The Fresh Left: Obama Victory Signals an End to Left’s Marginalization

Nearly twice as many Democrats showed up as Republicans in Iowa, and more than 2/3 of them voted for progressive candidates, Obama and Edwards. Obama was lifted by idealistic and probably angry youth. The center does not hold. Even Hillary was sounding progressive themes in her speech last night, and Chris Matthews turned up the pressure on her to at last repudiate her vote for the horrifying war in Iraq. Whether or not the Iowa surge is replicated in New Hampshire (and my bet is it will be), it signals the revival of the left as an active force in American politics. The era of conservativism, neoconservatism, the l-word, neoliberalism and "the far left" is at an end. Thank you, George Bush. "The far left" was their way of saying we were too far outside the mainstream. Look at the Iowa results and you see we are coming into the barn. Hooray. Recent political history shows the importance of movements that germinate and grow outside the mainstream. Just wait till we get a voice in Middle East policy…