I agree with most of what you've said, Ron. However, the "public option" in health insurance - like the ability to reimport drugs from Canada - is supported by a strong majority of American voters, not just "lefties," much less the "far left."

There are issues like this, on which the political pundits on the "mainstream media" (who often have their own agendas) are really misleading the viewers and listeners.   

I think Obama and the Democrats need to embrace both populism and labels like "progressive" and to use what platforms they have to point out to the public that many popularly held views on issues are, in fact, "liberal" or "progressive."


That said, you are right that just like Aesop's dog crossing the bridge with a bone in his mouth and seeing his reflection in the water, we are in danger of losing all the gains we have made and can soon make by demanding that we get it all - NOW!

The same would be true for the religious "Right," who will make abortion law and homosexuals' rights the make-or-break issues even for candidates whom they support on everything else.   Problem (for us) is, the corporatist "conservatives" have embraced these groups as a political strategy, despite this kind of "social conservatism" and "fiscal conservatism" having no logical connection.   So the corporatists just need to find "supply-side economics" candidates who will also spout the rhetoric of the religious right, and, voila! they have a sizable enough bloc to get them elected.

Neither the religious right nor the "leftists" as far left as Kucinich, Sanders, etc., have big enough numbers to win many elections without the aid of both the "centrist" voters and a good deal of corporate (non-left-wing) money.    So I do think we who are left of center need to be willing to pick our battles, or we'll lose the whole war.