If you were looking for a far left appointment to the cabinet i.e., Kucinich or the like,

[Windy]

you won't be happy with anyone Obama picks. He has never been to the far left, unlike what the republican propaganda machine has said. He is a centerist who is brilliant and pragmatic. That is WHY I voted for him!

He has progressive advisors and has appointed Melody Barnes as Director of the Domestic Policy Council which many of you seem to gloss over.

This is going to be an administration that draws from all opinions with the decisions coming from the top and the direction for change coming from the president to be implemented by his staff.

Its fine to have opinions and we on the dem side welcome differing opinions as does the president elect. (obvious by his picks thus far) I wish some of you would give the man a chance and let him at least get into office where he can make a difference before you trash him relentlessly without keeping an open mind.

[Armstead]

1. Valid concern and an open mind are not mutually exclusive

One can support Obama and hope for the best while also expressing concern if he seems to be putting too much stock in one approach and clique while ignoring other possible people and approaches.

The so-called "far left" has been proven correect on many issues, while the DLC Centrists have been proven wrong.

Therefore, it seems that if would be wise to at least give some input to those who foresaw the trends that led us into this mess.

[JamesA1102]

9. No one has a monoploy on being right.

The so-called "far left" has also been proven wrong on many issues, while the DLC Centrists have been proven right on others. That was one of the main points of Obama's campaign. We have to get pst the ideological labels and the arguments of who is right and wrong and look for common sense solutions to problems.

[Prophet 451]

33. Sure but...

Since Obama is clearly going to include centreists in his Cabinet, I'd like to see him include a pick or two from the American far-left (Here, Kucinich would be a slightly left of centre but perfectly respectable LibDem) as well. Y'know, just so there's a wide breadth of opinions on any problem.

[doc03]

38. Didn't Kucinich bankrupt Cleveland while mayor? n/t

[Prophet 451]

55. No clue n/t

[Stevepol]

79. Are you serious?

During his tenure the banks in collusion with the power company refused to pay or fund the city because they wanted to force Kucinich to sell the power company. He refused and was later vindicated. The mafia even had a hit planned for him. If he hadn't gotten ill before the parade on the day of the hit, he likely would have been nailed.

Kucinich's story is a story that would make a great movie.

[doc03]

94. Wow never heard that just the bankruptcy part

and don't they give Senator Voinovich the credit for saving the city.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

47. That's right, but on the most important issues that we are addressing today, liberals

were indeed right. They were right about the Iraqi invasion. They were right about the downturn in the economy (Paul Krugman, James Galbraith, Jr., etc.). They were right about torture, the Patriot Act when only *they* seem to have read it.

Funny how when those who have such a disdain of liberals cite examples, they cite liberals like Kucinich or McKinney, who have been some of the most marginalized progressives in the progressive caucus. They don't cite people like Henry Waxman or Robert Wexler, who--though liberal--have been fighting on behalf of ordinary citizens and who were working to bring accountability back to government after this criminal Bush enterprise.

Don't demonize liberals, please.

[bvar22]

57. On the big issues, the DLC track record rivals William Crystals.

Can you point out an issue where the DLC has been right?

Deregulation?

Outsourcing?

"Free" Trade?

Repeal of Inheritance Tax?

Repeal of Glass Stegall?

Consolidation of Media ownership?

Approving the Bush Tax cuts and budgets?

Invasion and Occupation of Iraq?

Seating Alito and Roberts?

Privatizing of Social Security?

"NAFTA, CAFTA, SHAFTA"


Really. Point out where the DLC has been "right on some things".
I really want to know.

[BlooInBloo]

2. Don't bother. Nothing will ever be enough for them.

[Runcible Spoon]

19. "Them" being? Sigh forget it...I used to enjoy your posts, especially about race issues...

but your tone has gotten more and more devisive and nasty, and the quality of your replies has degraded into throwaway insults. It's really too bad and saddens me.

