I have not written a diary for over a year, maybe more. I had not visited the Daily Kos site for over a year. To be frank right off the bat, it was because I came to the the conclusion that this site, and its so called progressive community, could never be pleased. That they believed that if one thing in one policy did not go their way then all hell would break loose. I also said, to much flaming afterwards-even being called a troll-that we would begin to see the political lynching of Obama by the left. Which is exactly what is happening.
But I just happen to browse through and read diary after diary of so called progressives who have gone on rant after rant about what Obama hasnt done, or that he's weak or that he's not fighting for progressive values, or whatever other thing your crying over. So I figured why not write one last diary just to piss off the non sensical section of progressives one more time.
Here's the truth that many of you that are about the jump off the roof never came to realize in your own brain: Obama is not, and never was, a progressive. If anyone even took 30 seconds to look at his background in college and mentorship you would see he was more of a moderate Democrat-or even (gasp!) liberal Republican.
But this is nothing new! Its been there out for all of you to see since prior to the election of 2008. You just wanted to ignore it. I don't know why. I mean, he was able to get Republican and Independent votes. How do you think you get those? By pushing solely Progressive ideas? No. By pushing centrist ideas thats how. What did you think, Republicans and Independents just decided to become Progressives? Did you really think that this country, is really that far left? That all of a sudden they threw away their ideals and their beliefs to follow what you think? Ok sure. (see Wisconsin)
No, here's the ugly truth. Some of you convinced yourself that Obama was a progressive because of one thing (warning: my deck of race cards is about to be dealt) he was Black.
There I said it.
While I believe that most Progressives would have voted for Obama anyway, the fact is him being Black made it even sweeter. It allowed progressives to feel like 21st century Abolitionists who can say that they were responsible for putting a Black man in office. That they were responsible for his campaign. In fact, was not the mantra "we are the owners of this campaign?" Maybe you assumed that translated into "we OWN Obama."
Thats the only thing I can think of. The level of hatred towards the man. The character attacks from day one when he did not do EVERYTHING the progressives wanted (even though he's done more for progressives that most modern presidents). Terms such as "betrayal" "not loyal" "weak" "turncoat" etc. Along with the seething feeling of anger is similar to that of the slave master (warning: I have a BIG stack of race cards so you may need to take a stress pill or something) angry because his house negro that he's fed, allowed to stay in the house and not out on the field and never whipped decided to STILL runaway.
Point blank you never owned Obama. You never will. He's never been a progressive and he never will. He is his own man. Not a weak man but a man. And he's had to lead and do things that many of you would cower from in an instant. So just because he doesn't represent your views makes him no less of a man.
Let me be clear on this. Do I agree with everything Obama has done? No. Do I think that he has run an effective Administration throughout? No. I have my issues with Obama, and thats fine. Anyone who is in leadership positions often find out that is not popular and there will be differences with those you lead. There is no such thing as 100% popularity amongst those that support you.
I say all that to say, I take a balanced common sense approach. Yes the man can be better and he's had some bad moments (who hasn't in life.) but he has also done many things. He's also been as balanced as he can. No matter what, he's no weak man and he's a good man and does not deserve the vitriol that he's getting from the far left.
Then again, it depends on where and why that vitriol is coming his way. Is it really about policies? Is it really that you think he "betrayed" you? Or is it that you believe deep down inside that what he really stole from you is your sense of ownership of the man himself. That he ran off his collar from you and went into the woods and off the progressive plantation.
Will you be angry at this diary? Sure. I know that. But the beauty of America is you can have an opinion and I can have mine. Well here's mine.
Collecting the rest of my cards and leaving the table.