The political leanings of the Obama Group

[Kaleva]

Poll question: The political leanings of the Obama Group

Am curious as to the makeup of this group and if Obama has rather broad support here at DU with the understanding that DU is a liberal site. I don't expect to see any conservative Republicans putting forth their 2 cents here.

[Kaleva]

1. voted as Moderate Dem.

[Tarheel_Dem]

2. I think I must be a moderate, and I'll leave it at that. (nt)

[BlueCaliDem]

3. I'm a liberal democrat, but also a pragmatic one. eom

[Born_A_Truman]

5. I am too ...

Liberal but pragmatic.

[get the red out]

15. Likewise

I support ideas too liberal to mention in conversation here in the South, but my location makes me very pragmatic because I see first hand every day the brian washing people have succumbed to and how it will be an extremely gradual process to wake this nation up and push toward better, more liberal, fair, and inclusive ideals.

A long slow trudge through mud, one hard step at a time. I believe that overall the hate-mongers of the right ARE loosing, but it still takes so much time to break the hold of the angry churches and the right-wing radio predominance.

[Cary]

17. Me too.

Although I believe in moderation and responsibility. I figure I have a real conservative streak in me of the Burke type, since I don't believe that reckless, radical change is generally efficacious.

Mostly though I am anti-stupidity and anti-anti-intellectualism. I hate that anti-intellectualism crap. Hate it. Hate it. <spits>

[treestar]

23. That's me.

I am much like the President. I can identify with doing that job - having so many people think you aren't doing enough. It's a parallel with my job. The system is slow and sluggish. He is not a revolutionary and trying to make the changes within the system. So I wouldn't expect to be able to turn this country into a leftish paradise, just get started towards it.

[Cha]

35. You're a big picture kinda

person who is understanding what other people have to go through to reach their goals..especially in the case where the last Keepers of the Flame wanted to snuff it out.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

44. +1

[Number23]

4. Voted Independent Moderate but only because there wasn't a "Dem leaning indie" category

[old mark]

6. Very left Democrat, but I accept most reality, too. I am disapointed in Obama

at times, but I still think he is the best we have or will have for quite some time.

I just think he is too conservative.

mark

[NYC_SKP]

7. Old Mark, if the totality of his administration looks very much like this first year,

I'll be surprised.

He didn't have the luxury, like Bush did, of walking into the job with a surplus, stable economy, no wars, etc.

I also think there's some sense in starting from the center and moving left over time.

Time will tell, but I don't thing either of us will be disappointed in the end.

And yes, he's the best we have or will have for quite some time, my lifetime most likely.

:toast:

[old mark]

11. Skip, I understand that and I support his efforts...I'm just one of those

people who wanted to see Cheney and Rove in prison. I think that I really was dreaming of a real, sharp change after the steady creep to the right in the US since the '70's. I remember the radical old days too well, and would like to see some of it come back in my retirement years.....but I do understand we started deep in a hole, and that it will take much time and effort to climb out of it, especially with the GOP's total resistance to any positive change.

I support Obama and feel there is no one better in sight now or in the immediate future....I wish we could get him in for 3 or more terms instead of just 2.

mark

[old mark]

12. Skip, I understand that and I support his efforts...I'm just one of those

people who wanted to see Cheney and Rove in prison. I think that I really was dreaming of a real, sharp change after the steady creep to the right in the US since the '70's. I remember the radical old days too well, and would like to see some of it come back in my retirement years.....but I do understand we started deep in a hole, and that it will take much time and effort to climb out of it, especially with the GOP's total resistance to any positive change.

I support Obama and feel there is no one better in sight now or in the immediate future....I wish we could get him in for 3 or more terms instead of just 2.

mark

[sandnsea]

32. I'm disappointed in our country

I could make a long list and I suppose it would start with the media, including the liberal intelligencia who are impossible to please and consequently don't use their voice to educate and are usually just as guilty of distorting policy as Rush Limbaugh. Yesterday the media compared the 88,000 job loss report to a supposed expectation of an 8,000 job loss. Well it was an 8,000 median, between something like +53,000 and -80,000. What we really had was an 88,0000 job loss compared to a 532,000 job loss a year ago. A true liberal media would have corrected that information, but noooooo, that figure was left to stand. More money for jobs is fine because Obama is using the opportunity to put more money into alternative energy and projects that we would have to fight like crazy for otherwise, but the meme that Obama is failing is just ridiculous.

And of course, it would be terrific if we weren't fighting over abortion in the health care bill or that we could just implement the best health care bill possible, money no object, because that's the way we do "defense". I am disappointed that there are so many people in this country who don't value the health of their own families as much as they do so-called "patriotism" when they send their children off to die at the drop of a hat.

So I'm disappointed in a lot of things, lots more than I've written here. I wish Obama hadn't decided to be a Clinton clone, but we could do worse. Maybe after he gets some of this mess straightened out, he'll start taking some riskier stands. But I think he's done an amazing amount in a year. According to Rachel Maddow, he's passed more legislation in one year than any President in decades. So I'm not disappointed in that and really don't understand why anybody would be.

I wish we'd spend the energy that use against Obama launching a national campaign to inform people in rural states.

