Liberals are declaring victory after President Obama’s State of the Union address, with the Progressive Change Campaign Committee saying that he echoed Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, who has been mentioned as a possible 2016 presidential candidate for the left wing of the party.
“President Obama is sounding more like Elizabeth Warren, and that’s a good thing for Democrats because her economic populist ideas are super popular,” said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. “On issues like taxing the rich and making college affordable, the President took giant steps in the right direction — and Americans want Democrats to go even further in the direction of big, bold, economic populist ideas.”
However, progressives were not pleased with everything Obama had to say on Tuesday. “One sore thumb is the president’s pursuit of job-killing free trade deals instead of fair trade agreements that would protect jobs and promote higher wages in America,” Taylor added.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee organized support for Elizabeth Warren’s Senate campaign in 2012.
Obama’s State of the Union address proposed $320 billion in tax increases on big banks and the wealthy over 10 years. It also proposed a “free” community college program that would cost taxpayers $80 billion over ten years.
