I hope all of this anger at the President is being channeled somehow.

[blueclown]

I understand that the President has done certain things that are an anthesis to progressivism, and certainly he deserves to be called out on those actions. However, I do hope that instead of people deciding to sit out the election, or not canvass for progressive causes, that those disaffected people put their hearts and minds into pushing for a more progressive movement - electing local progressive senators, helping progressives win congressional primaries, etc.

I think the progressive/liberal movement is tired of being marginalized and rope-a-doped. I think we are taken for granted by the Democratic Party, the thought being that there is nowhere else to go. But there is a place to go - and it starts with electing senators and representatives who the President will be forced to work with. In order to force the President to not ignore the progressive wing of his party, we need to make the progressive caucus of the Democratic Party an institution of the party - not merely a wing, but an institution, which every member of the Democratic Party will have to subscribe to, to get elected nationwide. No more Ben Nelsons. No more Claire McCaskills. No more Evan Bayhs.

We are in a very delicate position here - we are vocally expressing our frustrations with this President, and some may chose ultimately not to vote for him. It may send the Democratic Party a lesson, but at a very large cost. It will be a balancing act to put the President's feet to the fire while still voting for him. But one thing that shouldn't be a balancing act is supporting every progressive candidate in your state with your time and support. We need a grassroots effort to push the President to the left.

[Vanje]

1. "a grassroots effort to push the President to the left"

Primary challenge from the left.
Otherwise, why in the world would Obama listen to the left now? He has not yet, given an ear to the left. A primary challenger from the left would make him worry about the left's happiness.

[MrMickeysMom]

2. I'll boom to that!

:nuke:

[xchrom]

3. Boom 2

[CakeGrrl]

5. And Congress would do WHAT any differently?

Great plan, there. Get the POTUS "worried about the left's happiness" :eyes:, and Congress is still full of Tea Partiers.

And exactly WHAT will be accomplished with that scenario between now and the election? Exactly what is it between now and 2012 to you want to see or hear given that Congress will remain exactly as it is?

[jaxx]

6. Like Nader is threatening?

SFGate: As if Ralph Nader wasn’t a big enough tool already, he went on Fox News on election night – the very night Barack Obama broke the racial barrier on the presidency – and uttered the words “Uncle Tom”.
http://blog.sfgate.com/tgoodman/2008/11/05/ralph-nader-calls-obama-uncle-tom-and-fox-news-calls-him-out/

“Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader accused Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic Party nominee, of downplaying poverty issues, trying to ‘talk white’ and appealing to ‘white guilt’ during his run for the White House.

…. At Hot Air, Ed Morrissey is, well, disgusted: “Maybe Barack Obama was onto something when he warned about race-based attacks in the upcoming general election. However, the first such attack hasn’t come from Obama’s right, but from his left ….
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/26/AR2008062600780.html

Is the title of your article ‘I told you so?’” he asked. “This is what I meant a year ago when I said the next year will determine whether Barack Obama will be an Uncle Tom groveling before the demands of the corporations that are running our country or he’ll be an Uncle Sam standing up for the American people.”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/michaeltomasky/2009/dec/18/ralph-nader-barack-obama

http://theobamadiary.com/

Nader is the one wanting a primary and saying he'll get someone to run. Is this the kind of person that anyone at DU would want out scouting people to run against the Democratic President?
Oh hell no!!!

[Pab Sungenis]

4. It is.

First, in pressuring the President to use what's left of this term to do what's right and adopt more progressive positions.

Second, in organizing on the local and county level to oust the Blue Dogs that control our party.

Third, to elect progressive Democrats not only to Congress but to every office.

Fourth, to lay the groundwork for 2016.

[SwampG8r]

7. most here do typing therapy

they feel better after typing