Bill Moyers ended a speech given in 2007 with the following: "The egalitarian roots of this country run deep. The time has come to reclaim those roots -- to resurrect the revolution that held out 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' for all. The time has come to raise hell until America squares its performance with its promise." Hopefully Obama will be among those who read "
"Moyers on Democracy" and learn something from it.

Both candidates will try to out-do each other in twirling their War Boners, like finalists in a drum majorette competition.

It is an article of faith that a US presidential candidate's highest priority must be to establish his or her bona fides as a Warlord ready and willing to unleash ultra-violence in response to any perceived threat.

Obama and his handlers are smart enough to know that Iraq has lost its belligerent cachet; even the jingoist yahoo masses aren't gung-ho enough about Victory in Iraq to make it a useful political springboard.

But Afghanistan will do as a pretext for spouting the very same clichés formulated by the neocons to promote the delusional, hallucinatory "Global War on Terror".

A slightly subdued Obama supporter I know assures me that Obama is far too intelligent and sophisticated to truly buy into any of the crap he's slinging, so it's obviously all for show-- he's Doing What He Has to Do to Win.

I see.

I agree with that Little Brother. Almost 60% of the people in the most recent poll trust McCain more to keep them safe from terrorists. Obama came in at around 30% in that poll.

Maybe we should tone down bashing Obama and start bashing that 60% of the frightened sheeple who would vote for McCain and whom Obama has to win over to win the election particularly if Bush and the Zionists start a war with Iran to help McCain win?

Little Brother--

"...he's Doing What He Has to Do to Win."

During the primaries one of the most bile-filled criticisms Obama supporters leveled at Hillary Clinton was that she would "say and do anything to get elected". Many who reviled her for that are among those now cheering Obama for displaying the same trait.

ezeflyer--

"Maybe we should tone down bashing Obama..."

No, we need to hold his feet to the fire. He played to anti-war activists all through the primary and we played a big role in his getting the nomination. He owes us, and until he stops talking crap like "...we know that the American people cannot be protected by oceans..." and actually spouting the inane belief that we can "win" the "war" on "terrorism" with juggernaut military, then I, for one, will continue to bash away at him.

It really doesn't matter if you "bash away at him" or not. Obama knows that none of you (trolls aside) are going to vote for McCain and very few of you will vote for an alternative candidate because and without a strongly backed alternative it doesn't matter anyway.

Without a real alternative progressives are voiceless and taken for granted by Dems who will court "the middle" by moving to the right (which is really where they were all along).

The American SYSTEM of governance, naively called a democracy or republic, is broken--hopelessly, irredeemably, irreparably broken.

Worse, and much more dangerous, the PROCESS--elections and voting--by which we attempt to change the SYSTEM is also hopelessly, irredeemably, and irreparably broken.

Of course, most of us have known this for decades as we dutifully "patriotically(?) went through the motions of voting for the lesser of several evils!

Sadly, nothing will change until someone(s) or something breaks the inertia of the present SYSTEM and sets into motion real and substantive change. None of the current crop of candidates for president is capable of making that change.

So, with both the SYSTEM and PROCESS broken, at least for most of us, what can we do?

REVOLUTION is the only answer left! We alone hold the power to make real and substantive change, but...

NOT a revolution that leads to yet another SYSTEM and PROCESS like the one we now have, based on money and power. We must create a system and process based on something much more important--EARTH!

Nothing, absolutely nothing, will change until we humans step up and revolt for the sake of Earth!

Earth First in All Things and Thoughts, Deeds and Decisions!

Sunny Days and Milky Way Nights.

http://www.darkskyinitiative.org

Doing What He Has to Do to Win.

