Left Likely to Keep Wallets Closed for 'Obama the Centrist'

[defendandprotect]

Left Likely to Keep Wallets Closed for 'Obama the Centrist'

The left's frustration with President Obama will hamper his fundraising
By Sam Youngman - 12/15/10 06:00 AM ET

EXCERPT --

It will be hard for Obama to say, “Show me the money” when his allies feel like they’ve been shown the back of the president’s hand.


“When enthusiasm is deflated across the board, it has a direct effect on people’s willingness to donate to candidates and campaigns,” said Peter Daou, a former aide to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.


The White House does not believe angering its liberal base will ultimately hurt the president at the polls in November 2012. In fact, the White House thinks a fight with the left will help Obama as part of a modified run-against-Washington strategy in two years.


But Democrats say they might find that their once-generous friends are in no mood to fund Obama the centrist.


http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/obama-rerun/133663-the-cost-of-angering-the-left


---------------------------------

Even labeling Obama as "centrist" is cover for what is actually happening with Obama's

embrace of cuts to Social Scurity and, presumably, Medicare -- and his pro-corporate

stand for preserving PRIVATE health care industry.

We now have two right wing parties -- one right wing and one radical right wing.

Anyone in the center of that is "center-right" --


Further, re $$$$$$$$$$$$ --

In a quick read of the article they talk about Obama taking in $500 million via the

internet -- as I recall it was much closer to way over $800 million, closer to $900 million.

Obama then went back on his decision not to take corporate money.

PLUS Obama took in something like another $280,000 from DU members alone!!!

(If I recall that correctly?)


This last election cost $4 BILLION --

Note that for every $7 Republicans got, Democrats got $1 --

Seems to be a message there re "poo on your shoe"?

Possibly Democrats will have second thoughts about it -- at least those who

aren't millionaires and multi-millionaires, or looking to be?

[L. Coyote]

1. This article assumes Obama won't change parties

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

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

[FiveGoodMen]

18. He won't.

He can be a much more effective servant of the PTB by keeping the D.

That way, he blocks access to the White House for any other (i.e. real) Dem.

AND he can implement puke policies while letting the public think it's all the Democrats fault.

He won't change parties and his REAL base wouldn't let him.

[Jackpine Radical]

20. You mean

Hasn't changed parties.

No problem on the funding, though. I'm sure his corporate friends will keep him afloat in People United money.

[dionysus]

72. did you type that with a straight face?

[Tuvok Obama]

100. It even goes so far as to assume he won't sprout wings out his butt and fly away

[LiberalEsto]

2. Heck, my wallet's empty anyway

Maybe I should start forwarding my bills to the White House.

[janet118]

Yeah, we can just wave our "Hoover flags"

Historical definition:

Hoover flags: From Depression years, pants pockets that were turned inside out, symbolizing a lack of money.

[FarCenter]

45. Obama is responding to the part of the "left" that has a wallet.

[Donnachaidh]

3. after Citizen's United -- do you really think he's worried about this?

He's having far more summits with Corporate CEO's than he is with his base.

[FLAprogressive]

7. +1

[defendandprotect]

13. When citizens gave Obama nearly $900 million, he still turned to corps for money.....

plus think he got something like another $280,000 from DU members!!

Think he'll see that happen again at DU?

[mmonk]

43. He should. Johns are fickle.

[Bandit]

67. They are his base..

:shrug:

[DrDan]

4. I know one that will

[thereismore]

5. I think he may be going for corporate money this time. I may be wrong. nt

[closeupready]

6. Let the independents finance his campaign, then.

or the Big Money.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

8. My sparse $$$ will be spent on --

folks like Kuch and Bernie Sanders next go around.

[sasha031]

9. maybe he can make up the differences with his die hard O can do know wrong supporters

:popcorn:

[whathehell]

10. ...along with "Obama the Left Basher". n/t

[ellie]

11. I assume this

is why he is glad handing the CEOs: to make up for the money liberals like myself will not be sending him in 2012.

