Rocks thrown from all sides

I wrote yesterday about how many progressives didn't work hard to elect Dems because they were so disenchanted with the way Obama has treated them. My friend and debate partner responded:

Obama steered his legislative program and governance slightly left of center, making important progress on the major agenda you have listed. The sure signal that he chose well and was an outstanding leader and politician is that the far right and far left ranges of the political spectrum were and are about equally furious with him. That's good politics.

Real benefits: Important progress for the middle class at the expense of the wealthy and powerful. But the center he catered to and benefited is apathetic and uninvolved. The result: important progress that made almost no one happy.

Political results: Won almost no one's loyalty and support. Obama got to stand in the middle and have rocks thrown at him from all sides. Every good deed punished.

As Nov 2nd showed: Fatal.

I admire what he did because it is and was very good governance, far better than we deserved after electing the Bush nation-wreckers twice. Americans need to re-educate themselves on what government is for and can be realistically expected to do.

Steering just left of center could not (as you are painfully aware) win the support of LGBTs (whose needs are way progressive) nor of young people (who are idealistic and fail to appreciate the challenges of change). Notice that I am writing here about the affect experienced by Americans -- the practical consequences of governance, NOT about justice or rights deserved but delayed.

This time my debate partner gets some debate in response. I understand his point but don't completely agree with it. Detroit is enjoying a fine Indian Summer so I had a chance for a long bicycle ride today, hopefully not the last of the season. So I thought about this a bit as I rode, though didn't come up with more than three counter-examples. Good sign that my debate partner's idea is sound? We'll see.

It is one thing to go for the center between progressive and conservative ideas generally held by the citizens. It's quite another to compromise on issues between corporations and citizens. Even conservative citizens see (some) value in reining in corporate greed (many of them were hurt in the Great Recession too) even if the corporate puppets in Congress fight such protections tooth and nail. In cases such as this I don't think it is smart to govern from the center.

The American middle class is suffering because of the Great Recession and many are desperate. Not getting them the help they need, especially not making sure unemployment benefits last through the long downturn isn't smart maneuvering, it's simply dumb -- and political suicide, as we saw.

In the case of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the military ban on gays serving openly, a majority of conservatives want the ban lifted. Given that so many want it gone and the prez. still can't get rid of it, he's a wimp.