President Obama, Are You Listening?

From my perspective, the answer to the question asked in the headline of this post is a resounding "NO." Obama and far too many among the Congressional Democrat ranks have abandoned the party's progressive base and the anger is becoming palpable as Nancy Pelosi found out at an appearance before annual gathering of progressive activists organized by the Campaign for America's Future. Broken campaign promises and actions that look like they were orchestrated by the GOP is much of the legacy during Obama's term to date. Mediocre health care reform that will likely NOT deliver as promised, ineptitude with the Gulf oil spill, and on LGBT issues close to open betrayal. I am sensing the same disillusionment among Democrats that took place in Virginia in the lead up to the 2009 election debacle that put Taliban Bob McDonnell in the governor's mansion and the literally insane Ken Cuccinelli in as Attorney General. It comes down to the issue of why bother to put Democrats in office if they cannot get progressive legislation passed even when they control Congress and the White House. The window for delivering on promises is closing and significant action needs to occur before November. Dana Milbank at the Washington Post has some highlights of Pelosi facing the wrath of those in her own party base:
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For 17 months, anger at President Obama and congressional Democrats has been pooling on the left. On Tuesday morning, it spilled onto the floor of an Omni Shoreham ballroom and splashed all over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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The celebrated San Francisco liberal took the stage to greet what should have been a friendly audience: the annual gathering of progressive activists organized by the Campaign for America's Future. Instead, Pelosi was eaten by her own.
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Political movements tend to unravel gradually, but on Tuesday this one seemed to be imploding in real time. As the "tea party" right has gained strength, Obama's hope-and-change left has faded. The frustration has crystallized at the gathering this week of demoralized activists.
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At Monday's opening session, attendance was sparse: 10 empty tables and about 200 empty chairs. "Progressives have grown ever more dissatisfied, and for good reason," Robert Borosage, the conference organizer, said at the start. "Our hopes or illusions were shattered: escalation in Afghanistan, retreat on Guantanamo, no movement on worker rights or comprehensive immigration reform, dithering on 'don't ask, don't tell,' reverses on choice, delay on climate change and new energy."
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Tuesday brought a denunciation of the Democrats from former Democratic chairman Howard Dean: "It's time for them to behave like Democrats if they want to get reelected. They have forgotten where they came from -- and they haven't been here that long."
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The Republicans must be watching and salivating - and praying that the Democrats continue to alienate their own base/.