[sasha031]

16. I wondered about that too

[LoZoccolo]

14. The DLC was founded because of ultimatums like this. n/t

[defendandprotect]

44. Clinton saw that unions no longer had the kind of $$ he needed for his campaign....

so he introduced the DLC -- co-founded with Gore -- who after 2000 left,

recognizing that part of his "loss" had to do with their advice to limit

POPULIST messages!


But last election, Repugs got $7 for every $1 Dems got!!

[LoZoccolo]

46. And so now you think that further defunding the Democrats is going to push them left? n/t

[defendandprotect]

58. You think FUNDING Obama is going to push him to the LEFT ... ???

[LoZoccolo]

62. Not solely funding, but funding and advocacy.

In a democracy you must work on the electorate, and if you don't, you leave your enemies to do so.

Too bad that "activists" who want to do everything from the Internet think that giving money and voting are the only ways to affect change. Protip: when you've blown your ultimatum on both you have no more currency.

[defendandprotect]

65. People don't FUND or advocate for what they don't believe in ....

Secondly, this isn't a democracy --

we were working towards a democracy and away from an oligarchy, but

then the elites decided they liked fascism better --

How many times have YOU run for office?

You're making a lot of presumptions about people here --

[LoZoccolo]

68. Then don't give to the Republicans.

If you want to see greater electoral support for your issues though, then it's your responsibility to generate it. With a better-informed electorate, you are more likely to have a more satisfactory primary candidate who can win the general election. It's up to you to work for this. You can also make excuses not to if you'd like, but really, if you're going to do that, don't waste peoples' time here.

[defendandprotect]

71. Why would I "give to the Republicans" ... I'm talking about moving LEFT ... ???

Evidently, you think most of us were born yesterday --

what do you think we've been doing for 20-30 years?

:eyes:

[LoZoccolo]

74. You wouldn't. I was agreeing with you.

"People don't FUND or advocate for what they don't believe in ...."

So don't give to the Republicans.

[defendandprotect]

111. You agree ... and then you repeat this ... "So don't give to the Republicans" ... ????

Who are you talking to -- ???

No one here at DU is "giving to the Republicans" --

Brace up and if you have a point you're trying to make -- try again --

[TexasObserver]

79. Neither Gore nor Clinton had anything to do with the formation of the DLC.

A Scoop Jackson Democrat named Al From created the DLC, and it came out the chute strong in 1985. It immediately appealed to Democratic politicians from "red" states. Babbitt, Gephardt, Robb, Gore, Clinton and many others lined up to join.

It was open to any elected Democratic official, but funded openly by major corporate interests.

[TexasObserver]

76. No, it wasn't. It was formed to take the nominating process away from activists.

And to make the face of the party elected centrists.

The left has never been a big factor in financing Democrats running for president, until the Obama online effort.

The DLC was created because we lost 49 states in 1984, and the party's elected officials blamed the party activists - who picked Mondale and Ferraro. The original sales pitch for the DLC was that it consisted of elected Democratic officials. I called it the "we want to be president for lunch bunch," because Clinton, Gore, Robb, Gephardt, Babbit and others were all lined up and using the DLC as a vehicle.

The DLC has evolved, but its original mandate was to make elected officials the face of the party, not the activists, who were perceived as having too much control in the nominating process.

[Willinois]

15. A former Hillary staffer planted a negative story about Obama?!?!?

I'm shocked! Just completely shocked!

When corporations want a politician to be centrist they call him one and spread that meme. The left could learn a lesson from that.

[CoffeeCat]

17. Holy crap! They finally admitted it.

"In fact, the White House thinks a fight with the left will help Obama as part of a modified run-against-Washington strategy in two years."

Obama and his advisors believe that ticking off the left in such a public and grandiose
way--makes Obama appealing to Independents, centrists and some Republicans. This is
part of his strategy to spark ire and fury in the liberals. They believe it makes Obama
look reasonable and moderate.