[treestar]

22. Could we avoid that phrase on this board?

I hate it. :banghead: The word "disappointed" is starting to grate on me all by itself! :crazy:

[gratefultobelib]

33. I'll join you!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

I get tired of it, too. I'm not disappointed in Obama, but I AM disgusted with his opposition as he tries to do what I KNOW he would like to do to help the country.

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sandnsea]

8. I'm more liberal than 90% of the people I know

I guess the other 10% are all here at DU, or in my local Dem club.

[RoyGBiv]

9. I identify completely with this ...

In the real world I've been called a commie, and I'm always "the token liberal" in most social situations.

Here I'm seen as more conservative than most.

[get the red out]

16. I have experienced that

I have the same situation.

[CBR]

27. Totally identify...

I work and go to grad school at the local University (in the social sciences) and I still find myself as one of the most liberal individuals. On DU, however, I may be targeted as a corporatist moderate.

[JeffR]

10. socialist, small s

and registered Democrat, capital D

[DevonRex]

18. Yay!!! There's a HUGE difference between the small s folks and the big S

folks. I'm a small s myself, but I categorize myself as a liberal Democrat because to me our party is for a lot of socialist ideals.

The other day there were folks saying they were Socialists, big s, in GD. And I just shook my head.

[rebel with a cause]

26. Many do not know what a socialist really is.

I have claimed to be a socialist at times, because I believe that there should not be the elite and then the ultra poor. I am not a capitalist because I don't believe in a dog eat dog world. As taken from Wikepedia: "Most socialists share the view that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital and derives its wealth through exploitation, creates an unequal society, does not provide equal opportunities for everyone to maximize their potentialities<4> and does not utilize technology and resources to their maximum potential nor in the interests of the public.<5>" (I corrected their spelling errors) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism

I am not a socialist in the terms that some people use it and frankly I don't know what they are considering a socialist to be. Sometimes I think they just think if they are radical enough they are socialist, but if you are truly a socialist it shows in your life and not in your rantings. JMHO

Oh, I voted Liberal Democrat and I am pragmatic also.

[Cary]

28. The word "socialist" has been overused and abused by "conservatives"

It has no meaning.

[seeinfweggos]

45. i don't consider myself a socialist but i am one according to the definition you posted

i am a liberal or progressive democrat (despite the latter term's misuse on du)but that critique of capitalism is right on the mark. i guess i would imagine a socialist and i having different solutions to those problems - at least differing in degree. i believe in the government stepping in to address specific social inequities as it is demanded, not owning the manufacturing capacity, etc

[NJmaverick]

13. Pragmatic Liberal

I have liberal beliefs but I am realistic about what and when things can be accomplished.

[Parker CA]

29. +1

[Silver Gaia]

40. Agree! n/t

[seeinfweggos]

14. I am most definitely a liberal democrat

[Peacetrain]

19. Liberal Democrat.. always have been, always will be.. nothing else.

[KittyWampus]

20. I put liberal Democrat but am way closer to Social Democrat (ala Europe). Just pragmatic

[DevonRex]

21. I love logical people who have lofty ideals. There seem to be a lot of

us here. :hi:

[KittyWampus]

24. If you insist on not only keeping your gaze fixed on the stars but requiring every one else

to live according to their dicates- you are an ideologue and a danger to yourself and others.

[ismnotwasm]

30. Me too

Short of a very bloody, and probably very ineffective revolution, we will have the system we have, and working for positive changes from within is the most effective way.

Fighting the good fight to get rid of institutionalized 'isms' ie; classism, sexism and racism (and rampant consumerism) will clear the way for a lot of good changes.

[Kaleva]

25. Being pragmatic seems to be a common denominator here.

[DevonRex]

43. Yes it is. And we're in really good company, too. People who actually WORK

for change, whether at the grass roots level or as an actual politician ARE pragmatic.

[Adelante]

31. Liberal Democrat, pragmatic nt

[Cha]

34. Never knew what label I was..

Just a Dem on DU since 2002, only having entered politics in 2000..but after seeing the so-left in action since Obama won, I'd say I was a Liberal Dem who is progressively pragmatic.:bounce::patriot: and so appreciative that we even get to discuss a President Obama:patriot::bounce:

[SeattleGirl]

36. Liberal and pragmatic

As I often say, you cannot start from where you want to be; you have to start from where you are.

I do share a lot of the ideals of my people on DU; the difference is, I factor reality into my idealistic equation. Some folks seem to think that Obama can and should do everything himself. They forget that he's up against a less-than cooperative congress, a zillion lobbyists, etc. That's the reality of it. It's not a pleasant reality, but there it is.

[quiet.american]

38. That would be me, too. nt

[Silver Gaia]

39. Yes, a Liberal Pragmatist. (and Democrat!)....

that's a good way of putting it. That's me, too.

[HughMoran]

41. Liberal pragmatic Democrat who wants socialized human services

i.e. healthcare, transportation, old age services etc.

We also need to promote local manufacturing by taking the incentive out of outsourcing using tax incentives/penalties as needed.

We also need to re-start anti-trust breakups of overly large corporations. Too much of our economy is tied up in too few corporations.

[johnaries]

42. I'm registered as Independent, but the Dem platform has

always matched my opinions and I have voted straight Dem since I became politically active - admittedly late in life. I consider myself a Pragmatic Progressive. I like that better than "Pragmatic Liberal" because of the alliteration. :)