In 1992, I attended the National Education Association's annual convention in Washington, D.C. where I was dazzled by guest speaker Bill Clinton's charisma and intelligence. I remember starting 1993 with high hopes that our nation would begin to reverse the damage of the Reagan-Bush, Sr. years. Soon, however, my enthusiasm waned as Clinton's proposed health care plan tanked (yes, I know that wasn't his fault), and DOMA and DADT came into existence with his support. And, as has been pointed out by others, much of the deregulation that led to our current crisis began under his watch.
Sixteen years later, I felt even more optimistic than I had in 1992 as I watched the nation take a giant step forward with the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. Once again, I was somehow convinced that we had put a progressive in office. And once again, it didn't take long for me to be disappointed. Yes, we have a health care plan, but it certainly leaves a lot to be desired. In addition, Obama chose many of the same culprits who had gotten us into our fiscal mess as his economic team. And now, his Justice Department continues to defend DOMA and DADT.
Worst of all, both of these men managed to allow themselves to be demonized by the right as the "progressives" that they were not. When the Republicans swept the midterm election in 1994, I saw how viciously conservatives react to any progress that is made. It seems that, this November, the backlash may hit us even more ferociously.
Do I wish that Clinton and Obama had not been elected? No, of course not. I know things could have been worse then and could be worse now. I just need to accept that Americans are far from ready to allow any truly progressive individual to lead them and that I need to curb my expectations of our political system.