[BlooInBloo]

20. I'm sure you'll get over it.

[Runcible Spoon]

21. I will. Can you?

thanks for the reply.

[moodforaday]

34. Another insult

This is all that the rah-rah defenders blind lockstep groupthink can muster these days.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

45. It's very scary and reminds me of the Bush zombies and Rushbots. n/t

[thenam]

74. Obamabot

Others have been using that term already. I've said before, I have no problem with Obama's supporters being happy over his victory. I just want them to be willing to criticize the man when he makes mistakes. And he will (and some would say already has) make mistakes.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

84. I love and respect the man, voted for him, and supported him after Kucinich and Edwards

left the race. But I will be free to criticize him when necessary and when I don't agree with him. It's very scary that so many wish to quell dissent and criticism of any kind. No one can criticize the Clintons, either, lest they be called haters.

[Forkboy]

97. You can be funny, but I wish you'd think every now and then, instead of just playing a DU role.

[riqster]

3. Tone is important

If the messenger is shouting angrily, the recipient will often hear the attitude rather than the message.

[EFerrari]

4. If Obama can handle Hillary and al Qaida, he can handle me asking a question

and having an opinion on a message board. He really can!

:)

[knixphan]

28. nice!

and true.

[VenusRising]

5. Who is relentlessly trashing him?

There is nothing wrong with questioning his choices. It is far better to do it now before he is the actual President and these appointments become official.

DUers have done an exceptional job in the past at digging up the real story on appointees. Why would you expect anything less considering the state of the country and what we have had to endure the past 8 years? It's become a natural response to worry when it comes to Democrats. They have let us down many times before on important issues, and there will always be some that are leery and will voice it. It's the open exchange of information and ideas that make us stronger.

[John Q. Citizen]

6. Yes the centrists all voted to invade Iraq. And Obama is one of them. Good point!

[Windy]

13. I am a liberal but I am realistic. I would therefore consider myself a centrist

and I was vehemently against going into Iraq from the beginning and not a Hillary supporter, but supported Obama from the beginning because I also think he is a realist.

I love Dennis but he is not a realist on the dem side.

[Solon]

77. How do you define realist?

I look at reality and realize that most so called centrists are nuts in their ideas for solutions for many problems, I'll even say they are being completely unrealistic in their expectations, especially when it comes to economic issues.

[JamesA1102]

7. Great post.

One of the problems I saw during the campaign was too many on the left were projecting their own views and attitudes on to Obama and not really listening to what he was saying. They were bound to be disappointed when he was elected.

[moodforaday]

35. It's true. What's equally true

is that anyone who wasn't deluding him- or herself and spoke about Obama how they saw him would be endlessly bashed and/or banned from DU due to the rule of exclusive support for the Dem candidate.

So first you can't talk openly about a candidate's potential issues, then you have to "trust his judgment".

I'm happy Obama won. I'm not happy about centrism, because centrism really means more of the same: government for and by the corporations and the military. Wall Street bailout for one, surge in Afghanistan for the other. Not change.

[doc03]

8. Same here I am very happy he hasn't gone far left

in his opponents. I'm not going to say America is center right like the Republicans but I do think people want a more centrist government. One of the things the Republicans always try to do is scare people away from voting for the Democrat, they called Obama, Gore and Kerry the most liberal people in the Senate. Why do they do that? Because they know Americans are more centrist, most Americans don't want a government by the lunatic fringe either right or left. According to the environmentalist extremists we can't use oil, gas, coal or nuclear only wind and solar. Then the other day I hear one of them on the radio condemning wind power claiming the wind mills give them motion sickness and make too much noise. Then we have the ones that want the AWB when nobody has been able to own a true assault weapon since 1934 without special permits. I doubt if anybody has ever been murdered by anyone legally possessing a true assault weapon since the Al Capone days. I am also thankful we some Blue Dog conservative Democrats to to keep the far left ones in check.

