Where Do We Go From Here

The Obama administration has concluded that the best way to get re-elected in 2012 is to run as "pro-business" Clintonites. They are encouraged because no credible threat seems to emerge from the GOP. They are wrong on both counts. If the economy slows down once again Obama will not be Clinton but Jimmy Carter. The chance of a new recession are worse than most people expect; the recent budget deal, which cuts $38.5 billion dollars from the Federal budget, combined with sky high fuel prices and a weak real estate market, could send the economy back into recession.

The deeper problem is that progressives have spent much of the past 3 decades dreaming of a great charismatc leader to lead some great progressive revival. What we've seen with Clinton and Obama is that personal charisma can't substitute for the hard work of grass roots organizing. The recent protests in Wisconsin show that there is widespread resistance to the Repub pro-corporate program. What we need is to organize a nationwide progressive movement.