Reply #6: The answers to your questions. [View All]

[Ozymanithrax]

Is the President's "progressive" talk helping or hurting the Democratic Party?

Supporting changes that improves the lives of middle class and poor will help the party. I'm not sure if that is progressive in a historical sense. Progressives detested Social Security and considered FDR a Banker.

Is it helping to unite the Democrats or will divide the Party?

The Conservadem/Blue Dogs, DLC, Bushdems. Boll weevils, Dixicrats. Bipartisans wings of the democratic party may be concerned that his rhetoric will not encourage the Compromise that has historically been seen as necessary for running government. But unless they are going to vote Republican or for a third party it is unlikely to be a problem.

Will it make the Democratic Party stronger in the next election or weaker?

I think it will make the party stronger by appealing to the independents who do not pay attention to the election until a week before it happens.

Will the President get credit for defending the programs of the New Deal and the Great Society or will he get blamed for losing them?

He will be blamed for anything he doesn't veto that weakens these programs. Some people (on the left and right) will blame him for a rainy day, so they won't matter.

If President does manage to save Medicare and Social Security from these radical right-wingers, how would history accord him?

As one of the great Presidents, assuming he doesn't blow it in some other fashion.

Is it good we stand together to defend these programs?

It is better to hang together, especially since if we don't we will hang separately.

Or should we simply let the Republican right-wingers dismantle them without a fight?

I don't believe in laying down like a whipped dog, even if we are doomed to lose. It is better to burn then to fade away. Johnny Rotten got that much right.

If the President wants to lead in this battle, I stand behind him.

I stand behind him as long as he does something besides talk. Actions speak louder than words. Giving a good speech and then surrendering never occurred to Custer. Even if this is the liberals Little Big Horn, it should not occur to us.