[Runcible Spoon]

18. what kind of nonsense are you dribbling out of your keyboard?

There are PLENTY of lefties who aren't gun grabbers or want to outlaw fossil fuels. Pretty much ANY of them. Supporting logical, renewable energy policy isn't tantamount to "OK TOMORROW WE ARE OUTLAWING GAS". Interesting to see how you frame your pet issues, though. :puke:

[doc03]

24. Since the election it appears the gun grabbers

are here in full force, I see a post about the AWB every time I look at DU lately. I also have seen many posts from the environmental Nazis that would outlaw all fossil fuels tomorrow. Like I said I even heard the one nut on the radio complaining about motion sickness and noise from wind mills. What are we supposed to do live like 18th century pioneers. If that's what they want let them go to Alaska and live off the land. Oh I forgot they would starve to death or be eaten by a bear they don't believe in guns either. That reminds me seeing Rosie O'Donnell on TV now, she's another one a couple years ago she is raising hell about people owning guns while she has armed body guards for her own sorry ass.

[moodforaday]

36. Funny thing.

Funny how protecting the 2nd amendment is "centrist", but protecting amendments 1 and 4 is "far left".

[doc03]

37. Who said anything about that? n/t

[KakistocracyHater]

25. If we continue down this rightward direction

we'll be wrecked forever. 3rd world bananna republic where only the socially vulnerable are "held to the law" (blamed for the rich acting out).

[olkaz]

10. For the record, Obama is not a "centerist".

He is a moderate.

Big difference.

[peace13]

11. Thank you for the preachy comment.

Hope you feel better.

[AtomicKitten]

12. Still I'd like a token appointment of a far-lefty.

I do agree that Obama's appointments will carry out his vision, but it's rather disconcerting to see some of center--->right appointments being made. I also realize Obama isn't even close to being done with his staffing, but I would be pleased if he threw the progressive community a bone.

[Shiver]

17. Melody Barnes

The first example that comes to mind, as I know I've heard of several other appointments - non-Cabinet - that are to the left.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7920788

As I say in that thread, I think the strategy is to appoint people with experience and the ability get the job done in the Cabinet, regardless of ideology, while his closest advisers, the ones he works with on a more frequent, sometimes daily basis, are more progressive. Advisers of this nature do not require Senate confirmation, whereas the Cabinet does - not to mention since they aren't high-profile Cabinet positions, the media glosses over them.

My theory has recently expanded to this: I think Obama's plan is to move the center itself to the left. Make things like universal health care, a strong middle class, etc, centrist positions instead of leftist. A 'centrist' Cabinet moving a progressive agenda, thus moving the ideas themselves to the center.

This theory, of course, is still in development.

[AtomicKitten]

108. "I think Obama's plan is to move the center itself to the left."

I hope so. Thanks for the info!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

46. After all, it was the progressives who were largely responsible for putting him in office

It's almost as if Obama is going out of his way to prove that he's not a liberal and wants nothing to do with liberals...unless they are *outside* of his cabinet. He's afraid that the right wingnuts and the M$M are going to make fun of him or accuse him of being a liberal. Can't have that. Liberals are un-patriot, God-hating terrorists. So Obama must distance himself as much as possible from the nutty liberals. :sarcasm:

The most important, most prestigious appointments have been 'center-right' or DLC sycophants. As of now there are no progressives, and somehow I have a feeling that if there are progressives, they will be relegated to agencies like HUD (where I work) and Education. These agencies are NOT the most prestigious ones: State, Defense, Treasury are.

[AtomicKitten]

109. You're right. Many third party people threw in with the Dems this year.

I hope Obama remembers that.

[OutNow]

14. Far Left - Stop using a RW expression

Dennis Kucinich is a great guy and I supported his run for President in 2004, but please stop using the RW's classification for Dennis and other Dems as "far-left".

