Obama Prepares To Govern From The Left

[DonViejo]

Gay rights, climate, and gun control! “A much more muscular form of liberalism,” says Begala.

Zeke Miller
BuzzFeed Staff

Posted Jan 21, 2013 3:58pm EST

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's determinedly progressive second inaugural speech — a rallying cry to his party and a thumb in conservative eyes — lays the foundation for a fast, hard push on a new set of priorities that includes action against climate change.

The speech, perhaps more so than any of his presidency, was designed for history, to place Obama in the pantheon of his ideological heroes. It also reflected his vision of what the nation will look like decades and centuries down the line.

"The speech was both communitarian and combative," said former Clinton strategist Paul Begala. "Gone is the airy-fairy Kumbaya of Obama 1.0.... He is advocating a much more muscular form of liberalism than he has in the past."

Progressive leaders also celebrated Obama's attempt to re-center American politics with a mixture of traditional rhetoric and contemporary values.

"President Obama's brilliance is to take progressive issues — gay rights, climate change, voting rights — and make them part of core American values of opportunity, freedom and equality," Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden told BuzzFeed. "He also is able to make quintessential progressive values like community and obligations to each other part of moving towards America's future, not its past."

In five sentences Obama laid out that vision with forceful statements on gun control, voting rights, and immigration.

-snip-

http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/obama-prepares-to-govern-from-the-left

[Mr.Bill]

1. I hope so.

It's about time.

[bemildred]

2. He intends to exploit his new ruling electoral coalition. nt

[babylonsister]

3. Oh dear...whatever will people complain about? nt

[msongs]

4. medicare for all or single payer. that's my first preference. that will stop

a lot of bankruptcies from people using credit cards to stay alive.

[limpyhobbler]

5. Words minus Action = BS

will believe it when I see it,

show me the money,

talks the talk but not walks the walk,

[kickysnana]

6. Now, now you know we were all cautioned not to snark today by our liberal heirachy.

Whatever that is.