Obama is well to the left of Bill Clinton.

[DanTex]

84. "They are both equally bad on economic policy and financial regulation"

That's beyond insane. Clinton's enduring legacy is that of deregulation. He ended Glass Steagall. He paved the way for unregulated over the counter derivatives. These are exactly the things that got us into trouble. On the other hand, the financial markets are a lot more regulated now than when Obama took office. It's not just a question of who did more or less. Clinton pushed in the wrong direction. Obama pushed in the right direction.

--I'll grant you that Clinton wasn't pro-drone. He didn't have drones, instead he was pro-missile strike. And if you are anti use of force for any reason, then you need to hold the Balkan intervention against Clinton. And if not, then you need to hold Rwanda against him. But either way, it's a draw.

--TPP: have you heard what Krugman has to say about it: "no big deal".

--Yes, it matters whether Obamacare is good or not. Obamacare is a clear and very significant example of Obama making the US a better place to live, and moving social policy in a progressive direction. If you want to count Clinton's health-care push, fine, but then you have to give Obama credit for the public option, expanding Medicaid in all states, universal pre-K funded by taxes on the wealthy, the DREAM act, the Buffett Rule on tax deductions, raising the minimum wage, large investments in infrastructure and science and technology, etc.

The point is, Obama has expanded the social safety net. Clinton, on the other hand, passed welfare reform. Which actually was a Republican policy -- and not in some abstract comparative sense, it was actually part of the Republican platform, it passed with mostly Republican votes, and was celebrated by Newt Gingrich. In contrast to Obamacare (the "Republican" plan, according to you...) which passed with zero Republican plans and universally virulent opposition.

--I don't know where you get the idea that "his base made him" do it. Is there any evidence that he didn't want to do it? Obama campaigned on letting the Bush Tax cuts expire, he's also proposed more taxes on the wealthy since then. All indications are, he actually wants a more progressive tax system.

--Obama also campaigned on ending the war with Iraq, and was criticized by Republicans, who wanted a large extended presence there. Yes, he gets credit for that. Maybe Clinton would have done it too. But if you think Bush and Cheney wouldn't have more troops in Iraq right now, you are kidding yourself.

--I don't know how much stimulus Clinton would have pushed for. Every presidency has its own set of challenges and circumstances. On the domestic front Obama dealt with the circumstances in a mostly progressive way, Clinton much less so if at all.