Oh for the love of Pete. Do these fools *actually* believe that this will work.

How many of you out there would have voted for Bush because he had pissed off his base?????

Come on!!! This is a failed strategy. If you don't have your base going to the polls, you've
got nothing. The Republicans HATE Obama with the passion of a thousand white-hot burning
suns. Independents are pissed off too. They voted for Obama to change things, not to
spearhead tax cuts for billionaires and a big pile of crap no-reform healthcare bill that
was a windfall for the health-insurance companies.

I am ASTOUNDED that these asshats actually believe this will work, but at least they
are finally admitting that making liberals moan and groan is an integral part of their
marketing-campaign strategy.

[Larkspur]

26. It proves that Obama is a DLC ideologue, not a pragmatist

Bernie Sanders showed Obama what a real Democratic leader would do. I know Bernie is an independent, actually a Democratic Socialist, but his marathon speech last Friday was right out of an FDR book.

[Willinois]

41. "They" who?

I don't see a quote from any Obama advisor or any named source that makes me think it comes from anyone who has a clue about Obama's plans. I'm sure it's what the former Hillary staffer who is quoted would like Obama to do. But wishing doesn't make it so.

[defendandprotect]

47. Granted -- Pelosi understood this when it first began ... she was asking the

White House on two occasions after such comments about Dems in Congress

whether they were trying to get Democrats in Congress defeated --

it's a little broader concept than the article is relaying, imo.


Also, imo, it's intended to split the base -- always ways to do that --

though a theory we liberals rarely work on re the elites -- !!



:evilgrin:

[soryang]

59. Hartman says he's got enough without progressives

He thinks the black community, hispanic community, and "non ideological" white democrats will continue to vote for him.

This is the new spin anyway. However, one can listen to afro-American democrats bitch about Obama all afternoon long on Mark Thomspon's program (Sirius XM left). Blacks are not monolithically behind Obama.

[CoffeeCat]

90. But why would he want to snub us Progressives?

Obama seems to be going out of his way to make us feel like irrelevant, useless
insects.

Why go that route?

He could ALSO win by securing the base, and delivering on the promises he made
during the campaign. Progressives aren't asking for anything radical. We'd
appreciate a health-care bill that actually reformed the system. The only
groups against that were the corporations. We'd also like Guantanamo closed,
as he promised and Habeas Corpus brought back--also as he promised repeatedly.
We'd like him to help the middle class, instead of kow towing to millionaires
and billionaires in the form of tax cuts. Those aren't radical, crazy, liberal
ideas and policies.

Those are CENTRIST ideas; and go against the trend of giving away our government
to the corporations.

Obama and the White House--according to the article in the original post--think it's
advantageous to have liberals/progressives angry at you. The problem is--it's not
just liberals who are upset. Many Independents who voted for Obama, are not happy.
The Republicans detest him and much as we detested Bush. He'll never get them.

I don't see how anyone could believe this is a winning strategy. It seems glaringly
obvious that it's a colossal failure.

[soryang]

110. Agreed 100%

Hartman's trying to dress a pig!

[Lucky 13]

103. Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner! nt

[Hawkeye-X]

19. I know mine isn't going to Obama

and it goes only to local candidates now.

O can get his campaign money from the corporate fatcats he loves so much.

[MissDeeds]

42. He won't get my money either

No way in hell. A primary challenger from the left will, but this rethug appeaser will not.

[piratefish08]

99. me either. not one fucking penny. no canvassing, no phone banks.

nothing.

He's not even guaranteed my vote anymore.

[bowens43]

21. he won't get my money

No money for you Obama!!

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

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

[LoZoccolo]

24. I think at this point it's gone beyond cutting off their nose and gotten into

ripping up their entire face like the guy from Poltergeist.

