Booman: "Read Alterman"

Booman:

If you have the stamina, you should read Eric Alterman's long opus on the state of progressive politics in this county. It's actually about the state of all politics in this country, but it seeks to explain why progressive policies cannot be enacted despite large Democratic majorities in Congress and a president that is (or has been) rhetorically committed to them.

I have a few quibbles with Alterman's recitation of the facts, but I want to praise his overall effort. My biggest criticism is that he fails to critique progressives. Everyone else comes in for harsh treatment, but progressives are given a pass. I think that is a mistake, but it's interesting to think about why progressives deserve criticism. It's largely because progressives are not familiar enough with the obstacles to progressive change that Alterman exhaustively lays out.
(SNIP)
If you thought electing Obama would guarantee that all of his promises would become law inside of two years, you are going to be disappointed. I'm not. I'm extremely happy with the president and nearly at my wit's end with pretty much everyone else in this country. No faction frustrates me more than my own, and I'm grateful for Alterman for starting this conversation. I just wish he'd shine a mirror on himself and our movement. We need to hear about our shortcomings, too. Our biggest shortcoming is not understanding what Alterman has written and what it means for how we should feel about this administration. As I've said, this present Congress is the most productive and progressive Congress since 1965-66 and this president is the most successful and progressive since LBJ, and too many of us are focused on our disappointments and not focused on the right-wing threat that lurks out there with all its institutional advantages, just waiting to destroy this country, for good. MORE...

Howie P.S.: Earlier in this century I was invited to be a front-pager on Booman's site and posted there for short time.