Yes, that is what people most respect in their world leaders, cold, calculating, unabashed two-facedness....NOT

obama is no match for the imperial war machine but more importantly he is not interested in providing any kind of challenge to it

he is a psy-op aimed at deluding the american public for yet one more election cycle that their vote has meaning - that they can affect real change - "change you can believe in" as he calls it

and believe it you will - until he takes the oath of office and betrays everything he says he stands for - we are seeing him do that already - see what he will do when he is in the whitehouse

chomsky says the prez is a puppet role - more impotent than fat boy limbaugh without his buddy's viagra

you will become more bitter and cynical which is exactly what you are supposed to be doing

he may be black but he is still just another hack

he says he will bomb pakistan and invade it - even whack job mccain wouldn't do that

people need to understand that a constant world wide and all consuming state of war is the agenda - max the profits for the boys at kbr, bechtel and the rest of the gang

this is the nihilistic neocon state of bliss

and your tax dollars pay for it all

don't be psy-opped in november

and once he lies and tap dances his way into the Oval Office, it will be 2 years of

"Doing What He Has To Do For THe Midterms",

followed by 2 years of

"Doing What He Has To Do To Be Re-elected"

then, 2 years of

"Doing What He Has To Do For THe Midterms", again.

finally followed by 2 years of...

"Lame Duck President Can't Do Anything"

How many times do we have to see this same, tired excersize?

It is all based on lies anyways...the people WILL SUPPORT an honest anti-war, Progressive President

"At this point, I throw up my hands and plead with the candidate who I hoped would be that much-needed agent of change: Please prove me wrong."
___________________

Don't bother pleading with him. For Obama, money talks much louder than you do.

My money went to Obama throughout the primaries, but no more. What little I have is going to McKinney and Nader from now on. I can't compete with AIPAC and the MIC, and Obama has made it clear that's where his loyalty lies.

Obama could campaign on the truth and win, but that would take integrity and courage. Instead, he has chosen to let the fascists control political discourse in the US.

Too bad. But I'm not going to plead with him to show a little loyalty and decency.

So, Obama Supporters.

This article doesn't make it quite clear, but Obama's plan would actually entail shifting divisions from Iraq to Afghanistan. This would be part of his "withdrawal" plan. This means that many of the individual soldiers who are now on tour, or have been on previous tours, of Iraq would be sent to the quite different "conflict" in Afghanistan.

How can one now hold to the idea of "Support the Troops -Bring Them Home." and vote a man into office that is for "Support the Troops -Send Them to a More Pointless and Impossible Fight than the One We've Kept Them at for the Last Five Years"?

If he does win, and the "withdrawal" from Iraq (of everbody but the 150,000 mercenaries and the 50,000 servicemen on the giant bases guarding or operating the 1000s of aircraft for the continued harrasment of Iran and the people of Iraq and the 1000s of "special ops commandos" there to "fight terrorism" such as union activity) does occur in the manner he is now proposing, and the resultant escalation of the Afghanistan "situation" bogs the U.S. down in ANOTHER quaqmire,

Will you spend the NEXT three Congressional Elections and the NEXT two Presidential elections prevaricating, rationalizing, wringing your hands, agonizing, going to "protest" marches, reading "liberal" books, spouting off on the Internets, and then utimately continuing to vote for the same people and the same Parties that got us into and keep us in the "war" that you are -alledgedly- against?

For me, I'm done with that.

Five, six years of being B.S.ed is long enough for me.

Have Fun,

-matti

Ummm,... I meant "allegedly".

The only way we can ever have a "war on terror" is to recognize that our country is a TERRORIST NATION - and we need to stop our own terrorist practices before we start to work with the rest of the world towards ending terror. Acknowledgment has to come first.

I don't like it either but it takes a politician to win an election. The republicans have done very well by closing ranks and swearing to the lies the party chosen purport as fact. They are sticking with that tactic and it's getting worn a little thin but still works. Fortunatly or unfortunatly, people that think cannot sink to that level. We deserve a GREAT president. But, we only get to choose between two politicians. Obama isn't perfect or even close to great(but there's potential there). He is the only best choice we have. Instead of critisizing Obama now, lets get him elected and most importantly defeat McCain/Bush/neocons. Then I'll join in the critique of President Obama.

considerthis,

Please consider this: Obama and McCain committed treason when they pledged eternal allegiance to Israel.

Exactly where do you intend to draw the line for supporting Obama?

"Then I'll join in the critique of President Obama."

Big Deal. Even if he is elected, the right wing attack machine will remain geared up and those on the left will not want to join in bashing "their" guy even as he carries out a relatively reactionary agenda though, more competently.