Dennis Kucinich is moderately left of center. By European standards, or other ways to measure the political spectrum, the Democratic Party is quite moderate.

In the current economic crisis, a real leftist would be advocating long prison terms for the Wall Street, hedge fund, and oil company executives and speculators. A real leftist would be demanding troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and the other 100 or so countries where U.S. troops are deployed.

A "far-left" person or group would advocate and initiate plans to carry out the seizure of industrial plants and assets of companies that are moving all manufacturing off shore; the right to form a union and hold a strike and allow sympathy strikes and ban scabs; the right of U.S. troops to abandon their positions and arrest their officers; the end to home foreclosures and the right of the homeless to occupy the millions of vacant houses all over the country.

If you think the "far-left" agenda is extreme, you're right. It is. That's why it is called FAR-LEFT.
Perhaps you should stop listening to O'Liely and read Ten Days That Shook The World.

[riqster]

15. Kooch is actually MOR by 20th-Century American Dem standards

..it's the changed landscape that makes him look farther Left than he really is.

[Hawkowl]

26. Very true!

What the media describes as "far left" is ridiculous. The democratic party would be the conservative party in almost every single western European country. Your description of the "far left" is accurate. I consider myself a far left radical and agree with all the positions you enumerate.

And it may come to pass, that a far left agenda is enacted in the Obama administration. The economy is on the brink of complete failure and Paulson and Bush are simply throwing gasoline on the fire. If Obama can't push through moderately left economic policies very quickly such as foreclosure relief and universal single payer health care with loan guarantees for the automakers and small businesses, the economy will move into Great Depression territory which will require far left remedies.

[Cults4Bush]

50. That should be its own OP

Im really getting tired of being made out to be the enemy by members of my own party ...but alliances shift and morph. Im just hoping big and little D dems understand that throwing out the left of the party will lose them elections .

[slay]

60. THANK YOU!

This has always been my thoughts as well. Thanks for posting it! :hi:

[alwysdrunk]

83. That's not far left that's extremist

The positions you describe are not far left. There is no credible politician in this country who holds those positions. What do I mean by credible? I mean having any real chance of being elected by a majority of voters. When people say far left, far right etc., they are describing the positions of politicians that are actually in office. Very few left or right extremists are ever in office. Almost none in the federal government.

[Junkdrawer]

92. Self Delete - Posted Wrong Spot

[Junkdrawer]

93. "Far Left" = Supports the US Constitution...

The spin on this site is scaring me...

[natrat]

16. i am so sick of the centrist bullshit line, what a fake

[Two Americas]

22. no one was

Rather than continually complaining about what the people on the Left supposedly are doing or saying, and mischaracterizing and maligning them, as a deceptive way to promote your more conservative sentiments, why not argue your own point of view forthrightly and out in the open?

[Beacool]

23. You ain't getting one.

Just finishing your sentence.........

:shrug:

[Sebastian Doyle]

27. I want to see Dennis in charge of health care

I haven't read Daschle's book, but given the fact that his wife is a lobbyist, I somehow doubt the plan he proposes will come anywhere near what we need, which is HR 676.

[Hawkowl]

29. I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt...

Let him appoint whomever he likes. If however, his future agenda is reflected by his appointees past conduct, Obama will fail. Failed past policies equate to future failure. Free Trade, Deregulation, and neglecting the real economy (Main Street), in favor of the robber baron financial Wall Street crooks that engineered the meltdown, will result in a failure so monumental that the world will forget Bush and remember only Obama. And that will be a tragedy to everyone. I want him to succeed and I believe that for him to succeed, he will need bold, and yes radical immediate action. Rubin proteges and Gates with Pentagon holdovers could very well dig Obama a hole so deep, he never is able to escape.

[dailykoff]

30. He's playing Herbert Hoover but we need an FDR.

I get the centrist thing, and the team of rivals thing, and the bipartisan thing (three rotten, stupid excuses for selling out) but we're in pretty bad shape and if he doesn't take this opportunity to repair the social safety net -- for once, no one is arguing about federal spending -- he's going to wind up like Hoover come 2012.

