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Rahm Emanuel gave a wonderfully condescending interview to the Wall Street Journal where he explained that the White House has nothing to worry about from the left. That's exactly what we have to change. Unfortunately, the only way to capture their attention and make them accommodate us rather than Fox News Channel is to hurt them. When we can put on the same kind of pain and pressure on the Obama White House as Fox does, that's when they'll have to move, at least to get out of the way.
You inflict political pain by voting things down. So far progressives have been completely unwilling to do this. They got rolled on healthcare because they had no intention of putting their foot down - and everyone knew it.
The next time Obama pushes a corporate agenda, progressives have to knock him upside the head. Deny him. Or as the kids would say, send his shit. And make a big stink out of it. Draw everyone's attention to how far right Obama is and how out of whack he is with the American people.
If that scares you and you start to worry about damaging a Democratic president, you're never going to win at this game. You're never going to get the policies you want. They don't listen to reason, they listen to power.
Let's get real, we already lost the health care fight. But luckily, something even more important is up next. Financial reform. That's where we know for a fact the American people have our back. We also already know that Obama's Treasury Department is a joke. Tim Geithner has fought reformers in the House every step of the way. It's time to take out a couple of lead pipes and a blow torch and go to work on his ass.
If Obama wants to fill the legislation full of loopholes, he should be called out at every turn. We vote no and we point out in no uncertain terms that Obama is pushing that agenda to help corporate interests so that he can fill Democratic coffers.
This has the advantage of being true. If you don't have the stomach for being this tough on Obama and the Democrats, well then you don't have the stomach for politics. And you will permanently be the Republican's bitches.
If you don't move the island, the rest is futile. You have to shift the ground underneath them. And the only way to do that is to create such a strong and aggressive progressive movement that they cannot help but notice it - and respond to it. Move the center and you'll move Obama. And he'll move the country. There is no other choice.
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