05 July 2009

Progressive disillusionment and the election of 2012

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's recent resignation announcement has sparked a lot of speculation about the 2012 election. Does Palin have her eye on the presidency? (Imagine!)

On the Democratic side, it is likely that President Obama will run for a second term unless he screws up too badly in his first term.

And, while I don't see him screwing up quite that badly, I, like many other progressives, am disappointed in much of what I've seen so far this term.

Obama has disappointed the LGBT base with his rejection of a challenge to the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.

He has let down the human rights community with his continuation of Bush's policies of warrantless spying and indefinite detention without trial.

Obama won the presidency because he energized a whole generation of political newcomers who responded to his promise of change we can believe in. That energy has now morphed into disappointment and battle fatigue.

We have yet to see any change we can believe in.

And that presents an all-too-promising prospect for the Republican party, even as disheveled as the GOP might be at the moment.

Time to swim, Mr. President, lest you sink and take this whole country down further with you.

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