[Sebastian Doyle]

31. Chimpy is Hoover

And not just because he sucks.

[dailykoff]

32. Chimpy is Caligula but that's another story.

Yeah I see your point but don't forget that officially we're not even in a recession. The media will only acknowledge the carnage once there's a Dem in office to blame it on.

p.s. what I mean is that Bush is in a league of his own and that if Obama keeps up this business-as-usual charade he's going to get shoved aside in four years by somebody more in tune with the zeitgeist, and that may well be a right-wing demagogue, which makes it even more important that Obama snap out of this stupidity.

[cali]

39. Nah, he's definitely playing Chester Arthur

[Zynx]

53. You are bordering on pathetic now.

[Pryderi]

40. Melanie Sloan from CREW would be nice to have in the administration.

http://www.citizensforethics.org/

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

41. Deleted...Duplicate Thread...

Delete...

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

42. So, to be 'far left' is NOT to be 'brilliant' and 'pragmatic'???

I'm so tired of this bullshit meme!!

It was the liberals who were right about everything, from the Iraqi invasion, to warnings about the economic downturn. I'm sick of people asserting that we cannot have progressives in Obama's administration because he wants people who are "capable" and "pragmatic." So the implication is that liberals or progressives are none of these things? Does that mean that only so-called "center-right" DLC types are the only ones who can get things done? It is so insulting for people on this forum and elsewhere to continue to buy into the M$M's propaganda machine that does everything it can to demonize 'far left' liberals and progressives. Please do not fall into this trap.

As for Obama, many of us already knew that he wasn't a liberal. We were smart enough to review his actual voting record in IL and the U.S. Senate; and many of us were under no delusions. While I understand that he must fill his cabinet and team with those who have differing views, if he is a moderate or centrist, then from the looks of things, he's hiring moderates, centrists and even some conservatives (Gates). There are perhaps 1 or 2 progressives so far, but it's not an ideologically diverse team thus far.

[bvar22]

61. Recommending Post #42.

"It was the liberals who were right about everything, from the Iraqi invasion, to warnings about the economic downturn. I'm sick of people asserting that we cannot have progressives in Obama's administration because he wants people who are "capable" and "pragmatic." So the implication is that liberals or progressives are none of these things? Does that mean that only so-called "center-right" DLC types are the only ones who can get things done? It is so insulting for people on this forum and elsewhere to continue to buy into the M$M's propaganda machine that does everything it can to demonize 'far left' liberals and progressives. Please do not fall into this trap."

:toast:


The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

81. Yeah, what Liberal_Stewart71 said

The so-called "wacky far left" has been right more than it's been wrong. I'm proud of being "far left," and I will not be cowed by anyone calling me that.

[Joe Chi Minh]

43. Don't be too sure. We're all heading for some rocky times. and much

of the left's position is immeasurably more prgamatic than that of the centre right which has brought us to this brink of a cataclysmic, economic meltdown - which may turn out to be the worst in 500 years.

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21318.htm

[DCBob]

44. I would be rather disturbed if Obama picked Kucinich for anything but ..

if he did I would respect his choice and hope there was some good reason for it.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

48. Why? What's wrong with Dennis? Too 'far left'?

[DCBob]

49. Although I admire him for his sometimes controversial positions, he comes off a bit wacky at times.

He could be a liability.

[Cults4Bush]

51. lol.. and Hil doesnt?

:)

[DCBob]

52. Hillary has her faults as well. I am not a Hillary fanatic either...

But if Obama chooses her, I am fine with it. I can see some positives with her as SoS.

