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The Left’s discontent with President Obama has manifested itself in a resolution passed by the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party on July 30th. The resolution’s claim that “President Obama [is] negotiating away Democratic Party principles to extremist Republicans” is supported by a laundry list of specific criticisms that include Obama’s support of a health insurance bill that enriches private insurance companies while ignoring the growing support for single-payer health care. It also lists as objectionable, Obama’s escalation of U.S. militarism through drone attacks and unauthorized wars, and the extension of tax cuts for millionaires and bail-outs for big banks without alleviating the foreclosure crisis. The Progressive Caucus’ resolution has opened the door to, but does not guarantee, a Democratic Primary challenge to President Obama. The specific wording in the resolution is: “the Progressive Caucus of the California Democratic Party will begin… exploring other steps to effect a necessary change, including a possible primary challenge to President Obama.” The Caucus’s decision to accept the resolution was challenged by members of the African American Caucus, Organizing for America, and status-quo Democrats. California Democratic Party Chair, John Burton, used expletives when answering questions about the resolution. While the Progressive Caucus recognized historical Primary challenges to sitting presidents and expressed concern over causing harm to the Democratic chances of a presidential victory in 2012, it also emphasized the need to battle “extremist Republicans” and change the debate.

GUEST: Karen Bernal, two term Chair of the Progressive Caucus of the California State Democratic Party, as well as a member of the Party’s Executive Board. She is also an elected member of the Sacramento County Democratic Party, and Co-founder of the Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento County.

Read the resolution here: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/site/node/9237.

Check out the CDP’s Progressive Caucus’ website here: http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org