Liberals warn Obama that base may skip midterm elections

vote-democrat-its-easier-than-working.jpgOH NO!!! The horror! According to The Hill, prominent “liberal activists” are warning Democratic leaders that they face a problem with the party’s base heading into an election year for 2010. The latest issue to roil relations between Obama and the left nut wing of the party is his decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, which liberals fear could become a debacle like Vietnam. Considering this is only 75% of what General McChrystal’s “moderate” plan said was needed, and that Obama already announced a surrender in 2011, one would think left wing nuts would be tickled pink. I guess that’s just simply not the case.

The left is also concerned the administration and party leaders have drifted too far to the center or are caving in to non-liberal interest groups in key policy battles, including healthcare reform, climate change and energy reform and financial regulatory reform. In some cases, liberals fear the White House is backing away entirely from core issues, such as the closing of the Guantánamo Bay detention camp and ending the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prevents gays and lesbians form serving openly in the military.

“I think there’s a growing concern that Washington is losing battles to entrenched lobbying interests and the administration is not effectively in charge and a sense that things aren’t going well,” said Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, a liberal advocacy group

“I think the Democratic base is getting a little nervous out there about where we’re headed,” said Sen. Tom Harkin (Iowa), a leading liberal within the Senate Democratic Conference who shares concerns over Obama’s commitment of troops to the Afghan war

Senior officials at the White House and in Congress say liberals will rally to their side once healthcare reform and other major initiatives are passed. And some Democratic pollsters say their research shows Democratic voters are solidly behind Obama, even though he has slipped among Republican and independent voters.

A senior Democrat familiar with discussions at the White House said there will be plenty of time to energize liberals next year.

“This is not a time to worry about the base; we’ll have all of the election year to do that,” said the Democratic source. “We’ll have a long list of accomplishments to present for them to rally around.”

Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus at the start of the year, as well as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that makes it easier for women to sue employers for pay discrimination. Democratic leaders hope in early 2010 to pass a landmark healthcare bill that would extend medical coverage to 30 million Americans without insurance.


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December 4, 2009 · Filed Under Left Wing Extremists

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