to Torture Secrecy, to Disregard for the Environment, to Lobbyist Appointments, to the Toothless DOJ….What bitter Irony! If the winger-morans understood anything at all about Pres Obama they would be cheering in the streets at his utterly Conservative ideals. All any liberal has to do to convince the wingers their anger is misplaced would be to show them a days worth of diaries at Daily Kos, where Pres O is roundly criticized for NOT being progressive.

Then there is David Swanson, author of Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union,” who also wrote an article titled “Bush’s Third Term? You’re Living It.”

First, I am not President Obama’s biggest cheerleader. He has disappointed me in multiple ways thus far. I do not like his failure to repeal “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” or refusing to insist on a public option for healthcare reform. I am frustrated at how much input he gave republicans on the stimulus bill and the budget, when it was clear they were never going to play ball. I was infuriated by the Justice Department’s initial filing in support of the “Defense of Marriage Act,” which should have been closer to the amended filing (if it had to be filed at all). I am disappointed that he feels it is okay to detain a man indefinitely without benefit of a trial, a horribly unconstitutional policy. I abhor his willingness to campaign for moderates over progressives or support candidates like Spector over Sestak. I am angry to hear him defend Bush “power grabs” or express unwillingness to punish all lawbreakers in the Bush administration for illegal torture policies, no matter how high up the trail leads.

While this might make it seem that I do not like President Obama, that is not the case. It must be acknowledged that President Obama is a man, not a deity. He is also a politician. He has held the presidency for less than 9 months, hardly enough time to swing the pendulum back to the middle (let alone the left). The less democrats support President Obama, the longer his efforts are going to take.

I think many of his accomplishments are being conveniently overlooked or forgotten. I would like to outline a few, and give credit to Sam Stein at Huffington Post and the American Justice blog, as well as others I have linked to in subsequent portions of this post.

On the environment:

• Included funding for “green” jobs in the stimulus bill
• Initiated first steps to develop a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide
• Dedicated more than $60 billion for clean energy
• Instituted “cash for clunkers,” getting more fuel efficient cars on the street
• Put more than 2 million acres of wilderness, thousands of miles of river and a host of national trails and parks under federal protection–the largest conservation effort in 15 years
• Acknowledges reality of climate change and his desire to work on an international policy like Kyoto
• Emphasized the value of science (not political opinion) within the EPA
• Allocated $2 billion in stimulus cash for advanced batteries systems (for automobiles)
• Declared (via EPA) carbon dioxide a threat to health, the first step towards regulating greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act
• Funded Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which gives $2.8 billion to cities
• Funding a $475 million initiative to restore and clean the Great Lakes

On healthcare:

• Overturned the federal funding ban for stem cell research
• Instituted better standards for comparative research in medicine and an agency to handle this
• Added staff to the FDA and brought back emphasis on science
• Allocated over $1 billion to the National Institutes of Health, whose budget Bush let stagnate
• Eliminated funding for abstinence-only education
• Signed an executive order repealing the “Mexico City policy” or “global gag rule” that withheld U.S. funds from organizations that discuss or provide family planning services abroad
• Announced US would resume contributions to the UN population fund for family planning and more than double the previous contribution made in 2001
• Appropriated $19 billion in the stimulus package to help implement an electronic medical record system
• Set aside billions in budget to overhaul the health care system
• Enacted Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization, providing healthcare to 11 million children
• Established 65% COBRA subsidy for 7 million unemployed Americans
• Allocated $1 billion for prevention and wellness programs
• Provided $87 billion to states to bolster their Medicaid programs during the downturn
• Increased funding for urban HIV/AIDS Prevention and Awareness

On Education, Equality, Public Safety, Families, etc.:

• Expressed a desire to overturn Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
• Described the Defense of Marriage Act as “unfair,” and “discirminatory” and supports it being overturned
• Includes atheists in his definition of Americans
• Extended tax credits for mothers to return to college, for tuition, and for college textbook purchases
• Has agreed to make the visitors’ lists to the White House public
• Signed executive order requiring Guantanamo to be closed within 1 year and allocated funds/personnel for that purpose
• Included provision in stimulus legislation that, for the first time, supported the ideas of Net Neutrality-like non-discrimination and openness for the Internet
• The administration demonstrated a new commitment to fighting for change on the UN Human Rights Council by announcing it will run for a seat next year, reversing the Bush administration boycott
• Announced that the U.S. will support a United Nations declaration urging nations to decriminalize homosexuality 
• Created office of Urban Policy
• Gave Department of Justice $2 billion for Byrne Grants, which funds anti-gang and anti-gun task forces (cut during Bush years)
• Allocated $5 billion for early learning programs, including Head Start, Early Head Start, child care, and programs for children with special needs
• Signed the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act to protect Americans from unfair and deceptive credit card practices 
• Enacted the Making Homes Affordable Program
• Boosted credit flow to small businesses
• Increased focus on funding for high speed rail
• Funded the Community Oriented Police program (COPS)
• Appointed first Hispanic justice to the Supreme Court and most qualified Supreme Court candidate in decades

 On foreign affairs (see link for more complete list):

• Secured $5 billion in aid commitments “to bolster [Pakistan's] economy and help it fight terror and Islamic radicalism”
• Foreign affairs experts insist that Obama’s engagement with the Muslim world has been at once remarkable and under-appreciated…”He has been able to dramatically change America’s image in that region”
• Led global response to the economic crisis through the G20, obtaining commitments of $1.1 trillion to safeguard the world’s most vulnerable economies
• Established major agenda to protect Americans from spread/use of deadly weapons, negotiating new nuclear weapon cuts with Russia and committing to the elimination of nuclear weapons
• Signed an executive order banning torture and requiring interrogations to conform to Army Field Manual Standards and Geneva Conventions
• Signed an executive order to close CIA secret prisons
• Cut ineffective, unnecessary and outdated weapons programs such as the F-22, the DDG -1000 destroyer, and Future Combat Systems
• Vowed to bring the costs of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq into the regular budget by 2010
• Largest increase for veterans funding in 30 years
• Restored the UN Ambassador to a cabinet level position
• Signed Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in defense procurement and contracting
• Helped free 2 American journalists from a North Korea prison
• Led the UN Security Council in voting for strong sanctions against North Korea
• Negotiated with Russia to allow overflights over their territory to establish a supply route into Northern Afghanistan

