A Defense of the Obama Presidency Against "Magical Thinking" Progressives

This article defends president Obama's actions during his first term on the grounds that he did what could be done with a fiercely opposed GOP that was committed to discrediting his presidency. Progressives criticize him for exactly that reason. Instead of leading he did what he believed he could get through Congress. There will be books written on this topic. Our system of government, with its checks and balances, makes it very difficult to change the direction of the country. This is especially true when one of the political parties is aligned with wealthy interest groups that have the ability to mold public opinion. The Tea Party did not appear out of thin air. It was created for the purpose of derailing the Obama presidency. Its success in electing a Republican to the Senate, in the most liberal state in the nation, sent a warning signal to the White House that did not fail to get its attention. Some will argue that Obama could have done more to lead the public in a more progressive direction. There are examples of presidents who have provided that kind of leadership. Some will even argue that Obama is not really as progressive as he appeared to be during his successful campaign for the presidency. The history is yet to be written.