Do you consider yourself to the left, right, or same as President Obama?

[mvd]

Poll question: Do you consider yourself to the left, right, or same as President Obama?

This is a "take the pulse" of DU kind of poll. Politically, are you to the left of Obama, right of Obama, or around the same as Obama?

I'm to the left, but am pragmatic and think he's done a good job so far. Yes, I have some complaints, but I won't go over them here.

[Uzybone]

1. to the left

but I love what he been able to do so far.

[Gman]

2. I'm finding him about the same as me

when I expected him to be further to the left. Frankly, I would have preferred he be more to the left of me than he has been so far, but I'm elated with everything about him right now. Obama being to the left of me is not a bad thing. I just think that often times in practice idealistic liberalism is nothing more than a fantasy brought back down to earth by the pragmatism of the real world.

[bigwillq]

3. To the left (nt)

[JerseygirlCT]

4. Probably to the left, but supporting him totally now

I think he's remarkably smart - smarter than anyone in politics that I've seen in my lifetime. And beyond that, I think he's trustworthy. I trust a politician - it's a stunning revelation for me!

[MadBadger]

5. I'm to the left, and what you said for everything else.

[JayMusgrove]

6. Obama is OKAY with me!

I know he has a plan, people that want to legalize pot have nothing but desire, people that want national health care without insurance companies don't know shit about the politics of the USA, or about how we "phase out" those idiots who take our money for no value.

Obama, he's got it down, he knows more than most of us.......being "left" of Obama is fine, I hope you all know how to get where you want to go, for me, Obama is the best way to get there.

I hope no one here flames me for believing in Obama.....after all.....this is the DU, where we all wanted him to be our Prez less than 6 months ago.

[mvd]

10. Dean's plan might be a start on health care

It might make acceptable the idea that a public option will only make the insurance companies quiver and not harm anything. I'd like to see Obama state singer payer as a goal, but I know we must be patient.

[iamthebandfanman]

11. i wont flame you for believing in obama

but i will for attempting to belittle others on DU..


garbage. why dont you go hang out with the other trash somewhere else?

[Zodiak]

24. You are the one throwing the flames

You should try to demean your fellow DUers less.

[ruggerson]

7. To the left of him on social issues and to the right of him on the economy

[Adelante]

8. Around the same

I'm not much of an ideologue, either.

[NorthCarolina]

9. Left: Move over Ghandi, I'm to the left of you...n/t

[mix]

12. this is a very clarifying question, well done

...to the left of our esteemed President.

[Occam Bandage]

13. To the left, but pragmatically so. nt

[Raine]

14. About the same nt

[old mark]

15. About the same, main differences are: I am not so in favor of

post-partisan ship (I really hate the GOP), and I would have done more to get the healthcare passed with or whthout GOP support and "input". (They have nothing to add) Also, I am against gun control. (He seems less in favor of it than I first thought.)

I believe the President knows what our country needs and is finding ways to actually get things done - problems have been neglected for so long they are compounded, and there are no easy solutions.

mark

[mvd]

18. I agree on the post-partisanship part

I think Obama should lead on a couple things like Employee Free Choice Act and at least getting a viable public option in health care. I don't have problems with a consensus-building approach, but you have to know its limits.

Here's where I'd put myself:

Health care - left of Obama
Taxes/spending/budget - left of Obama
Affirmative action - about the same
Education - left of Obama
Environment/energy - slightly left of Obama
Foreign policy - left of Obama
Illegal immigration - about the same as Obama
Gun control - slightly left of Obama
Abortion - overall about the same as Obama
Gay rights - left of Obama
Separation of church and state - slightly left of Obama
Death penalty - left of Obama's stated position during the general election; maybe slightly left in reality
Drugs - left of Obama
Free trade - left of Obama
Social security - about the same as Obama, but might increase contributions

[Undercurrent]

16. About the same.

I'm a practical person, not an ideologue.

[mvd]

17. I see it more in individual positions than practical/not practical

You can still be a leftist and be practical about the system and what can/can't be done.

[Undercurrent]

23. I should have taken the time

to flesh out my response instead of posting on the fly. I tend to agree with you, although I'm in sync with Obama on some issues, and to the left on others, I'm a pragmatist, and recognize the frustrating political realities of getting things accomplished.

[redqueen]

19. Same as you...

to the left, but happy overall with the job he's doing.

[me b zola]

20. To the left of Obama

...and I support him.

[stillcool]

21. I'm a socialist...

and a realist. I'll let someone else put me in the proper box. I'm free to roam.

[NorthernSpy]

22. I'm to the left of Obama on all the important issues...

But that doesn't mean that I would ever let that translate into undermining him in any way. I will never help his enemies to tear him down, regardless of whatever disagreement or disappointment may come about.

[muffin1]

25. To the left,

but then again, I'm to the left of most people.