Does anyone seriously expect an Obama primary challenge?

I don't blame them for wanting one, but they do seriously expect a challenger?

maybe that would make him go left. :)

The problem is that O is prob as far right as any Dem out there.

...abandoning him for a candidate further left, he would get the message. Surely there is no Dem further right.

I believe (I really do!!!) that a speech along the lines below would win him MILLIONS of votes from Americans who now feel completely disenfranchised and don't vote at all.

Hypothetical speech by the President:

"I’m announcing today new direction for America, including:

Within 10 days I want Congress to pass new tax laws that spread the tax burden fairly across the economic spectrum, with those benefiting most from our society contributing commensurately.

Within 20 days I want Congress to pass laws that protect the right of workers to organize and have a voice in the operation of US businesses. This will include raising the minimum wage to $20.00 per hour to ensure a reasonable standard of living for all working families.

Within 30 days, all US military, diplomatic and contracted personnel will return from Iraq and Afghanistan. Instead of the hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives being wasted on these wars, we will instead provide aid to these countries, and to other depressed areas where atrocious conditions breed terrorists.

Additionally, I am ordering the Department of Justice to investigate those who led us into these wars to determine if war crime charges are warranted. If so they will be prosecuted with vigor and any ill-gained profits shall be returned to the people.

Within 40 days I want Congress to pass a simple plan to provide Medicare for All so no American is denied care or has to suffer financial hardship because of health problems, and no American businesses are saddled with health costs that keep them from competing fairly with foreign competitors. This plan will include a “safety net” to guarantee every citizen is provided the food and shelter necessary to survive difficult challenges in their lives.

Within 60 days I want the Commerce Department to present a plan for maintaining and improving the infrastructure of our great country.

Within 80 days I want the Secretary of Education to present new plans to guarantee all Americans have access to our public schools, from pre-kindergarten through advanced degrees.

Within 120 days I want Homeland Security to present a new plan for securing our borders from those who would do us harm while allowing appropriate travel and visitation to our many friends around the world. This plan is to include a path to citizenship for those who serve in the US military, or who came here as children and are now productive members of our society.

Within 150 days I want a Constitutional Amendment passed prohibiting political spending by corporations or any other entity or individual not qualifying as a person with citizenship in this great country.

Within 180 days I want the Department of Energy to begin another “Manhattan Project” to enable us to cease our dependence on fossil fuels. As this effort will no doubt take time, I am announcing the nationalization of all US oil and gas reserves, as well as other reserves owned by the citizens of the US that are currently being extracted from our soil for private profit without regard for our environment.

I am also ordering the Department of Justice to begin immediately to root out crimes of corruption within our government. In concert with this, I want Congress to pass term-limit or other laws to ensure elected officials are serving for the benefit of the American people as a whole, not to gain wealth or power for themselves or their friends.

These and other policies we will put in place will cause a sea-change in how our country serves the citizens - We the People - rather than a tiny handful of super-wealthy who would subvert our democracy and plunder our wealth while denying even the most basic services for our citizens. Thank you for your support and thank you for standing up for the rights of all citizens."

That is the kind of thing that Inaugural Obama should done. Far too late now for that.

I agree with Sanders that one is needed so Americans will quit living in a false paradigm or illusion there is a party on the right and a party on the left. A real discussion of policies and alternatives is needed in American discourse, not competing ideas within the same rhealm of economic and foreign policy constraints and solutions.

One by one, he's taken active steps to piss-off each of
the core Democratic constituencies: the religiously-tolerant,
gays, women, labor, environmentalist, those working for
social justice, those seaking world peace, and so on.

Oh sure, Democrats will vote for him. But there's not going
to be anyone left in the Democratic coalition who'll actually
enthusiastically *WORK* for his campaign. And now that
Republicans are back in the ascendency, there's no need
for the corporate elite to donate any money to him.

Tesha

Blue dogs. If you agree with all the positions that Barack Obama has actually taken and acted on, one may not technically be a Democrat or at least a traditional Democrat. You may really be a "New (TM) (& Improved?) Democrat." Seeing how the Republican party has been pushed along the ignorant John Bircher/Tea Party Trail, one could say the same about Republicans. After all, Republicans used to want to govern, now all they care to be are amateur CFOs. All urges for paternalism have manifested in fetal rights defense. Both sides basically gave up the shared goal of a kinder, vibrant civilization.

