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KoKo

(84,711 posts)
1. Love listening to Chomsky because he can make hard issues much more clear
Thu Jan 31, 2013, 11:39 PM
Jan 2013

for those who like to think a long time about issues before coming to conclusions.

K&R!

Jamaal510

(10,893 posts)
3. Is Pres. Obama a progressive? Yes.
Fri Feb 1, 2013, 02:00 AM
Feb 2013

For anyone who questions how progressive he, just ask yourselves...would a Republican/conservative president have announced his/her support for gay marriage? Repealed DADT? Strengthened Affirmative Action and student loans? Drawn down both wars? Passed a Hate Crimes bill? Or signed the Lily Ledbetter act? When you stop and think about, this president has done a great deal in advancing the progressive agenda, perhaps more than any other president in recent history.

 

grahamhgreen

(15,741 posts)
5. But one must also ask if he'd support rendition, the loss of Habeus Corpus, forcing
Fri Feb 1, 2013, 02:13 AM
Feb 2013

people to buy medical insurance from criminal like enterprises instead of medicare for all..... etc...

Larry Ogg

(1,474 posts)
7. With one hand you throw a few carrots to the sheep just to sucker them in...
Fri Feb 1, 2013, 07:56 AM
Feb 2013

And with the other hand you let the predator class devourer the sheep, and with mustard too.

But who cares, them carrots were sure good.

Now how progressive is that?

dotymed

(5,610 posts)
9. Jamaal, I can see your perspective.
Fri Feb 1, 2013, 10:58 AM
Feb 2013

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."

Wernothelpless

(410 posts)
14. Well said ...
Sat Feb 2, 2013, 11:00 AM
Feb 2013

Thank you .... Obama, much as we'd like to believe otherwise, is lipstick on a pig compared to what we thought of as progressive years ago ... A true progressive would have put an end to the corrupt banking system, reinstate Glass-Steagall, and prosecuted the bankers rather than being in business with them, bailing them out, and supporting them ... Obama, as well as Clinton, is Republican lite ...

Enrique

(27,461 posts)
15. yes, a moderate Republican could do all those things
Sat Feb 2, 2013, 12:27 PM
Feb 2013

or a conservative Democrat, like Joe Lieberman.

antigop

(12,778 posts)
12. financialization and offshoring have led to increased concentration of wealth. Thank you, Chomsky!
Fri Feb 1, 2013, 01:22 PM
Feb 2013

It's not just offshoring of manufacturing jobs though...it's IT and engineering jobs as well.

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