Saturday, June 4, 2011

Cenk & Sirota: Obama Should Push Left-Wing Agenda 'Almost Regardless Of Consequences

So what if the markets tank? Pushing the "progressive" agenda is the paramount goal. That's the advice Cenk Uygur and his left-wing guest David Sirota have for President Obama. On a day when awful job growth numbers stirred fears of a double-dip recession, Uygur and Sirota still scolded Obama for suggesting that he had to be cautious in his public statements because of the possible impact on markets and the world at large.

Egged on by Uygur, Sirota said Obama should push his agenda "almost regardless" of the consequences. Damn the consequences, full left-wing torpedoes ahead!

CENK UYGUR: Can Democrats trust the White House during budget negotiations? At yesterday's meeting, the Democrats--led by Representative Henry Waxman--called for stronger action from the President in fighting back against the Republicans. Someone at the meeting said that Presdident Obama responded by saying: "there's a difference between me and a Member of Congrees. When I say something, markets and countries and people react in a way where it could cause us more problems than we have now."

David, I found that quote really telling. It said to me that the President said: "oh my God, I've got to worry about the markets! I can't be doing progressive things because of the markets!" Am I overreading that?

DAVID SIROTA: No: I think you're exactly right. I think the President, the comment seems to exude that he's thinking not about necessarily the agenda, he's thinking about other factors. I'm not saying he should only think about what he wants. There's many, many parts moving here. But I think you're exactly right: that the question should be, what has he promised, what does he want to do, and will he do it? And that requires marshalling the entire platform of the White House, almost regardless of those other external factors.

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