Thread: Liberals Fret Over Obama's Compromises Article

MAY 18, 2009
Liberals Fret Over Obama's Compromises Article By JONATHAN WEISMAN

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's decision to maintain Bush-era military commissions is the latest in a series of compromises and delays that allies on the left see as a disappointing shift away from campaign pledges.

On everything from national security to climate change to immigration, liberal groups are saying the president's recent actions contradict his soothing ability to convince them that he will move dramatically on their issues. It follows a first 100 days in which Mr. Obama largely avoided any compromises on pressing his economic agenda.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said over the weekend that liberal critics were overplaying the extent to which Mr. Obama had changed his views on handling suspected terrorists. He said any compromises on other policies serve the broader purpose of keeping the big priorities moving forward.

And supporters of the president's more compromising stance say his positions will help liberal causes in the long run. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.), for instance, said Mr. Obama's stand in favor of tribunals will make it harder for Republicans to oppose closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and could help coax Republicans into a more cooperative stand on issues such as Social Security overhaul.

Still, Tyson Slocum, energy-policy director at the liberal watchdog Public Citizen, called an emissions-control bill that should come to a committee vote in the House this week "very meek, very ineffective legislation." Mr. Obama had wanted any company emitting greenhouse gasses such as carbon dioxide to obtain permits to do so, and to purchase all of those permits on a trading market. Instead, the legislation as it stands now would give away more than two-thirds of the permits in 2012, the first year of the trading regime.

The climate-change legislation may not be the bill candidate Obama envisioned, Mr. Emanuel said, but it's moving, and progress is "the one thing I hold over everything else."

He noted the areas where Mr. Obama seemed on track to claim victories. Mr. Emanuel said the White House has a firm commitment for a vote this summer in the House on a national health-care plan. This week, Mr. Obama expects to sign legislation overhauling Pentagon procurement rules, slapping new restrictions on credit-card companies, helping homeowners and imposing new financial-fraud regulations.

But questions loom on some of the biggest issues. Advocates of an overhaul of immigration laws -- including a pathway to citizenship for the 12 million illegal immigrants in the country -- are growing especially restive.

"The president has to lead. He has to use his bully pulpit this spring to catapult the issue forward," said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, an umbrella group that advocates a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. He said he expects some public address by Mr. Obama soon. Mr. Emanuel said he could offer no assurances any immigration event is planned in the near future.

Nowhere is the frustration on the left greater than on national security. After opening his presidency by promising to ban torture, end secrecy and close Guantanamo, Mr. Obama has found out the complexities of the security environment, said Mr. Graham, whom the White House has consulted on recent moves.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs said the White House wouldn't intervene in the recent firings of gay servicemen by the military, despite Mr. Obama's promise to allow openly gay men and women to serve. Last week the president decided to fight in court the release of photos of alleged detainee abuse by the military, and then Friday came the announcement on military commissions.

"It's not as clean as that, no matter how desirous you are of absolutes," Mr. Emanuel said of the expectations on the left. Mr. Emanuel conceded a shift on the photos since the White House released Bush-era Justice Department memos detailing arguments for enhanced-interrogation techniques, or torture to many. But he said Mr. Obama had been consistent in his support for tribunals, pointing to 2006 legislation that would have kept alive the Bush tribunals but revised their rules to make them consistent with Supreme Court demands for due process.

Critics such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International say the comparison isn't apt. At the time, senators were trying to find some compromise language that would grant more rights to detainees but not provoke a veto from Mr. Bush. Now, with Mr. Obama in the Oval Office, no such compromise is necessary, they say.

Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A4

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124260169419828351.html

President Barack Obama's decision to maintain Bush-era military commissions is the latest in a series of compromises and delays that allies on the left see as a disappointing shift away from campaign pledges.

Seems he's compromised his way out of alot of campaigne promises. But that should surprise no-one if they researched his actions.

On Immigration,

"The president has to lead. He has to use his bully pulpit this spring to catapult the issue forward," said Ali Noorani....

The Issue has already been decided and the American people do not favor an amnesty.

Originally Posted by Tbow009

On Immigration,

"The president has to lead. He has to use his bully pulpit this spring to catapult the issue forward," said Ali Noorani....

The Issue has already been decided and the American people do not favor an amnesty.

Exactly! These politicians forget that they work for US. It is their job to do the will of the people, and the people have clearly and loudly said NO to any amnesty.