Mr. President, most liberals and progressives that I know are pretty disappointed in your leadership and your "politically correct" bipartisanship. I believe that I, as well as many political observers, understand your mindset and that you have compared and found similar the elections of 2010 and 1994, and drawn the "obvious" conclusions from that comparison. Ah, but we have to be pragmatic, Mr. President, right? We mustn't ignore the political re al ities. And above all, we must appear to be bipartisan, right now, and move towards the center. Even if morality gets thrown under the bus. Right, Mr. President? Democratic politics as usual. NOT change. Not actually moral politics.
As one who expected a moral progressivism from you, and real leadership, I am, like the author of Ignore This, Mr. President. You Already Ignore Me., Daily Kos, April 9, 2011, by teacherken, bitter and disappointed. Like a black slave 160 years ago, almost, Mr. President, the poor and the politically knowledgeable liberals and progressives in this country are crying out, "How long, Oh, Lord??" When will we get a President (and a Congress???) who will do the morally correct things which need to be done, regardless of money, and influence, and "political reality." When will liberals and progressives and the American people find their second Lincoln? When, indeed.
Mr. President, you're not leading. You are going with the flow, attuned to the current "political reality," and you are abandoning what is right, what is liberal or progressive, abandoning justice for the people, and simply not fighting for them: you are just making compromises, pragmatically. It just isn't right, and I expected much more.
I believe you will see in your reelection campaign a lack of enthusiasm, a dearth of volunteers, and you will blame it on the political climate. No, Mr. President. If you acted for what is right -- and I KNOW you know what that is, and actually believe in that -- your numbers would be fine. And then we would follow you to hell. As it is, people are actually talking about a man like Mitt Romney or Newt Gingrich challenging you. Ask yourself why that is, and you may see that you have taken the wrong approach, and have been coming up with the wrong answers and strategies.
Do the right things, regardless, and the nation would rally behind you. Or go down in history as an "average" President. Your choice.
