{"id":2301,"date":"2010-06-29T08:40:08","date_gmt":"2010-06-29T12:40:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/?p=2301"},"modified":"2010-06-29T09:02:44","modified_gmt":"2010-06-29T13:02:44","slug":"liberals-increasingly-divided-over-obama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.northcountrypublicradio.org\/inbox\/2010\/06\/29\/liberals-increasingly-divided-over-obama\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberals increasingly divided over Obama’s liberalism"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Ton Tomorrow cartoon<\/p><\/div>\n

Republicans are hoping that the 2010 midterm elections will be a referendum on Barack Obama’s first two years in office.<\/p>\n

But there’s also a growing debate on the Left over just how successful Mr. Obama’s first term has been.<\/p>\n

In a commentary posted on the Huffingtonpost <\/a>website, liberal activist and pundit Janeane Garofalo rejected flatly the idea that America “has taken a turn for the better” under Obama.<\/p>\n

“Wish I could say yes,” Garofalo said.\u00a0 “Believe me, heart broken.\u00a0 Am I thrilled that he’s there and not a Republican?\u00a0 Sure.\u00a0 Is anything different?\u00a0 No.”<\/p>\n

Tom Tomorrow’s widely read “This Modern World” political cartoon, published this week<\/a>, lampoons “sensible liberalism in the age of Obama.”<\/p>\n

“Only a child would expect [President Obama] to use some sort of ‘bully pulpit’ to ‘exert influence’ and somehow ‘accomplish things,'” the cartoon snarks.<\/p>\n

Writing in Salon, Steve Kornacki echoes their disappointment, blasting Obama for the “original sin” of supporting the war in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n

“[T]o really understand where Obama went wrong, you have to go back to his decision as a candidate to make a strong distinction between the war in Afghanistan and the war in Iraq,” Kornacki writes.<\/p>\n

But other liberals aren’t sure that their fellow-travelers are looking at the same President.<\/p>\n

Peter Beinart, writing for the Daily Beast on-line journal, lauded Mr. Obama’s “unbelievable winning streak.”<\/a><\/p>\n

But have you noticed that when it comes to actual policy, [President Obama] keeps racking up the wins? This week it was financial-regulatory reform.<\/p>\n

One can argue about whether the bill the Senate passed will truly change the way Wall Street operates, but off the top of your head, can you name a more significant piece of progressive legislation signed by either of the last two Democratic presidents?<\/p>\n

Neither can I.<\/p>\n

And that goes for Obama\u2019s stimulus package and his health-care reform as well.<\/p>\n

All of which means that, legislatively at least, Obama has exceeded in 18 months what Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter achieved in a combined 12 years.<\/p>\n

By summer\u2019s end, he\u2019ll also have shepherded two young liberal justices on to the Supreme Court.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mr. Obama has also pushed for a comprehensive energy bill, his EPA has begun implementing the first-ever regulation of carbon pollution, and it appears that this White House will end the ban on gays serving in the military.<\/p>\n

Former President Bill Clinton — whose own liberal cred is often questioned by liberals — says that’s not a bad track record for 18 months.\u00a0 This from Politico<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he’s done a better job than he’s given credit for.\u00a0 I feel very strongly about this,\u201d Mr. Clinton said.<\/p>\n

Jon Stewart, host of the Daily Show, made fun of all the hand-wringing this week — hand-wringing from the right and the left — when he hosted David Axelrod, one of Mr. Obama’s top advisors.<\/p>\n

“He will let us know just how long we are all going to have to wait for the communist utopia they promised us,” Stewart quipped.<\/p>\n

So what do you think?\u00a0 Do hard-core liberals have unrealistic expectations?\u00a0 Or are they right to feel disappointed — betrayed? — by Mr. Obama’s approach?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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