I am a pragmatist. And I understand that lifting ourselves from the kind of economic ravine we find ourselves in is not accomplished easily, and it cannot be achieved without compromise. [. . .] But there comes a point where compromise on policy equals compromise of principles. [. . .] Compromising to allow the very wealthiest in our nation to benefit while those who can bear the burden least -- of those who are caught in the tentacles of circumstance -- is a compromise not only of policy. It is also a compromise of the very principles that should remain the bedrock foundation of the Democratic Party. There are lines, and there are lines. [. . .] The things worth fighting for are worth fighting for in their own right. Win or lose.
It absolutely pains me to say this, but if the President compromises that away and capitulates to the Republicans on the issue of the tax cuts, he has lost me.
I'm not sure what "losing me" entails. Won't vote for Obama in 2012? Will support a primary? My own thinking on this is pretty well documented:
As citizens and activists, our allegiances have to be to the issues we believe in. I am a partisan Democrat it is true. But the reason I am is because I know who we can pressure to do the right thing some of the times. Republicans aren't them. But that does not mean we accept the failings of our Democrats. There is nothing more important that we can do, as citizens, activists or bloggers than fight to pressure DEMOCRATS to do the right thing on OUR issues.
And this is true in every context I think. Be it pressing the Speaker or the Senate majority leader, or the new hope running for President. There is nothing more important we can do. Nothing. It's more important BY FAR than "fighting" for your favorite pol because your favorite pol will ALWAYS, I mean ALWAYS, disappoint you.
In the middle of primary fights, citizens, activists and bloggers like to think their guy or woman is different. They are going to change the way politics works. They are going to not disappoint. In short, they are not going to be pols. That is, in a word, idiotic.
Yes, they are all pols. And they do what they do. Do not fight for pols. Fight for the issues you care about. That often means fighting for a pol of course. But remember, you are fighting for the issues. Not the pols.
Obama can't "lose me" because he never had me. I suspect I'll be voting for him in 2012 and not supporting a primary challenger (I imagine I won't even have a choice to support a primary challenger.) But as always, I'll criticize him when I think he is wrong, and praise him when I think he is right. I honestly think that's what everyone should do. It's the "pragmatist" in me.
Speaking for me only
