Quote:Is there a good argument that Barack Obama is close to the mainstream?
Not sure what you mean by that. My perception of US mainstream politics is that it is arguably the most conservative in the developed world.
Going by what Obama has actually done as President, I think it would be reasonable to describe him as 'centrist' or 'centre-right'. There is no effective political left in the US (or Australia )
For a detailed answer to your question, Google is your friend. Below are a couple of bits I found with minimal effort. My interest in US politics is limited to the effects it has on my country.
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The comments below from "The Economist' website.
Quote:Living overseas, and following American politics and politics in other Countries, Obama definitely is a centrist. Put aside your own political beliefs, anger or love for President Obama. No matter what side you stand on.. look at all the Policies, and where he has stood, where the Democrats have stood, and where the Republicans have stood... it's all out there in the public domain. FYI - Obama has been a centrist before he even ran for office, people claim he is Liberal, he is not. People have moved so far to the right in the GOP field, that people claim him to be Liberal or moving far to the left. He is not. Those instances where many on the left were hammering Obama for 'caving' to Republicans in 2009/2010, are not policies agreed to by someone who is Liberal, he has been trying to meet Republicans in the middle by going against many of the policies pushed hard by the far left. I see a change in 2011, he is trying to pull the far right back to the center by being firm on his policies, the American middle class are helping him by giving him the good polling numbers we've seen for the past few months. The President isn't even campaigning yet and hes already in the late 40's in Poll numbers before 2012 starts!
http://www.economist.com/economist-asks/...a-centrist
From David Rothkopf
Quote:The liberals are concerned that the approach embraced in the recent deal and some elements hinted at in the president's speech are contrary to core liberal values, specifically that social programs should not be on the chopping block and that if the deficit is to be a priority -- and it's not clear some of them think it should be-the adjustments ought to come from taxing the rich, defense, closing corporate loopholes, etc. They also are worried about the president's recent support for trade deals like those with South Korea or Colombia. And they don't much like the intervention in Libya or the decision to double-down in Afghanistan. And they feel like the president was sold out by advisors who are too close to Wall Street and that's why "reforms" were incomplete. (None of them seem to be much mollified by the fact that the budget deal is a complete sham, saving in real terms more like $350 million than the vaunted $30-plus billion.)
In other words, they feel that Barack Obama is -- gack! -- a centrist.
http://rothkopf.foreignpolicy.com/posts/...a_centrist
