Look To The Agenda

Posted on 11/27/2008 at 2:37 pm by Bob Cesca

Nate constructed a chart placing the Obama policy agenda on an ideological spectrum. Nate’s summation includes:

…this can hardly be described as a centrist agenda (even though much of it should have significant appeal to moderates).

The chart is posted after the jump, along with some additional thoughts…


Nate sets it up:

I then began classifying these positions on a truncated political spectrum running from liberal/progressive to center-right, further dividing the policies into economics and taxation (green), other domestic policy (yellow) and foreign affairs (blue). Here is what I came up with:

obama_policy_agenda.jpgNow, as you read down the chart, think about which agenda items you strongly oppose. I mean, the ones you will fight against. Make calls, send e-mails, etc. Let’s call them Activist Items. Honestly, there are only three on my list and, naturally, they’re all at the bottom in the ‘center-right’ column:1. Double funding for charter schools.2. National missile defense.3. Develop clean coal technology.Of course there are other items that I would generally support but which might be ruined by a particular amendment or policy shift. So my list isn’t permanent. But ultimately, as we read through the chart, we find that irrespective of who the president-elect is hiring, his agenda is his agenda, and it appears to be mostly liberal and center-left.I’m probably going to make this a permanent post linked from the sidebar. It’s such a valuable resource — a scorecard we can follow along with as we work our way through President-elect Obama’s first term.

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  • http://www.osborneink.com Matt Osborne

    Hang on — before we say that “increasing the number of ground troops” is a center-right agenda item, let’s consider the effects of enlarged military service. It’s no coincidence that the “Greatest Generation” put Democrats in charge of the House for more than 50 years; the Civil Rights movement was created by black men who’d returned from WWII and Korea after experiencing the respect of rank. The assumption that expanded military service serves some right-wing agenda is just not supported by the data.1) Democracy was born in the cauldron of battle. The very nature of the phalanx (ancient Greece), the pike square (Switzerland), and musket warfare (America, France, etc.) demanded the willing obedience of mass numbers of men, but also fostered the sense of shared reward and equality of franchise. The correlation is unmistakable.2.) Military families learn to expect government benefits. In fact, the military is as close as you can get to a socialist worker’s paradise: if you’re married, you get more money; if you have kids, you get more money; housing is subsidized; health care is comprehensive and cheap. I’d wager that health benefits alone account for a significant portion of current reenlistment rates being as high as they are, given the wars we’re fighting.It’s no coincidence that, prior to the Cold War, “conservatives” carried the reputation of being in favor of *smaller* military budgets.

  • http://obamaproject.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    Interesting perspective, Matt. :) And – glad you found use for that, chart Bob! :) And I’m especially happy that you’re promoting productive proactive effort.One thing that this list also allows – is for a scorekeeping process. Did this get implemented? Did it get implemented as stated, or did it get implemented more to the left or to the right? Why?Over time, we will be able to see more of what the Obama administration is, based on actual facts. :) QT