Netroots Nation, the progressive activist organization, is meeting from yesterday through Sunday in Minneapolis, trying to promote an agenda to push Barack Obama away from corporate influence, and to end the wars in the Middle East and Asia.
Progressives are unhappy with the fact that, in their mind, Barack Obama is too willing to concede and compromise with the Republican opposition.
Former Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold criticized the idea of Obama taking campaign funds from Wall Street and corporations when they are working constantly to undermine him and his agenda.
The argument is to raise campaign money for 2012 only from small contributors and the labor movement. The Democratic Party, he asserted, is in danger of losing its soul and its identity.
Feingold, who had promoted campaign finance reform with Senator John McCain a decade ago, and then saw it declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, insisted that such reform was necessary.
Feingold now heads a group called Progressives United, which is working to promote progressive causes in Wisconsin and nationally.
Feingold represents the frustration and impatience many progressives have with Obama, and there is concern that the enthusiasm of 2008 for Obama may not be repeated, and that campaign funding and support by activists may not be at the same level as 2008. Particularly gay activists and those working on the topic of illegal immigration are furious with Obama at this point.
But if progressives decide to back away from Obama, then the conservatives of this nation will win power, so there is really no alternative to a decision to work with Obama, while trying to move him further to the left in his agenda!