[Still a Democrat]

35. Looking forward to a Romney administration, apparently n/t

[LoZoccolo]

38. And I'm sure they'll take as much responsibility for it as they did for Bush*.

I remember when Bush* started appointing Supreme Court justices and I brought up that Al Gore would not have appointed those particular justices, they were like "Why are you bringing up 2000? That's old news."

[sasha031]

39. what would be the difference

:popcorn:

[Still a Democrat]

51. A Romney administration, for example,

would have brokered a deal more favorable to the wealthy and less favorable to middle and lower class, along with the unemployed. Instead of 86.5% of the benefits going to those that aren't wealthy as in the current deal, we would see a far worse deal.

And it would be because people's feelings were hurt and they decided it didn't matter.

[Bluebear]

93. You people need some new material. nt

[tavalon]

98. Read H2Os OP, especially the part when it describes this behavior you just did

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x17785

[defendandprotect]

49. Right ... because calling out Obama as "center-right" will make them support more right wing....

control of government -- ???

That's simply more fearmongering --

But, maybe you think Obama is working for you?

[LoZoccolo]

53. If they're deliberately defunding him, yes, their actions have that effect and they know it. n/t

[defendandprotect]

56. You think they should FUND a candidate they no longer trust ... ??? Why?

Because they're a "D" after his name -- ?

:rofl:

We need a truly liberal/progressive Dem candidate in 2012 --

[LoZoccolo]

63. There are more reasons than that and this "progressive" rebellion knows that.

They're only trying to get more by acting like Obama is the same as a Republican. They see it is a free way to get what they want but what they don't see is the massive time sink it is, both to them and the activists who are actually pushing things forward.

[defendandprotect]

66. More reasons? Like Obama protecting private health care industry?

Attacking Social Security and Medicare -- ?

Keeping two wars going and trying for two more in Pakistan and Iran?

If there are any differences between the two parties left, they are fading fast!

We need a liberal/progressive to challenge Obama in 2012 --

preferably a Dem --

[LoZoccolo]

69. If you want the progressive to have less work getting us out of the hole, it would probably be best

not to dig it deeper with a Republican.

Unleashing harm on the populace by getting a Republican elected in 2000 did not have the desired effect of the people who voted for Nader, so you'd be hard-pressed to come up with a historical example of how punishing the Democrats led to more progressivism.

[defendandprotect]

73. Only YOU are suggesting anyone is trying to "punish Democrats" ....

evidently you're having a hard time understanding that the Obama myth is over --

the belief is gone -- the mistrust is rampant -- and people do not support nor

advocate for candidates they don't believe in.

This is not about "punishment" -- it is about conscience and principles --

you're expecting voters to reward a candidate they feel has betrayed them.


Gore won 2000, as most of us know -- the alleged Bush "win" was based on a GOP

steal never addressed by the Democratic Party -- nor have they addressed computer

voter, either -- !!

[LoZoccolo]

75. "you're expecting voters to reward a candidate they feel has betrayed them."

And the opposite of "reward" is...

[defendandprotect]

82. What you're saying is, if Democratic voters don't support Obama ....

you are going to feel punished.

That's the crux of what you're been posting --

It's puerile --

And, fortunately, most don't have time for such nonsense thinking --

[LoZoccolo]

83. Which question?

evidently you're having a hard time understanding that the Obama myth is over --

the belief is gone -- the mistrust is rampant -- and people do not support nor

advocate for candidates they don't believe in.

This is not about "punishment" -- it is about conscience and principles --

you're expecting voters to reward a candidate they feel has betrayed them.


Gore won 2000, as most of us know -- the alleged Bush "win" was based on a GOP

steal never addressed by the Democratic Party -- nor have they addressed computer

voter, either -- !!

[defendandprotect]

85. "you're expecting voters to reward a candidate they feel has betrayed them."

"you're expecting voters to reward a candidate they feel has betrayed them."

THAT one -- the one you repeated in your return post --


:eyes:

[LoZoccolo]

87. That does not look like a question to me.

That doesn't even have a question mark after it.

Anyways, you would have lost on Jeopardy if you would have said that.