It a good cop bad cop scenario that leaves us out. What we need is a strong progressive alternative -- not just a candidate but a united movement with an agreed upon leadership. I guess it's too late for that . . .

"During the primaries one of the most bile-filled criticisms Obama supporters leveled at Hillary Clinton was that she would "say and do anything to get elected". Many who reviled her for that are among those now cheering Obama for displaying the same trait."

And many of us who patiently waited for issue disclosure, are now actively campaigning against the Republican posing as a Democrat. He is unworthy of the position.

Now that he's had some exposure outside Chicago, I expect we'll be subjected to a new version of "tarmac lies" after his return.

Obama - just another lying right-wing charlatan.

Look, the sad reality is we only have two choices - McCain or Obama. Do you really want to allow McCain to rule? Propose some viable alternatives to consider - something that could concievably happen in 2008 outside of our wellmeaning dreams.

Send more true progressives to congress so that Obama is given good policies to administer. Independent: www.carolmillercongress.com

Rich M is right, we are a terrorist nation -- and this is not a new situation, how many of us were taught in school that along with 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' the Declaration of Independence declared the indigenous peoples to be 'merciless Indian savages' and that Thomas Jefferson confided in a letter to James Monroe that "I hope we shall drub the Indians well this summer and then change our plan from war
to bribery." www.understandingprejudice.org/

And for the "Earth is our Mother" types -- consider this -- honestly, how many of us have GOOD relationships with our mothers ? Especially men ? There is something very flawed about this idea which may explain much of our hostility towards this planet. What about the concept of Earth as Beloved Spouse ?

In the meantime, lots of things are going to change in a fractal fashion (meaning at many levels of 'reality') this winter, it is a time of 'turning the kaleidescope', it is up to us as to what pattern crystalizes . . . meaning don't take things occurring at family or local levels lightly, treat these events as equally important as those occurring in larger systems, and practice impeccability. . . the results may surprise us all in a good way . . .

Wow nice research Mr. Scheer.

This quote you dug out seems to sum things up very nicely, "Carter's national security adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, when asked in a January 1998 interview with the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur whether he regretted "having given arms and advice to future terrorists," replied: "What is most important to the history of the world? The Taliban or the collapse of the Soviet empire? Some stirred-up Moslems or the liberation of Central Europe and the end of the Cold War?""

My thought is... fast forward to 2001-2-3 and it seems the neocons started thinking that the cold war was a pretty sweet money maker. Combine that with a re-surging Russia, and growing China, and neocon paranoia about anything red and what do you get? Cold War Part II... going after the Saudi hijackers in Afghanistan, of course.

Brzezinski's statement should be updated to this, ""What is most important to the history of the world? Scapegoating a few cave dwelling goat herders... or moving into the commies backyard with some sweet missile defense plans and resource pillaging contracts, to ensure our continued preeminence as Cold War 'winner'?"

I am as disgusted with Obama's recent move to the right as much as anyone. But, bashing him seems to be counter-productive. We all know that Gore would have been a less warmongering president and John Kerry as well. Also, I think we all should have learned our lesson that in the case of the neocon storm that has been raging, the lesser of two evils (Obama) is a much better choice. I too hope that Obama follows through with his progressive posturing. But I can tell you that bashing him will only play into the Repuglicans hand. He is going to do what he has to do to get elected period, but he will definitely be a less harmful president than McCain. The last eight years should have taught us that. I am ready for the revolution to begin as well, but in reality, we have to fight the battles that we can win until the "revolution" for basic human rights and freedoms in America takes hold. Remember that the democrats did put forth many progressive bills that were either blocked by Republicans or vetoed by the president. Maybe Obama won't make a difference, but I don't see any other reasonable course of action.

Removing American troops is not going to necessarily end the civil war. Rather, the idea behind gradual withdrawal and encouraging a federal system in Iraq is that it is going to incentive Iraq's political leaders to end it and give them timelines of what to expect as American troops withdraw and as Iraq's security becomes dependent on them. It is simply false to state that removing every single American troop (even those providing humanitarian aid and guarding the US embassy?) will solve the Iraqi political crisis in and of itself. As Obama has said "We have to be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in." There are no easy solutions, and it's simply dishonest for anyone to imply there are. It is not in the interest of Iraqis that Americans simply withdraw without enabling them to envision their own future as we do so. What does anyone think will happen if we simply weren't there? You know what, they don't know. And it is in the interest of Iraqis that there are timelines so that they can as people in small and large groupings and solidarities properly evaluate what the withdrawal of Americans will mean to the future of their state/lives.

