Obama’s Shift to Left Alienates Moderates

President Barack Obama has returned to a liberal ideology, including this week’s call for higher taxes on the wealthy. That isn’t sitting well with moderates, Politico reports.

 

“President Obama is basically tearing apart his own coalition,” said Mark Penn, a top strategist for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. “[Obama] did something remarkable in 2008. . . . He did better among people earning $100,000 than any Democrat I can recall, [and] that’s in jeopardy now. . . . He’s ignoring the one group he really needs, independents.”

 

Moderate Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., says Obama should concentrate on spending cuts rather than tax increases. “What we should be focused on is cutting spending,” he said. “There’s too much attention on dealing with closing so-called loopholes, eliminating deductions, and changing the tax rates, raising taxes.”