Liberals continue to vent

I consider myself a liberal Democrat, so I'm as frustrated with the way things have worked out politically in the last two years as anyone. But the liberals who are hyperventilating about Obama's compromise on tax cuts and thinking about a primary challenge are ignoring some fundamental political and historical facts.

What I keep hearing from liberals in Congress is that they would prefer that Obama draw the line on taxes now, fight the good fight, lose, and carry the fight into 2011 and if needs be to the election in 2012. This wish ignores the fact that presidents rarely if ever find it in their interest to fight a losing battle. Standing firm on principle is good politics for members of Congress because individual Congressmen and Senators are rarely held responsible for results. But presidents are held responsible for results. A president's political standing is determined by the perception that he is powerful, can achieve important things. Losing votes in Congress creates the perception of weakness, and therefore presidents don't let this happen very often. George Bush and Ronald Reagan, beloved of conservatives, did not lose votes in Congress. When Social Security reform looked like a loser in 2005, Bush dropped it. Neither Bush nor Reagan ever fought "the good fight" to overturn Roe v. Wade or impose a national ban on gay marriage. They would have lost on these issues, and this would've eroded their power.

Liberals ought to understand that the best they can hope for from a Democratic president is a sympathetic ear. When there is a groundswell of support for liberal causes - as in 1933-36 and 1964-65, a Democratic president can deliver where a Republican president would not. If liberals want to repeal the top Bush tax cuts they need to generate public indignation at the tax cuts for the rich and get the votes for repeal in the Senate. They had the opportunity to do this before the election and it didn't happen. Right now Obama doesn't have the political capital to advance the cause using the president's bully pulpit. So compromise has to be the order of the day.

Liberals of late have put too much hope in the President to the neglect of doing the groundwork that is necessary to get the President on board with liberal priorities. During the debate on health reform we heard a great deal from the opponents of reform. Tea Party groups were protesting in cities across the country and on the steps of the Capitol. Where were the liberal advocates of reform? Playing the inside game and despairing when Obama was unwilling or unable to twist enough arms to get a more liberal plan through. It was apparent during the debate that Republicans and Democrats alike were scared of the Tea Party, scared of the insurance companies, scared of looking fiscally irresponsible. No one was scared of the liberals. The liberals should focus their attention on building up support for their (our) agenda at the grassroots. Only then will Senators feel that they need to bend to the liberals to preserve their chances of reelection, and only then will Obama have the leverage to force the Senate's hand the next time progressive legislation comes before it.