2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumBernie Sanders And Hillary Clinton Are Actually Fighting About Barack Obama
I believe that there is some merit to the observation made by this article. I admit that I am impressed with the amount accomplished by President Obama in face of the stiff GOP opposition to every one of his proposals and I personally believe that President Obama has been a great President. It seems that this view colors who I am supporting in the primary http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/clinton-sanders-obama_us_56aa378de4b05e4e3703753a?utm_hp_ref=politics
On one side of this divide are activists and intellectuals who are ambivalent, disappointed or flat-out frustrated with what Obama has gotten done. They acknowledge what they consider modest achievements -- like helping some of the uninsured and preventing the Great Recession from becoming another Great Depression. But they are convinced that the president could have accomplished much more if only hed fought harder for his agenda and been less quick to compromise.
They dwell on the opportunities missed, like the lack of a public option in health care reform or the failure to break up the big banks. They want those things now -- and more. In Sanders, they are hearing a candidate who thinks the same way.
On the other side are partisans and thinkers who consider Obama's achievements substantial, even historic. They acknowledge that his victories were partial and his legislation flawed. This group recognizes that there are still millions of people struggling to find good jobs or pay their medical bills, and that the planet is still on a path to catastrophically high temperatures. But they see in the last seven years major advances in the liberal crusade to bolster economic security for the poor and middle class. They think the progress on climate change is real, and likely to beget more in the future.
It seems that many of the Sanders supporters hold a different view of President Obama which is also a leading reason why Sanders is not exciting African American voters.
Again, I am not ashamed to admit that I like President Obama and think that he has accomplished a great deal which is why I do not mind Hillary Clinton promising to continue President Obama's legacy.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)There was a big in-fight over whether Reagan's administration had been a conservative success or a series of half-hearted compromises. GHWB came in 3rd in the Iowa caucus, for instance, getting fewer delegates than Dole or Pat Robertson.
Really good piece; thanks for posting it.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)I have no problem supporting someone who will continue the hard work started by President Obama
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)I figured he was lying but I supported Obama at least partly because unlike Hillary he was not in favor of mandated private insurance during the campaign.
For reason of painful personal history I really loathe the health insurance industry, being forced to buy their miserable product really sticks in my craw and irritates the hell out me. Once the public option was gone, eliminated by Obama rather than the Republicans it was quite clear how he actually rolled.
"We could solve homelessness by mandating everybody buy a house."
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)It's not always easy. If it was, then it wouldn't be a virtue.