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About Obama-as-leftist:
If Obama were to find his way into Canadian politics, while keeping his politics intact, he'd likely end up in the Conservative party. He'd be a Red Tory, but he would more likely be a part of the Conservative party than he would the Liberal party.
And this isn't because Canada's conservatives are actually liberals. It's because Canada's conservatives are usually either progressive or moderate. It's also because the two parties in the U.S. are generally adverse to crossing over the centre and into the left.
American politics is heavily weighted on the right. It's always amusing to read people talking about "the Left" in the U.S., especially when this is in reference to Democrats. Generally speaking, Democrats aren't all that left. I'd consider most of them centrists or just left of centre. "The Left" in the U.S. is a group that is practically ignored in mainstream media.
If you wonder what I'm talking about, have a look at the social democratic presence in U.S. politics (read: people in public office). Don't feel bad if you can't find anything of substance. The only thing I can think about that would be considered a social democratic effect would be Medicare and Medicaid, and the current push for universal health care.
Other than that, I can't think of anything U.S. politicians do that would be considered well into left politics.
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Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön
Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot
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