Stop The Nonsense - Obama Must Be The 2012 Nominee

Even though many right-wingers and teabaggers claim otherwise, President Obama is certainly no socialist.   In fact, I don't think he can lay claim to even being a left-winger or a progressive.   The fact of the matter, like it or not, is that President Obama is a centrist corporatist who doesn't push the agenda to either the right or the left.

All anyone has to do to know this is look at the healthcare reform, Wall Street regulation and energy bill "compromises" that he has backed.   Health care was left in the hands of the giant private insurance companies, Wall Street financial reforms fell far short of the regulation reform that was needed, and energy legislation (which probably won't even get passed) let giant corporations off the hook with "cap and trade" and generally continues American dependence on fossil fuels.

Many of us on the left had dreamed that President Obama would initiate real changes in this country and help curtail the corporate grip on our government and our economy.   That didn't happen and is unlikely to happen while President Obama is in office.   Leftists have been smacked in the face by a harsh dose of reality -- we didn't get what we thought we were voting for (although, however disappointing, he is still better than McCain would have been).

This disappointing realization has caused some on the left to begin discussing running an opponent to President Obama in the 2012 Democratic primary.   Most of these people have been pinning their hopes on another run at the presidency by Hillary Clinton (who is definitely more progressive than President Obama).

Clinton has dashed those hopes (and rightfully so).   As recently as Sunday, Clinton said no to this possibility.   She said,   "I am not in any way interested in or pursuing anything in elected office.   I love what I'm doing."   I believe her.   I think she's not only doing a great job as Secretary of State, but is thoroughly enjoying the job and the challenge.

She is also a bit smarter than those who would have her challenge the president for the Democratic nomination in 2012.   She knows it is nearly impossible to wrest the nomination from a sitting president.   She also knows that if someone were to be able to do that, they would most probably lose the general election (and take a lot of other Democrats down with them).

While President Obama has been a disappointment to many left-wingers, he has not been a bad president -- not nearly as bad as a Republican would be in his place.   He has brought dignity back to the office and healed many relationships with other countries that had been damaged by his Republican predecessor.   He has done nothing bad enough to warrant his own party turning its back on him.

But perhaps the most important reason to re-nominate him is that it would be a slap in the face to African-Americans to not re-nominate him.   African-Americans are an important part of the Democratic Party.   They have been waiting for a long time to be treated equally in this country, and while that still has not come to pass, the election of an African-American president gave hope to many that it could someday happen.

African-Americans are the most loyal voters the Democratic Party has -- voting over 90% for Democrats in every election.   While they don't comprise anywhere near a majority of the party, their pattern of bloc-voting for Democrats has put the party's candidates (of all colors and races) over the top in many elections.   I don't believe the Democrats could win a national election without them (or many statewide elections for that matter).

Now some of you might think it would be a "sour grapes" reaction for African-Americans to abandon Democrats for not re-nominating President Obama.   Not at all.   That presupposes that Democrats have done lots of wonderful things for African-Americans, which is just not true.   The truth is that since the civil rights laws of the 1960's were passed, the Democrats have generally taken African-Americans for granted.   They have made many promises, but seldom delivered on any of them.

Some Democrats believe that African-Americans will vote Democratic regardless of what happens.   I disagree.   After years of being taken for granted, failing to re-nominate President Obama could well be the straw that breaks the camel's back.   It could be the final thing that convinces many of them that Democrats don't really care about them.

Do I think African-Americans would vote in large numbers for the Republicans?   Not at all.   The racist policies of many Republicans would prevent that.   But they wouldn't have to vote for Republicans to hurt the Democrats -- they could just stay home on election day.   And even if only 35% to 50% of African-Americans stayed at home instead of voting, that could be disastrous for Democrats in a close election.   It could not only cost them the presidency, but also many Senate seats and perhaps even some seats in the House.

And I wouldn't blame them for doing it.   They have been too loyal and longsuffering for the Democratic Party to once again turn their backs on them.   Am I totally happy with the job President Obama is doing?   No, but I will be voting for him in the 2012 primary and again in the general election.   It is the only thing that makes sense -- and it could be the Democrats only hope for victory in 2012.

So, let me say this to my brothers and sisters on the left.   Stop the nonsense.   Barack Obama must and will be our nominee in 2012.   Our only real option is to send a lot of progressives to Washington with him in 2012.   Hopefully, that will push him a little to the left.   And of course, we can keep putting pressure on him ourselves to do more progressive things.   But please, stop the talk of a primary fight -- with Clinton or anyone else.