California Dem Progressives Explore Primary Challenge to Obama

[amborin]

CA Dem Party Progressives Explore Primary Challenge to Obama

by Joe Garofoli

SAN FRANCISCO - There have long been rumblings that the liberal base is ticked off at President Obama, but the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party just put that frustration into writing: They've passed a resolution exploring calling for a primary challenge to Obama.

President Obama challenged from the left in a primary? Karen Bernal, chair of CDP's Progressive Caucus, doesn't plan to ask the full California Democratic Party to approve the resolution. It was meant more as a statement of conscience than a desire to back a rival to Obama, she said. "Is there a sense of desperation in this?" Bernal said. "I would have to say yes." Now, this is largely symbolic, but it's heavy nonetheless. They're ticked that Obama hasn't ditched the Bush tax cuts, has continued drone attacks overseas, and hasn't ended the foreclosure crisis, among other sins listed below. The straw that broke their collective caucus backs, Caucus chair Karen Bernal told us Wednesday, was Obama's -- as the resolution put it -- "unilateral closed-door budget offer to slash Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which endangers the New Deal and War on Poverty safety nets."

"Our silence," Bernal told us, "is a price that's too high to pay."

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http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/08/04-0

[LWolf]

1. Good. nt

[FiveGoodMen]

2. K&R!

[brooklynite]

3. A "Statement of Conscience..."

In other words, venting without any action.

Like every other "Primary Obama" thread...

[amborin]

4. it sends a message, at least