[Cults4Bush]

56. Heya, I understand.

My point was just that everyone has their risks, their faults.
To illustrate if you can... use your viewpoint in regards to Kootch getting an appointment and overlay that feeling/thought regarding Hils (possible) appointment. It's not close to being precise but it does provide context for a direct level of empathy and thus probable compassion for fellow DU'ers you may disagree with. Its understandable that the loudest and rudest ones are hard to apply this process to, but it works really well to hold in your mind the further understanding that most who would disagree with you aren't like the loudly rude contingent at all (and every side have their own who fall into this category anyways).

Long windedly but truly where I was coming from :)

[bvar22]

62. "Controversial Positions" ??

*Single Payer Universal HealthCare, just like every other developed country in the WORLD.

*REALLY ending the WAR & Occupation in the Middle East

*Strong support for LABOR and American Jobs

*Reducing the "Defense" Budget to sane levels (We spend how much more than the rest of the World combined while American citizens DIE for lack of HealthCare)

*Holding criminals accountable, even if they are RICH and WHITE.

The sad, SAD, SAD thing is that the above positions ARE considered "Left wing wacko" by today's incarnation of the Democratic Party, and by a large number of posters at DU. :cry:

[DCBob]

63. Controversial to the majority of the American voters.

To win the WH, a candidate must move toward the center on most of those issues -- that's the reality.

[bvar22]

67. That is NOT true either.

In recent polls by the Pew Research Group, the Opinion Research Corporation, the Wall Street Journal, and CBS News, the American majority has made clear how it feels. Look at how the majority feels about some of the issues that you'd think would be gospel to a real Democratic Party:

1. 65 percent (of ALL Americans, Democrats AND Republicans) say the government should guarantee health insurance for everyone -- even if it means raising taxes.

2. 86 percent favor raising the minimum wage (including 79 percent of selfdescribed "social conservatives").

3. 60 percent favor repealing either all of Bush's tax cuts or at least those cuts that went to the rich.

4. 66 percent would reduce the deficit not by cutting domestic spending but by reducing Pentagon spending or raising taxes.

5. 77 percent believe the country should do "whatever it takes" to protect the environment.

6. 87 percent think big oil corporations are gouging consumers, and 80 percent (including 76 percent of Republicans) would support a windfall profits tax on the oil giants if the revenues went for more research on alternative fuels.

7. 69 percent agree that corporate offshoring of jobs is bad for the U.S. economy (78 percent of "disaffected" voters think this), and only 22% believe offshoring is good because "it keeps costs down."

http://alternet.org/story/29788/

8. Over 63% oppose the War on the Iraqi People.

9. 92% of ALL Americans support TRANSPARENT, VERIFIABLE elections!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x446445

On the issues, Americans (Democrats & Republicans) are as liberal as Dennis Kucinich.

The problem is that Americans are never offered a real choice.

[DCBob]

69. Dennis could not have won this election.

Even with wacko Palin and senile McCain.

[bvar22]

70. That is exactly MY point.

The great majority of Americans agree with Kucinich on the issues.
Yet every 4 years, America is offered only two choices far to the Corporate Right of Kucinich, and Kucinich is marginalized as some Far Lefty.

How does that happen so consistently?
I know.
Do you?

[DCBob]

71. It was more Dennis' style and personality than his positions.

He simply does not come off as presidential. If we want to advance the far left agenda then we need a serious believable candidate.

[Solon]

75. What is the far left agenda? DK is barely center left.

Also, I do find it amusing that you had to amend your own position to keep criticizing Dennis Kucinich.

[DCBob]

78. Far left to one is near left to another -- there is no firm definition.

And I didn't amend anything. My first comment was that Dennis is a bit wacko. That still my main argument of why he had no chance of winning. Also, his "far" left positions didn't help him either.

[Solon]

80. And again, you haven't defined what makes him either a wacko or far left.

Basically what you are saying is that this is your opinion that isn't supported by any facts. As far as him being unelectable, well, he hasn't gotten a fair shake, but then again, I'm not one of those who claim this country is to the left, not by any means, this country is way to fucking conservative, in my opinion.

