Flashback: How Obama Used Thanksgiving to Push Progressivism [Montage]

One thing many Americans will be thankful for this Thanksgiving is no longer having a White House that serves up political progressivism as a side dish with the usual holiday well-wishes. 

After all, the Obamas (in)famously turned Thanksgiving into one of their favorite opportunities to advance left-wing politics. 

In 2013, the Obama's campaign arm, Organizing for America, provided American families with a script explaining how to talk about the benefits of ObamaCare at the dining-room table. 

The instructions told Americans to "think about how you'll bring it up" and "integrate the talk into family time." The script also included a list of arguments to use against cranky Republican family members who disliked the law.

That same year, Obama suggested Americans skip the Black Friday lines and instead get in line to buy ObamaCare.

"I want everybody to remember that we're only three weeks into a six-month open enrollment period when you can buy these new plans," he said. "No one who decides to purchase a plan has to pay their first premium until December 15th. And unlike the day after Thanksgiving sales for the latest Playstation or flatscreen TVs, the insurance plans don't run out. They're not going to sell out. They'll be available through the marketplace throughout the open enrollment period."

In 2015, the White House urged Americans to speak out against the NRA during Thanksgiving dinner.

"As people are sitting around the Thanksgiving table talking about these issues, as they should and I am sure they will all across the country, [gun control is] an issue that should be raised and asked by the members around the table," Josh Earnest said. "If we’re going to have a serious discussion about national security, let’s talk about some pretty obvious things that Congress could do. One obvious thing that Congress can do is pass a law that prevents someone who is on the terror watch list from being able to buy a weapon. There's no reason -- I’m not sure why that’s even controversial. I’m not sure why it hasn’t been done so far. I suspect, however, that has a lot to do with the fear the Republicans have of the NRA.”

Also in 2015, Obama used the story of the pilgrims coming to America to push for admitting more Syrian refugees. 

"Nearly four centuries after the Mayflower set sail, the world is still full of pilgrims — men and women who want nothing more than the chance for a safer, better future for themselves and their families," Obama said. "What makes America America is that we offer that chance. We turn Lady Liberty’s light to the world, and widen our circle of concern to say that all God’s children are worthy of our compassion and care. That’s part of what makes this the greatest country on Earth."

In his final Thanksgiving address, Obama was at his most political, telling Americans they had much to be thankful for since gay marriage had recently become nationalized.

"Our families across the country are finally complete now that marriage equality is the law of the land," Obama said. "There are many families of service members who this Thanksgiving can celebrate with our brave troops and veterans who we welcomed home. ... I believe we're judged by how we care for the poor, the vulnerable, the sick, and the elderly, the immigrant, the refugee and everybody trying to get a second chance. I believe that in order to live up to those ideals we have to continually fight discrimination in all its forms and always show the world that America is a generous and giving country."

In the same speech, Obama said Americans can also be thankful for "low unemployment" an ObamaCare.

"Of course we have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving -- six straight years of job creation, the longest streak ever, low unemployment, wages are rising again, the stock market has tripled, our high school graduation rate is an all-time high and our uninsured rate is an all-time low thanks to the 20 million more Americans including millions of children who finally know the security of health insurance," he said. "That's worth gobbling about."