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by mknappsmith
 I fear our disappointment with President Obama is taking us into dangerous territory. Our anger could, in the end, bring unintended consequences that we may long regret. We should reassess our goal in light of the political reality in our country. A strategic fight is not about what one wants, but rather it's about what's possible. Our plan must head us toward our goals, but with the full understanding that our struggle will be ongoing with predictable setbacks and defeats.
That Obama has not delivered on promises and expectations is a stinging betrayal of our dreams, but, the truth is, all presidents must govern within the brutal reality of politics. It involves chessboard strategy, tradeoffs, kiss-ups, and foxtrots with the foxes. It's true, many Obama decisions are 180 degree turnarounds, others less severe but feel like betrayals nonetheless. But, if we're honest, we'd have to admit that we share responsible for our disappointment. We failed to acknowledge in our more studied moments that reality cannot compete with dreams. No president can deliver dreams in a world such as ours. But that must not change our goal - just our mind-set.
I think we must allow Obama some room because I'm convinced he's our last best hope. I think he's closer to our convictions and goals than any electable candidate in the country. This is a center-right country - like it or not. The Right is employing every scheme and strategy to take out Obama. Do we want to join them? If we primary Obama, it can only weaken him further with absolutely NO hope of getting our candidate elected. We cannot be a party to that!
In his 2009 book Daybreak, David Swanson contends, "if we want to force the sort of changes we need... we are going to have to do a whole lot better, which will have to begin by thinking and acting a whole lot better."
We must organize, get in the trenches and fight. We must make our voices heard. We must convince others to join us because we're right. The President is persuaded by numbers and conviction. We cannot be seen as whining, latte-drinking lefties who, when things don't go their way, get in their Volvos and drive off to another gig.
Let's get real, get energized and get crackin'. |
