President Obama

As someone who was to the left of Senator Paul Wellstone (and a former constituent) I'm glad that Bush is gone but don't have illusions that Obama will be the Great Black Hope. But I think he'll be better. Here's some more of what I'm thinking.

I think he's pretty exactly one tick left of center for the Democratic party (which makes him center-right in England). But the context is so far-right that his direction is going to be Left.

I think he might be organizable. And as a community organizer, I hope it will be easier to radically organize under his administration. (check to see how the police state powers are or are not curtailed.)

I think - wait, I HOPE that he will 1) raise taxes overall, and 2) improve the climate for union organizing. This is the 'economic minimums' standard I have for him. In other words, he can do a bunch of goofing around on other stuff, but if he comes through on these two things that will be real progress.

I expect the troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan to be down significantly in one year. I hope they will be down to next to nothing in two years. Insofar as he is a center-left Democrat, and Democrats have proven far too eager to bend to the military-industrial complex, this is the area I think he's most likely to try to hedge. But if we organize well, we can push him, I think.

My thoughts! And yours?