The left’s case against Obama

Many liberals are turning on President Obama’s administration and the Democratic-held congress. From the Associated Press:

Progressive activists who helped elect Barack Obama president complained on Monday that the administration and congressional Democrats have been too timid and too willing to compromise.

Even though Obama’s major first-term achievement — an overhaul of the nation’s health care system — passed without a single Republican vote, progressive leaders who gathered in Washington criticized the president for failing to create a government-run insurance option to compete with private industry.

They faulted Obama for the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the slow pace in repealing the ban on gays serving in the military and last year’s economic stimulus package, which they described as inadequate at $787 billion. They also criticized his handling of the Gulf oil spill.

“The White House has been an uncertain trumpet,” said Robert Borosage, a co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future, a progressive organization. “The administration’s reforms were too often too timid from the start and too readily compromised along the way.”

Although leaders still spoke with admiration for Obama, it was clear he’s not as popular with unions, bloggers and other progressives.

Democrats already face an angry electorate this November. The frustration among the party’s liberal base could make the midterm elections even more difficult for Democrats and Obama’s own re-election bid.

Does this make President Obama a moderate? Still way too liberal for conservatives, but in the current polarized political scene occupying the middle ground?