[defendandprotect]

112. OK .... you're on IGNORE ...

[Name removed]

77. Deleted message

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

[Carolina]

84. Love your avatar!

:hi:

[defendandprotect]

86. Think we all have to care about who gets to administrate our people's government ....

IF we can get back to that concept --

Chomsky once said, government is simply like a typewriter --

depends on who is doing the writing!

[Lucky 13]

104. Well that's the thing... I don't think they have sense.

Disparaging the left to win the center...

Maybe this is part of his 9 dimensional chess game, but I don't think so. It's simple, and calculated and nasty...

[KansasVoter]

106. You don't get it.......

Many people will vote for Obama, it takes more motivation to donate money. You think people donated RECORD amounts in 2008 because they hated McCain or loved Obama? Get a clue.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

23. Maybe he can "compromise" with his capitalist pals for a handout.

[LoZoccolo]

25. How much did you give in 2008? n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Quite a bit, actually. Oh, you meant to politicians!

I don't pay to get screwed.

[LoZoccolo]

32. I'm sure he'll be missing every bit of his anarcho-syndicalist support. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

36. That's OK. He'll make it up with......????

He's alienated the left in general. The "moderates" are voting Republican. So...just where is the dough going to come from?

[quinnox]

27. I won't be giving Obama a penny

unless he makes a dramatic turnaround and starts acting like a real Democrat.

I don't doubt the article at all, but I'm sure Obama will get tons of money from all the corporations and CEOs he is pleasing.

[somone]

28. "run-against-Washington strategy in two years"

What a freakin' joke. LOL.

[meow mix]

29. i hope his new base does well for him

wont be getting my help thats for sure.

[Ganja Ninja]

30. I couldn't afford it even if I wanted to.

And I don't want to.

[Kalyke]

33. "In fact, the White House thinks a fight with the left will help

...Obama as part of a modified run-against-Washington strategy in two years."

:rofl:

The White House needs some new PR hacks. These people don't understand that "left" means "populist" on the issues on which Obama has capitulated: a public option, unemployment insurance, more taxes on millionaires and billionaires.

And "populist" means "outside Washington."

[Willinois]

37. Do you think that any of that article actually came from anyone close to Obama?

I can't believe people keep getting taken in by these gossip stories.

[Kalyke]

61. It doesn't matter where it came from - the White House

is acting in this manner, currently; therefore, it doesn't surprise me that someone advising Obama thinks he doesn't need the left to win.

I can't believe people keep getting the wool pulled over their eyes.

[sasha031]

34. ...wow so much for caring and having an ounce of loyalty

“Only 25 percent of their fundraising came from small-dollar online contributions,” said FireDogLake.com founder Jane Hamsher. “They’ll have no problem making that up with corporate money from the KORUS All-Stars,” said Hamsher, using the term for the South Korea-U.S. trade deal.

[madrchsod]

40. corporations have all the money he needs

if he plays ball they`ll back him in 2012.

[blindpig]

48. Big deal, he don't need it, his rich friends will provide. n/t

[defendandprotect]

50. DU members topped off Obama's final payload with another $280,000 if I recall correctly?

That was after he had taken in way over $800 million -- close to $900 million

from average citizens --

and he then went back on his decision and decided to take corporate money --

[AlabamaLibrul]

52. I'll open my wallet for him - but the only things inside are old receipts and lint.

I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY to donate to him again, not that I *would* if I did.

[Still a Democrat]

54. The people that threaten not to give, gave little or nothing anyway

Those that give more substantial amounts are more committed and see the big picture.

[Lucky 13]

107. What possible evidence do you have to support this thesis? nt

Or is the argument that the wealthier donors will appreciate the tax cuts he just secured for them?

[Still a Democrat]

55. "But when Obama does start asking for money officials believe real Democrats will be happy to give"

From the article.