[DCBob]

82. If you can't see that Dennis comes off "a bit wacko" then I can't help you.

:hi:

[mvd]

85. I also don't see it

I just see him as blunt, and not wacko. I'd like to have more of his candor in government. And the "far left" goals seem reasonable to me: single payer health care, equality for all, ending the failed drug war (by making marijuana legal and reducing the number of prison sentences for drugs,) wanting peace not war and withdrawal from Iraq, ending the costly, unfair, and immoral death penalty, wanting a fair tax system, wanting a clean environment, etc. What is more unreasonable on the left is not giving Obama a chance and demanding absolute purity.

[Dis Pater]

88. How about the rose smelling ufo's he communicates with?

That's kinda wacky.

[mvd]

89. I recall him saying he just saw one

That's not so wacky IMO. A grounded relative in my family has seen one.

[Dis Pater]

90. Yes, sorry, one.

Seen, but has she communicated with it and was she aware of the wafting of roses around her?

[mvd]

91. If so, I hope they said keep up the good work

Otherwise, they ARE alien to good government. :-)

[L0oniX]

105. You mean these people?

[Raineyb]

107. If those positions are controversial then there's something wrong with the American people

Except when you poll the public they actually agree with those positions. So it would be our politicians who have a problem. If they'd stop sucking up to corporations and a few wealthy people that would go a ways to solve that.

Regards

[EFerrari]

64. He comes off wacky because that's how he's been framed by the RW media.

How many Democrats have been framed that way? And how often do we fall for it?

[DCBob]

65. RW media has zero impact on my thinking...

Dennis is a bit wacky. It's his personality and style.

[dansolo]

54. How well would a far left appointment take orders from Obama?

People seem to have this delusion that a far left appointment would be able to come in and call the shots. That is not going to happen with any of members of Obama's cabinet. He is the one in charge, and he has a clear vision of what he wants to do. The last thing he wants is a rigid ideologue from the left contradicting his objectives.

[slay]

58. How exactly is Kucinich "far left"? Is honesty and decency only a "far left" quality?

Because those are the qualities I admire more about Kucinich. By perpetuating this - Kucinich is far left myth - you help the right wing loons convince people that the middle is way closer to the right wing fundies than it truly is. So if that was the point of this thread - Bravo, good job. It seems the "keeping an open mind" you spoke of in your original post only applies to the rest of us.

[robcon]

66. Kucinich is a dope.

His Dept. of Peace proposal was the stupidest, most naive proposal and justification that I have ever read from a major politician.

Kucinich was the only Dem I would not have voted for if he had won the nom.

[slay]

73. Have a cookie ya big hater

I can just feel the love. :puke:

[Solon]

76. Don't worry about robcon, he's a nutball. n/t

[robcon]

96. Thanks, Solon, you're a peach.

Shithead.

[Forkboy]

98. Hell, I thought Salon was being nice to you.

Be grateful, shithead.

[atimetocome]

59. Triangulation is a good thing.

[amborin]

68. why not Sheila Bair?

she PREDICTED this whole debacle

she was ridiculed by the very folks who are now being selected

she had the insight and wisdom to see where these policies and decisions would lead....

[ozone_man]

95. My question too.

So he picks a clone of Rubin and Paulson for Treasury. Not change. Nope.

[amborin]

72. "far" left? even just slightly to the left would be better than right of center we're gonna get

and lots of picks:

Sheila Bair

Paul Krugman

Robert Reich

etc.............

[Guaranteed]

86. He's not far left, and he's not a centrist, either. He's a MODERATE LIBERAL.

Yes, folks, a moderate liberal- did you KNOW liberalism can moderated?

[Orsino]

104. He's a conservative, like most Dems and Republicans.

It no longer matters what he ran as, though. He'd better be smart. courageous and pragmatic enough to be as progressive as is required in the coming years...or we're doomed, IMO.

