© 2009 Evans Caring Community, edit and rewrite of November 27, 2011, also published February 1, 2011, and May 8, 2009, by Dr. Jack E. Evans and Paul Evans. Originally published with the title “Why the Left and All Americans Should Trust Barack Obama” — please notice the new title. Photo of Dr. Jack E. Evans is from 1977 and is hereby placed into the public domain:

This article was originally published on May 8, 2009 on Evans Liberal Politics and has been rewritten and updated. I am introducing here my father, Dr. Jack E. Evans, who is a retired 86 year old professor of Russian language and literature with a doctorate from Yale University, and an old New Deal Democrat. A year after this article was first published, at the beginning of 2010, Dad had to go and live at a local nursing home, where he struggles with senile dementia. I have lived with Jack all of my life, almost. My father tried so very hard to impart to me the strongest of spiritual and mental gifts with which he tried to help me overcome my mental illness, and to try to develop my ability to think logically, and as an editor. I could not possibly show him enough gratefulness, and I know that he has been a far better father than I could possibly deserve.

In mid-2009, Dr. Evans felt that this topic was important enough that he wished to contribute to a discussion of it when it was originally published. I truly and strongly hope that I am successful in conveying his feelings about the current political situation. Dr. Evans was a marine officer in the Pacific in World War II. Later, he spent 13 years in charge of and as chief editor for translating sections for ASA, NSA and CIA, before getting his doctorate from Yale and teaching at several colleges. He also has a masters degree in Russian history from Georgetown. I (Paul Evans) mentioned above that I lived and interacted with Dr. Evans almost my whole life; We worked on the translation of 11 books together. Later, I was his caregiver before he had to go to live in a Wooster nursing home, where I visit him almost every day.

We both wanted to simply say that, while as progressive Democrats we are sometimes critical of the actions of the (late) Democratic (now Republican) Congress and even the actions of President Obama, we trust Barack Obama’s heart and mind and remain committed to his Presidency and his success. However, our views are not some sort of blind loyalty either to President Obama or to the Democratic Party, but arise mainly through an understanding of the difficulties Obama has in this economy and with the current composition of Congress as well as the general political direction, or “mood” if you will, which our country has taken. Even so, that does NOT mean that we are at all content with the leadership that President Obama has shown in taking the country in a progressive direction.

Both Dr. Evans and I have been upset at the appointment to high office in the Obama administration of economic advisers with corrupt histories and very strong ties to Wall Street. Even the mainstream media has discussed what we feel to be unnecessary pain, hardship and suffering for ordinary Americans, brought on by what seems sometimes to be a corrupt American system of government.

Nonetheless, we remember well Barack Obama’s roots as a community organizer in South Chicago, and we do not feel he has changed much in his heart from who he was in those simpler days. We think he may well remain about as progressive in his personal identity as ever, but is compelled by a pragmatic outlook to follow “the art of the possible.” At least, we hope so.

We also feel that President Obama wants to represent all Americans, and not just those who feel they are progressive or liberal in their outlook. We think and pray that Obama is still a progressive in his heart and mind and still trying to move the nation in that direction. But nonetheless, we are both proud of Barack Obama specifically FOR trying to represent all Americans, and not just liberals and progressives. Really, that was a lot to attempt. Lately, however, we both have been wondering about that. One real disappointment for us is that Obama has had a Presidency so intertwined with corporate America, which was evident from the start when he chose as his economic advisers Summers, Geithner, Bernanke and crew. Now he is moving even more in this conservative direction with the emphasis on American competitiveness and the whole movement towards an austerity budget. (Did you know that the new budget contains a 12 percent increase for the Pentagon?)

Important liberal and progressive economists, such as Paul Krugman, Robert Reich and Daily Kos’s Bob Swern have exhorted the President about a growing crisis in the resources and job situation for our workers, yet Obama seems determined to capitulate to the Republican House without even attempting to defend the working class. At the same time he is all too willing to give rich Americans tax breaks and even seems willing to consider major cuts to entitlements. Dr Evans and I want to exhort the President to remain strong in the understanding that America’s business engine is built on the labor of the average American worker and their ability to make purchases, and it is primarily their welfare he needs to look out for, not that of Wall Street.