[Lucky 13]

108. Not this one.

[Erose999]

57. Obama or the DLC neolibs ain't getting a single red cent of my money. $20 to the first non-DLC

primary challenger to formally drop the gauntlet though. Grayson, Kucinich, Dean, Nader, Jello Biafra, etc.

[dpbrown]

60. Governor Dean showed it can be done with small donations and grassroots, Obama said screw that.

He doesn't want our grassroots money. He wants Wall Street. Well, he can have them. And I'll keep my money.

[Smashcut]

64. In other words, none of his appeals to progressives were ever real

He never had any principles at all. Surprise!

He used the left then, and he'll try to use us again.

[dionysus]

70. wish as much as you want, won't make it so...

[williesgirl]

78. See if the rich that he's so fond of supporting will donate - maybe since he's acting like a

Repuke anyway. We'll have 2 Repukes running against each other if Obama gets the Democratic nomination. Not one fucking penny will he get from me - no canvassing, door knocking, having parties etc. Fuck all of them.

[somone]

80. Corporate CEOs are sitting on trillions in cash

I'm sure they can spare a few dollars on him

[nc4bo]

81. What is *this* supposed to mean?

The White House does not believe angering its liberal base will ultimately hurt the president at the polls in November 2012. In fact, the White House thinks a fight with the left will help Obama as part of a modified run-against-Washington strategy in two years.

Modified, strategy - what?

[jimlup]

88. I contributed heavily (by my standards) in 2008

If I feel half the resentment and bitterness that I feel right now my pocketbook will indeed be closed for the President in 2012. I'm just thinking about it tonight and I'm more and more pissed with each passing thought. We had such a tremendous opportunity in 2008 and we've been sold down the river. I wish we had a real democrat in the White House.

[niceypoo]

89. There is no center

Why fund something that doesn't exist?

[Pryderi]

91. 2 years is a long time. I'll bet this claim proves false.

[dreamnightwind]

92. He'll punch the hippies all the way to reelection

Sadly, I think this strategy will work for him (though not for us).

Obama is all about understanding power relationships. In our political and cultural environment, no group has less power than the left. Taking a "principled stance" against the supposed "excesses of the left" will allow the rest of America to see him as being on their side against a group they don't care about (you guessed it, the left).

Besides, Citizens United works for Dem corporatists as well as Repub corporatists. He'll rake it in from the multinationals, he's been very good for them and he blocks any real progressive that might arise from his left.

The race I really care about is the Democratic primary. That's our only chance to make any real electoral progress.

[delightfulstar]

94. K&R, Myself included.

I voted for him in '08, I confess. I couldn't vote for anyone with an (R) next to their name, period. Unless the "Disasta From Alaska" were to somehow face him in the GE (*shudder*), I will be looking at other options. Obama has gone too far right for my liking, and I don't like that he ran on a platform of "change" for all of us, then changed himself and caved to the Rethugs instead. I feel a bit screwed by him, quite honestly. My money and my support will probably be going elsewhere in the primaries.

[demodonkey]

95. Donate instead to DU and the Election Reform organization of your choice...

...Keep the lights on here at DU, then donate to group or groups working to protect our elections with voter-verified paper ballots, etc. Especially local and state election reform groups that are in the trenches doing their best to make things better on a shoestring (or less.)

A few hundred dollars to one of these groups can make a HUGE difference, maybe the difference between the organization being able to continue its mission of working for better elections, or having to fold.

That same donation to a political campaign buys what... a few dozen bumper stickers or yard signs?

Support DU and the local or statewide Election Reform organization of your choice. Do it today, please.

[xchrom]

96. his CEO tea party at the white house just fixed any funding problem he might have. nt

[lunatica]

97. Compared to Corporations our money doesn't count for shit anymore

[xiamiam]

101. he doesn't need us..really..we know it..he knows it..nt

[Jeffersons Ghost]

102. K&R

[KansasVoter]

105. Add me to the list......

I will donate the same money I gave Obama to real progressive candidates!

[progressoid]

109. Oprah will make up the difference.