General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: "If the Democratic Party would fight as hard for the Working Class ..." [View all]eniwetok
(1,629 posts)Sure, one can find a few examples of Obama's liberal policies. But to be called a progressive means looking at all is policies. This doesn't mean those he was blocked from implementing... but those he in good faith pursued... and there the record is hardly as progressive as you present it. He never renegotiated NAFTA as he promised. He instead has pushed for more free trade deals. He refused to prosecute any bankers for imploding the economy. They get to pay fines... using other people's money instead. Unlike FDR who passed Wall Street reforms in 3 months... Dowd Frank took 18... and still was a very weak bill. He never pushed for card check to help rebuild the union movement. And he made permanent most of the irresponsible Bush tax cuts which keeps the Right's Starve The Beast strategy alive.
So on those broad themes... he COULD have been the president who rolled back, or made the moral case to roll back, key elements of the Reagan revolution and didn't. He's helping it become more entrenched.