TYT: Interview with Noam Chomsky - Is Obama Progressive?

[dotymed]

9. Jamaal, I can see your perspective.

You sound (to me) like you are not an older person like I am. My Daughter, who considers herself a progressive holds the same views as you.
As an older American, I can remember how America was. You are right about the civil rights that gay Americans have achieved under President Obama and I am very happy that this has happened. I may take issue with you about his drawing down both wars. Yes he did, we should remember that these wars have been the longest in our history, yet IMO they were not fought for our defense.
I am not attempting to be rude or dismissive, you have valid points. I do feel compelled to ask you what approximate age you are.
I have witnessed, since reagan, (again IMO) a large loss of our civil rights as a whole. I have seen the destruction of our media (Fairness Doctrine) under reagan and the tragic "fair trade" policies implemented under democratic presidents. These policies have crippled what used to be a vibrant( for many) working class, instead of the stagnant wages that we have endured for the last 30+ years while prices for necessities have skyrocketed.
Monopolies which used to be illegal are now "too big to fail" and the concentration of wealth is unconscionable. The media used to be a public servant which was responsible for informing us truthfully and under The Fairness Doctrine, mandated to broadcast differing viewpoints. There is so much more..
I do respect your valid points about the things President Obama has achieved. As an older American, I know the precious (and hard fought for) things that we have lost. Not just under the current administration, but over the last few decades.
"Our" politicians have gone so far to the right in my lifetime that our country is almost unrecognizable. Yet the majority of Americans are a progressive people. If I time-traveled from 1960 to 2013, I would not recognize our political system or be able to recognize the Democratic party especially. Progress is a great thing but it can also be a terrible thing when our history has been re-written and our younger citizens do not realize our recent past.
Honestly, it is so obvious (especially to our aging citizens) that America is run by organized criminals. Maybe I am completely wrong and you did live (as an adult) through the last 40-50 years. If so, I apologize and I am surprised. I am in no way marginalizing your views or your truthful statements. I just wish that our younger "progressives" knew "the rest of the story."