Web Letters: Moving Obama

Had the "progressive" bloggers (and the mainstream media, for that matter) spent the primary campaign paying attention to Mr. Obama's actual positions, political alliances, and legislative record (scanty as it was) instead of their own fantasies about him, they would not be so confused by his post-election conduct. At no point did Mr. Obama ever claim to be "progressive" or "liberal." The next time someone tries to sucker you with lofty rhetoric about change, you might want to ask him or her exactly what sort of change that might be. And the next time a Democratic candidate rhapsodizes about Ronald Reagan or dismisses universal healthcare as "extreme," you might want to consider voting for (or, in the case of The Nation, endorsing) someone else.

Stephen O. Gombosi

Boulder, CO

I agree with Ms. vanden Heuvel's multi-prong approach to the upcoming Obama administration, his appointments, his policies and implementation of promise candidate Obama made.

What I think is also necessary is discussion on how the progressives can capitalize on opportunities created by this election. The left is very good at criticizing those in power for not taking progressive steps, whether it is in international or national affairs. But there is never much self-criticism of their own and fundamental failure: their inability and unwillingness to think through how to influence what really matters: the American people. It is remarkable to recognize and take pride in the fact that we have elected for the first time in the history of the Western world an African-American as the president of the largest democracy in that world. But, we also have to be cautious: how long will this coalition last? What will it take to keep this coalition together? How much more "progressive" a program will it support? And what about the 57 million who did not join the coalition that elected Obama? How do we bring them around? What about Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, etc.? While we can keep talking about the anticipated shortcomings of a president Obama, if we do not take on the much harder task of focusing on the people of this country, finding ways to turn them away from the religious-right-inspired and big-business-supported reactionary politics, we are not going to go far. Given how hard it has been to elect a centrist this time, based on how the mood shifts, we could lose both the centrist himself and the small margin that got him elected this time to what has been politely called American pragmatism!

I hope in the days ahead, we have a vigorous discussion on this most vital issue.

M. Siddique

Chevy Chase, MD

I am more than enjoying the reaction of the liberal left to Obama's cabinet choices. How is that view of the underside of the bus anyhow? To you and your friends, all I can say is "hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...hohohohoho...hehehehehehehe" rotflmao! This may indeed be four years of fun after all!

Jeanette Harris

Hornell, NY

The Obama campaign change.gov website already is conducting an online discussion about the nation's healthcare crisis. Fascinating thing about it is that the software allows users to rate sugestions. Engagement in this experiment ensures that the most popular ideas rise to the top, as well as providing the Obama administration with some real-life experiences and the input from professionals in the field of healthcare who undoubtedly will not make the cut to be included in the actual working group.

Utilizing the Internet effectively throughout the campaign was, for the Obama campaign, about much more than employing it as a fundraising and organizing tool. It also involved interaction from members of the team, supportive elected officials (Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Joe Trippi, David Plouffe, Sam Gelfson) who utilized progressive blogs to generate discussion.

Now it is up to citizens to become involved. The opportunity is presented and needs to be employed aggressively to mobilize activism and gain a significant place at the table.

deborah phelan

Mill Valley, CA

You are not going to change things in Washington by whining at the Obama administration or Congress. You change things in Washington at the ballot box, and, until the next election in 2010, you attack them in print and on the Internet. Forming new political parties is difficult, but operating within the parties you can change them through the primary system. Both parties are preserving the status quo, and they will fail big time. Nineteen twenty-nine will look like a picnic in comparison. We are a larger country with more people to support, and the bigger you are the harder you fall. This is not a polite tea party, and you have to make them pay at the ballot box. You know where the bodies are buried. Concentrate on muck-raking and exposing corruption. Think as well as feel!

Pervis James Casey

Riverside, CA