So much for the shiny city on the hill, we can't afford the electric bill (or maybe it will just glow in the dark after we meltdown-- can't afford those regulators either).

level of turnout that candidate Obama received: which could sink his chances in either a primary or general election.

He would have to overcome the obstacle of himself.

Democrats seem too spineless to do what needs to be done.

not the one we seem to have gotten.

He could run as both Dem and Republican, perhaps.

and marching right.

But, since there's no viable left/liberal party, I'll vote Democratic. Without enthusiasm.

:hi:

Hard to tell what will happen when Americans are the badly cornered.

a Palin or some other lunatic.

People talk a big game here on DU, but regardless of all the bitching, come election time, they will be talking about how great the Dem nominee is, how evil the Repub nominee is, and how hopeful and wonderful the future will be if we win. Happens every election cycle, whether it is presidential or not. And the same things happens in terms of enthusiasim.

That is why I could care less if people post Obama-bashing pieces on DU. Hell, I even chime in on them. Because in the end, when it matters, we are all there to vote for him, regardless of our idealistic thinking and posting right now.

We will all vote for him because we have no choice and the alternative would be slightly worse.

However I think only the truly delusion and foolish (of those who want to simply and blindly cheerlead anyone in power with a D after their name) will be talking about how great the Dem nominee is and how hopeful and wonderful the future will be if we win.

The most any of us will realistically be able to say is that voting for Obama will hold back a full on collapse for at least a couple of years.

I'm not saying there aren't delusion people here. Most people in politics are delusional. Face it, you have to be in order to peg one party as absolute evil and one party as pure good in politics when there is so much overlap between the two. Mark my words, the number of anti Obama posts will be nearly zero (there will still be trolls) in October and NOv of the election year.

And most people want to believe they are voting for someone who is great and wonderful, and not against someone just to avoid a full on collapse, so it becomes easy to parrot good things about the Dem nominee...ALL THE TIME!

I wish it were different. Obama doesn't need to be a perfect left wing president for me to vote for him. No one does. In life, there is give and take, as in my personal decisions. For some reason, people expected perfection from a politician in his job, though they likely don't offer perfection in their own jobs, and get disappointed. That is why come next election cycle I can say Obama let me down on some issues, but not others, and I think he has the best chance of beating a repub, therefore he is better than any other primary challenger (barring huge changes between now and then).

I'm sure that you are on to something there. Possibly the number of anti Obama posters will be zero as well.



Obama doesn't need to be a perfect left wing president for me either. He just needs to act more like candidate Obama: like a Democrat.

enough to not vote in the general. These people either don't care or have never heard of democratic underground or would give two hoots to any rebuke that could ever come out of its chat groups.

Reality isn't Democratic underground or the hype from its pep squads.

Reality is unemployment, unemployment, unemployment, unpaid bills, high food and energy costs, unemployment and a Washington that the public sees as being corrupt, uncaring and out of touch.

Don't be surprised if people decide to stay home on election day. They're fed up.

He'll coast to his renomination, it's probably better than he saves his energy and money for the general, where he's going to need it, especially if unemployment is high, and the Repukes have Romney as their nominee.

the DC crowd supports him for a challenge to be effective.

mark

So much for Democracy, huh?

The fix is in... or something to that level.

if only to distract their fellow idiots from the fact they're as inept as anyone out there...look, shiny!! Shiny!!!

If we do not replace Pres. Obama at the top of our ticket, we will surely lose to whoever the R's run.

a small bright ray of hope in a dismal world.

So I am not going to say President Obama needs a primary challenger because you message will get deleted by the moderators.

Not a viable one, at least. Not a chance.

to pick from. And by "pick," I mean for them to pick.

Sanders, Kuch, Grayson and other far-left guys would get about 20% and President Obama would get 80%. Not worth the time or effort to challenge him.

Somebody needs to use the National Stage for a traditional Working Class "Democratic Party" message.


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans.
I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans."
---Paul Wellstone



"By their WORKS you will know them,"
and "By Their WORKS they will be counted.