Thinking about the upcoming election of 2012, Obama needs to consider how disillusioned his supporters from 2008 are because of Obama’s apparent economic and fiscal conservatism that has only grown stronger with time. There comes a point when Obama may realize that his base is so disillusioned and heartsick about the “change we can believe in” having morphed into support for the rich and the status quo in general, that we may be unwilling to work very hard to reelect the President. I know I myself worked pretty hard in 2008, yet am weighing my options about 2012. Many progressives who I have talked to have confided to me that it is only upon considering the likely Republican nominees that they would even consider working for Obama at this point.

But it’s not just liberals who are upset and struggling over how much to support the President. Many independents and just ordinary Americans I have spoken with are VERY dissatisfied. Some people who have been ruined in their financial status say that the whole situation may even turn violent if the oppression of the American worker by the rich continues much further. I do not know, but I ask myself: why are ordinary Americans talking this way, and why would they unless something pretty profound is wrong with the way America is these days.

Informed progressives feel that America is in danger of becoming a two class oligarchy, and that it is up to all of us to stop this trend. To work to make America financially sound again, the vast majority of the American middle class and American workers must again be brought into a condition of prosperity. This is our main concern going forward, as it is that of some of our featured economics writers here such as Paul Krugman, Robert Reich and Bob Swern.

The nation has fully embraced the full-bore pro-Capitalist spirit. This is all very well, but ordinary Americans are increasingly suffering. So long as that reality is true, the nation will never regain its full elan and vigor and move forward to meet the challenges of the 21st century as it should.

Still, overall, while our own expression is sometimes adamantly progressive in terms of what has been published on Evans Liberal Politics, we want to be sure to say that “we support you, President Obama, and we are still trying to trust you too.” We just wish you would be a lot more concerned with the economic pain of ordinary Americans and a little less preoccupied with the people who bankroll your campaigns and Congress. Ordinary Americans swept you into office and without us, you will not again be successful in 2012.

We do however understand the political reality you labor under, President Obama, and also that you are really trying to move the nation beyond hyperpartisanship and into a more caring and decent relation between those of differing views. While I do in fact feel that this is one of the President’s main goals, we have to ask ourselves: just who made the President bring Bush’s “wrecking crew” into his administration as it’s principal economic advisers at it’s start? Why would a truly liberal or progressive President bring in those people?

I used to be really skeptical of the effort to bring about bipartisanship, President Obama. Then I had a period in which I tried to be accepting of bipartisanship, believing that the President had the interests of all Americans in his heart — not just liberals and progressives.

A lot of people on the left have come to the conclusion that you have “sold out.” Dr. Evans and I still hope and pray for you, President Obama, and yet, all the legislation coming out of Washington is pretty darned Republican in what it appears to be, at least to the left. At what point do you stop working for bipartisanship when the other side refuses to compromise at all?

So, overall, there is a disconnect between what President Obama promised us during the campaign of 2008, and what has happened since then. Perhaps this all is not Barack Obama’s fault, but is more a product of our nation’s and Congress’ economic corruption. One wonders just how much better it would be if Republicans in Congress actually considered working with the President and Democrats in a bipartisan way. Could we not as a nation unify behind this man Barack Obama, who has shown himself to be a true patriot and true American citizen for all of us? My father and I truly hope that we will. Dr. Evans and I believe that true bipartisanship would solve a lot of problems in this country. And it is so sad to see the ideals of 2008 bow down before political reality.

That being said, Barack Obama used to be fully a “man of the people.” Now he has a lot of informed people questioning that. President Obama, you need to show the nation you still care about the average citizen more than Wall Street and big business. Carry the nation forward with that in mind, and we will all support you like we did in 2008. We trust that you are still our Barack Obama, and we implore you to stand up for ordinary Americans.

This article was originally published on Daily Kos. I can think of no better summary and end for it than to quote a commenter on the article there: “It’s not a question of a lack of trust, it’s about each of us playing our role. I do trust Obama, which is why I’m willing to follow the path he set us on. But that path includes applying pressure for what I know is right.” ~ Jack and Paul Evans

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