The vote that matters is the 2002 vote authorizing war. Criticizing Obama for word games before he has even taken office is counter-revolutionary. We need someone in office who actually oppossed the Iraq occupation in 2002 before we begin saying that " Obama has one-upped McCain's bluff to win in Iraq by raising the prospect of an even more deadly quagmire in Afghanistan."

Maybe we need to review McCain's reasoning:

(1) Zionist Rationale for Invading Iraq

Invading and Occupying Iraq was justified by Iraq-Palestine Connection?

McCain: "Reform of the Palestinian Authority — finally underway — can only be strengthened by the demise of the suicide bombers' paymaster in Baghdad. Change in Iraq and elsewhere will increase Israel's security, indispensable to achieving an enduring peace with the Palestinians."

John McCain, 'A Fight for Freedom', March 23, 2003

Reality: Removing Saddam Hussein did not bring Israel or Palestine closer to peace

"Mr. Abbas has been ruling by decree since the Hamas takeover of Gaza. The Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament has been paralyzed for months, with about half the Hamas legislators detained in Israeli jails. Palestinian officials in the West Bank said over the weekend that they had received a new list of 110 fugitives to be offered amnesty by Israel. A month ago, Israel and the Palestinians agreed on the names of 178 militants to be taken off Israel's wanted list, all members of the Fatah-affiliated Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades militia."

Isabel Kershner, 'Palestinian Leader Fires Dozens of Hamas Civil Servants', The New York Times, 8/19/07

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/world/middleeast/19mideast.html

or

(2) Neoconservative Cost Estimate of Colonial Occupation

McCain: "The force our military uses will be less than proportional to the threat of injury we can expect to face should Saddam Hussein continue to build an arsenal of the world's most destructive weapons."

John McCain, 'The Right War for the Right Reasons', March 12, 2003

Reality: "The Bush administration said the war would cost $50 billion. The U.S. now spends that amount in Iraq every three months.

To put that number in context: For one-sixth of the cost of the war, the U.S. could put its social security system on a sound footing for more than a half-century, without cutting benefits or raising contributions."

http://www.thestar.com/comment/article/339461

The Truth is

"There are those who offer up easy answers. They will assert that Iraq is George Bush's war, it's all his fault. Or that Iraq was botched by the arrogance and incompetence of Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney. Or that we would have gotten Iraq right if we went in with more troops, or if we had a different proconsul instead of Paul Bremer, or if only there were a stronger Iraqi Prime Minister.

These are the easy answers. And like most easy answers, they are partially true. But they don't tell the whole truth, because they overlook a harder and more fundamental truth. The hard truth is that the war in Iraq is not about a catalog of many mistakes - it is about one big mistake. The war in Iraq should never have been fought…"

- Barack Obama, the next President of the United States

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/10/02/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_27.php

Why ought that surprise anyone. Ive been calling Obama a hack since he got the nomination. Now, the other so called progressives are waking up to the fact?

"Barack Obama is betraying his promise of change and is in danger of becoming just another political hack"

There's too much attention being paid to the demon circus in Washington. Kaka on it. I'm going to discuss something I think is far more important to attend to than the ethical stumbling of the chimp-in-waiting in capitalist cesspool. Here's an article that inpires a lot of hope for the human race. The Cuban dictator basing pubic/foreign policy on the noblest of intents: What's With All the Cuban Doctors? Cuba is raising itself out of poverty by delviering TOP medical services to the entire world at TOP value. Just look at the massive confusion generated in the US by all the lies as compared to the clarity enjoyed elsewhere by all the truth. I'm writing in Castro for US president.

I'm through with this.

I'm picking up some ballot petetion sheets from the Green Party and will work to get Cynthia McKinney on the ballot here in Pennsylvania. Will most of those who sign the petition be pro McCain Republicans? Yes they will - but It doesn't really matter, Democracy starts with genuine choice on the ballot.

