If precedent holds any clout, Bill Clinton's re-election campaign holds a key to another piece of the pie. After highlighting his dissatisfaction with international trade deals on the campaign trail, he screwed the progressive agenda with his signature of NAFTA after the voters had spoken. He kept us out of war and he rode the internet boom, but I think history will show he did not ride the wave of substantial progress, nor do I believe his wife will. Precedent informs me--Clinton sacrificed the wave.
"Pain is something that comes in life, but suffering is voluntary or optional." And so we should let the past go with it's marginal one slice. Modern analogy: Obama's ipod could be set on repeat(ing the past) or it could be on shuffle.
He could take on the coal lobby's influence on our energy policy, our environment. He could take on the other industrial complex's that dominate nearly every area of our lives. His speeches make me jittery. Yes, he will, I think. Then I read more about the guy and I'm so damn unsure. It's always a crapshoot with representation, but as long as we worship the policies and give them voice (in some cases boycotting those candidates who don't listen) by saying "Tag, you're it" to the policymakers, we'll luck out; We'll have progress.
On a side note:Just how bad do things have to get in this country when populist policies are 'viable'?