[Cleita]

87. The far left like Kucinich are really those who never allowed Washington

politics corrupt them. None of the so called lefties are that far left. They hold positions that would have been considered quite normal in the FDR or Truman administrations. It would be wise for Obama to get a few of these guys, like him or Bernie Sanders or Jerry Nadler, or even anyone outside of Washington like one of the Governors who have managed to not be bought and sold by Washington lobbyists, to keep him from being misled by hidden agendas himself. I'm really disappointed in his appointment of Daschle to H&HR. Here's is a guy who's been working for a "K" street firm who has health care corporations as clients. He also advocates mandated health care to be bought from private health insurance companies as his answer to universal health care. This is like putting the fox in charge of the hen house. I truly hope Daschle proves me wrong.

[Forkboy]

99. DU talking about the far left cracks me up.

Like most of DU would know a far lefty if they bit them on the ass.

I wish some of you would give the man a chance and let him at least get into office where he can make a difference before you trash him relentlessly without keeping an open mind.

The comedy never ceases.

[GreenPartyVoter]

100. Well, I don't get it. He can reach out to Repubs and that's called "unity" but

reaching out to and picking people from the left is a no-go?

Some unity.

[EndElectoral]

101. Well stated. I really would like to see him move toward a more Progressive approach

Obama is a little left of center, but is no way a Progressive. This concerned me, but compared to the alternatives of McCain-Palin it was a no deal. Hilary certainly is alos no Progressive. This was why many progressives were frsutrated during the primaries. Outside of Kuccinich and some of Edwards positions, Progressives positions were simply not being voiced, YET Progressives will be blamed if the Obama administration fails. Republicans painted Obama as a scremaing liberal socialist which is of course ludicrous, If we actually ever had a screaming liberal socialist in office like Bernie Sanders, it'd be a different country, and personally IMO for the better, but we seem to elect either far right wackos, or centrists.

Things like Kuccinich's Dept. of Peace or Single Payer Uiuversal health care are pooh-poohed as impossible while we bail out rich fat cats on Wall Street. Unions are given as the reason the Big Three are failing, but a financial sector that is non-unionized collpases and no one says anything about that fact.

I'd like to see out of some of Obama's cabinet.

appointments that are non-corporate or conflit of interest people.

I'd like a FDA that protects consumers health. I'd like an EPA that really cares about the environment. I'd like a Secy. of Labor that actually wants to protect workers. And so on.

I don't hold a lot of hope for that, but I can hope. Obama gave me that dream at least.

[harun]

102. Just because he is picking the people he has doesn't exactly say how he will govern

[LWolf]

103. I haven't looked for it,

and I've always known he was a centrist.

Exactly why I DIDN'T support him.

[quaker bill]

106. How far left is "far left"?

When going left, there is an extent where practicable change is on the table and an extent where impractable ideology takes over. I have been to a sufficient number of Green Party events, and even helped arrange a few, to be familiar with this limit. The denizens or the far left are fun to hang out with, but it is rare to see much accomplished there. For this movement to be sustained in a manner that prevents any sort of republican come back for the next 20 or 30 years, Barack must deliver real and tangible change on his rhetoric, and it must happen quickly.

This will not be an easy thing. It will require the best minds and folks willing to bend ideology to suit reality. Reality at the moment is not real friendly. Bush has left us in a state where there is virtually no room for error and very little room for delay. Sweeping ideological change takes time and generally involves some trial and error approaches. This moment is not the right moment for experimentation. Now is time to put the wheels back on the cart. If we do this, even modestly successfully, we can oount on an even larger majority in 2010.

We absolutely must show competence at governing, even if some of the change we desire goes a bit slower than we hope to accomplish it. Competent and stabile governing is the key to ending any chance of a republican rebound.

Our current government is a bit right of Attilla the Hun. From this place, moving left is so easy that even "centrists" can do it.