Pushing Obama.

• Position: Letters to the Editor - Letter to the editor

I was extremely impressed by Howard Zinn's "Changing Obama's Mindset" (May issue). Although Obama is sensitive, intelligent, thoughtful, and promising, Zinn correctly argues that we should not overlook his being a politician.

Zinn also reminds us that the common thread running through past Presidencies had always been nationalism and capitalism, from which Obama evidences no significant departure.

There is no doubt that Obama's cabinet choices included many not amenable to a break from the past. But just as Abraham Lincoln required pressure from abolitionists to end slavery, so Obama must be relentlessly held to task by all who took his campaign promise for change literally.

William Lamppa

Embarrass, Minnesota

I feel impelled to write about the man who promised us change and is giving us more of the same. We are still rewarding those who brought us to our present position through their greed and arrogance.

More people are unemployed than before. The people who lost their homes and those in danger of losing their homes are getting no assistance. Instead of getting out of Afghanistan, we're getting more involved.

We are receiving way too much of the same old thing of the prior Administration. The man in the White House no longer has my support.

Fred J. Dietz Sr.

Springfield, Illinois

In response to the article by Howard Zinn in the May issue: fantastic! We need more articles of this type in future issues.

As a fellow progressive and activist, I must ask: What are the best methods for changing neocon mindsets? Please publish these insights in The Progressive as well.

Phil Hurray

Tempe, Arizona

While I am still enjoying the superb centennial issue, I got the May issue with the push-me, pull-me image of President Obama and the jarring headline, "Howard Zinn on Changing Obama's Mindset."

Here we go again, a replay of the unfortunate liberal-progressive response to the elections of Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton. We hardly have a chance to understand their...