On workers:

• OSHA announced it was moving to protect workers from…popcorn long; last-minute Bush rules would have added 2 years before it could be considered
• Revoked Bush administration executive order on regulatory review that enabled political appointees at the White House’s OMB to override agencies’ rulemaking, undermining everything from worker safety to environmental protection
• Signed 3 executive orders, including one reversing a Bush order to limit union representation on federal contracts
• Moved to prevent federal contractors from being reimbursed for unionbusting propganda compaigns during collective bargaining
• Signed executive order overturning Bush administration’s ban on project labor agreements (PLAs) on federally funded construction (PLAs set wages and establish work rules and methods of settling grievances on large multi-contractor construction projects)
• Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, guaranteeing the right to sue for wage discrimination based on gender, race, disability, etc.
• Extended unemployment benefits for struggling Americans
• Obama’s Department of Transportation has approved 2,500 highway projects
• Cut taxes for 95% of all working families
• Provided over $500 million in funding for vocational rehabilitation services to help with job training, education and placement

Considering that many of the things Obama has done constitute a direct reversal of Bush policies, it contradicts reality to say he is “the same as Bush.” Part of liberals’ fury at Obama comes from his performance in the healthcare debate and his seeming desire to put bipartisanship over principle. I, too, am frustrated by this. Like Bill Moyers, I want President Obama to exhibit greater strength in this fight.

BILL MOYERS:  The editors of THE ECONOMIST magazine say America’s health care debate has become a touch delirious, with people accusing each other of being evil-mongers, dealers in death, and un-American. Well, that’s charitable. I would say it’s more deranged than delirious, and definitely not un-American. Those crackpots on the right praying for Obama to die and be sent to hell — they’re the warp and woof of home-grown nuttiness. So is the creature from the Second Amendment who showed up at the President’s rally armed to the teeth.

…We’ve posted on our website an essay by the media scholar Henry Giroux. He describes the growing domination of hate radio as one of the crucial elements in a “culture of cruelty” increasingly marked by overt racism, hostility and disdain for others, coupled with a simmering threat of mob violence toward any political figure who believes health care reform is the most vital of safety nets, especially now that the central issue of life and politics is no longer about working to get ahead, but struggling simply to survive.

Only in a fantasy capital like Washington could Sunday morning talk shows become the high church of conventional wisdom, with partisan shills treated as holy men whose gospel of prosperity always seems to boil down to lower taxes for the rich. Poor Obama. He came to town preaching the religion of nice. But every time he bows politely, the harder the Republicans kick him. No one’s ever conquered Washington politics by constantly saying “pretty please” to the guys trying to cut your throat.

Come on, Mr. President. Show us America is more than a circus or a market. Remind us of our greatness as a democracy. When you speak to Congress next week, just come out and say it. We thought we heard you say during the campaign last year that you want a government run insurance plan alongside private insurance — mostly premium-based, with subsidies for low-and-moderate income people. Open to all individuals and employees who want to join and with everyone free to choose the doctors we want. We thought you said Uncle Sam would sign on as our tough, cost-minded negotiator standing up to the cartel of drug and insurance companies and Wall Street investors whose only interest is a company’s share price and profits.

Here’s a suggestion, Mr. President: ask Josh Marshall to draft your speech. Josh is the founder of the website talkingpointsmemo.com…He’s offered the simplest and most accurate description yet of a public insurance plan; one that essentially asks people: would you like the option — the voluntary option — of buying into Medicare before you’re 65?

This health care thing is make or break for your leadership, but for us, it’s life and death. No more Mr. Nice Guy, Mr. President. We need a fighter.

I agree with Moyers. The time has passed for bipartisan negotiations. Republicans have made it clear that they are not intersted in negotiating with President Obama on anything. Their only goal is to attack him incessantly in an effort to tear him down and make him ineffectual despite the democrats’ advantage in the House and Senate. It is time to whip recalcitrant blue dog democrats into shape and put the work of the people ahead of politics, something the republicans are never going to do.

I do not agree with liberals joining their rightwing mirror twins in attacking the president, claiming he is leading us toward fascism or that he is “Bush’s third term.” Give it a year or two before you conclude the sky is falling” and begin with the lamentations. Right now, our opponents are the conservatives and those members of Congress attempting to thwart President Obama’s most progressive initiatives. We must shout them down, in unison, and attack their actions instead of attacking the President.

What will helping republicans tear down Obama truly accomplish? It will not result in the election of a far-left progressive. Instead, it will likely mean the return of a republican-led administration and a republican Congress so that we can all lament, yet again, how wrong it was to ever think there was no difference between republicans and democrats.

One Response to “Leftwing Extremism”

1. Glix says:

   September 6, 2009 at 7:30 am

   Thanks for writing this at this time. It was just the right messages after a week of talking heads assuring us Obama is going to cave in on healthcare reform.

   I don’t believe he will for two important reasons:

   1. This reform effort will be a failure without the competition provided by the public option.
   2. The President has mobilized his base (which includes me) to donate (I’ve sent $200) and host houseparties (I’ve had 3) and go to townhalls (I’ve been to 2). It would be foolish to get us to fight for him if he wasn’t going to fight for us and he’s no fool.