ssatisfaction with the Reagan years was growing. It is true that historically, due to pressure from the masses and on the basis of the post-war economic boom, the Democrats were forced to grant some concessions to the working class. They lived off this reputation for decades, but their true face has now been shown, with Clinton passing some of the most anti-working class legislation in decades. He did the dirty work for the capitalist class - albeit with a charming smile on his face. Although their reputation is now in a shambles, their fortunes will be revived for a time at a certain stage when the capitalists can no longer rule openly through Bush and co." (U.S. Mid-Term Election 2002: The factors that led to the Republican victory)
How the Democrats' fortunes have changed! But the Democratic Party itself has not changed at all; it is still the same party we described six years ago. It is the objective situation and the mood in America that have changed dramatically, so the Democrats have been called on once again to present a "kinder gentler" face of capitalism in order to save the system from itself. They may be forced by pressure from below to offer this or that scrap from the bosses' table. But in an epoch of economic, political, military and social instability, they will not be able to offer any significant concessions to the working class. Their program will be one of even further cuts and attacks on our living standards. This will fly in the face of expectations and will further transform the consciousness of the working class.
We might add that we also predicted that despite his re-election in 2004, Bush would be end up being the most hated president in recent history, that he had no real mandate, and that he would be a dead duck by the end of his term. That prediction has also come true. And we can now safely predict that by the end of Obama's first term, the illusion that he represents something truly different will have been shattered. Millions of Americans will be increasingly open to the idea that it is necessary to break with the Democrats and build a party that truly represents the working class: a mass party of labor.
So what kind of presidency can we expect under Obama? He may have said a lot of inspiring and promising things on the campaign trail, but if you read between the lines, it is clear he has been careful to commit to very little. In fact, even before being elected, he was already backing off from many of his promises, in order to dampen soaring expectations.
But with people like Michael Moore calling it "The Promised Land," you can be sure that people expect results - fast. Obama's advisors and the media understand this well and have moved quickly to temper the mood of exaltation that has swept him into power. On election night, MSNBC analysts were already expressing concern that his supporters could be "disappointed." One of Obama's senior advisors told the UK newspaper The Times that the first few weeks after the election will be crucial, "so there's not a vast mood swing from exhilaration and euphoria to despair."
In an article titled "Barack Obama lays plans to deaden expectation after election victory," The Times reported:
"In an interview with a Colorado radio station, Mr Obama appeared to be engaged already in expectation lowering. Asked about his goals for the first hundred days, he said he would need more time to tackle such big and costly issues as health care reform, global warming and Iraq. 'The first hundred days is going to be important, but it's probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference,' he said. He has also been reminding crowds in recent days how 'hard' it will be to achieve his goals, and that it will take time. 'I won't stand here and pretend that any of this will be easy - especially now,' Mr Obama told a rally in Sarasota, Florida, yesterday, citing 'the cost of this economic crisis, and the cost of the war in Iraq.'"
The polarization of American society is growing, both to the left and to the right. In the heat of the election campaign, forc