Matt Stoller does us a service by delving into the voices of moderation that are praising Obama for his sudden tack to the center. It’s important to understand the difference between a desire for a calmer, more collegial kind of politics (bipartisanship) and a left-wing that is coopted by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley executives (moderation).
Yet, I am not concerned at all about Barack Obama’s sudden move to the center. That is standard practice as a candidate moves from primary to general election mode. Political posturing does little harm (although the harm it does is sometimes underestimated) and is to be expected. The only area that I care about is the FISA bill because the FISA bill contains an irrevocable retroactive immunity provision and it weakens our Fourth Amendment rights dramatically. It’s the permanent damage of the FISA bill that separates it from the rest of Obama’s political movement.