I'd prefer Nader, but because of the democrats vicious lawsuit against Nader to recover the money they spent challenging his signatures last election,(they also illegally spent public money for this) ther is zero chance of Nader being on the ballot here.

I encourage everyone in PA to help us out - even a sheet with just a few valid signatures helps. Go to the PA Greens website to download the forms.

"We all know that Gore would have been a less warmongering president and John Kerry as well."

Please explain, how do we know that? Was Kenendy, or Johnson, or for that matter Clinton?

Well..HERE WE GO AGAIN...and this is ESPECIALLY AIMED at the Pseudo-Trolls that seem DETERMINED to Beat Up the democrats and obama supporters...

NONE OF IT MATTERS AT ALL...!

The whole game is MONEY...and all you who pretend that it's all HYPOCRISY and it's THIS one or THAT one or a 3rd PARTY..well..that is ALL Sleight of Hand...and to STEW in your own BILE and spit on the Democrats and Obama supporters is YOUR HYPOCRISY...WHY?

BECAUSE YOU ARE JUST AS GUILTY FOR EVERY CRIME OF THE BUSH DOCTRINE AS ANY ACTUAL KOOL-AID DRINKING SUPPORTER...BECAUSE YOU PAID FOR IT! YOU PAY FOR EVERY MINUTE OF THIS WAR..YOU PAY FOR EVERY HOUR OF TORTURE, YOU PAY FOR EVERY BOMB...YOU PAY FOR ALL OF IT..

And then..you come out and have some kind of personal "Victory" by pretending that it is all some POLITICIAN and his 'foolish supporters' who, due to their vulnerable natures are somehow the gullible culprits for this whole nighmare...NOPE! it is YOU who are the guilty party...possibly even to a GREATER extent than THEY...because YOU ALSO have to PRETEND that it is NOT YOUR FAULT! and you ATTACK tese people..who you call the "Apologists" when in fact at least they are TRYING to get something done..is it the supporter of Obama who is at fault for his political maneuvering? NO! it is the fault of the fucking FEAR DRIVEN PAYMENT OF INCOME TAX...and you are doing just as much of THAT as the next guy...instead of attacking OBAMA supporters..why don't you WITHOLD your tax money? yeah..I THOUGHT SO! what's that? I didn't catch it...Ohh..that is the sound of your RATIONALIZATIONS whirring and clicking...FEAR..you are too afraid to actually take a "risk"...and there is NO risk in attacking some supporter of Obama...geewhiz...real ACTION ORIENTED AINT YA?

You pay? You are complicit! PERIOD!..and you need to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for YOUR part in all of this before you go on and on about how 'gullible' etc..the Obama people are...do you KNOW what is going to happen? Of course not..but one thing I KNOW..is that YOU WILL CONTINUE TO PAY FOR THIS WAR AND THE NEXT ONE..AND ALL THE WHILE BLAME EVERYONE ELSE..AND PRETEND LIKE IT'S THE HYPOCRISY OF POLITICIANS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS THAT IS TO BALME...IT'S NOT..IT'S THE DISPOSABLE BILLIONS YOU SEND THAT KEEPS IT ALL GOING..THAT..AND THAT ALONE! NOTHING ELSE MATTERS...IT IS ONLY MONEY...IT IS ALL ABOUT MONEY..PERIOD! TAKE CONTROL OF THE MONEY? AND YOU REGAIN CONTROL OF THE GOVERNMENT! QED

Do you KNOW what will happen if OBAMA is elected..NO!..Hers' ANOTHER THING I know..I KNOW what will happen if McSame is elected...I KNOW!..So..which is the "SAFER" bet? Obama will be ALMOST as bad..but McSame? McSame is a LIVING NIGHTMARE...A TRUE FASCIST, hell he may even end up pulling a martin Sheen in "The Dead Zone"...launching the missiles while ranting about his DESTINY! McSame is EVIL..and..possibly..QUITE COMPLETELY INSANE...Obama is merely a HYPOCRITE...

So..LOOK in the mirror Mac!...and when YOU have taken ACTION..then you can BITCH about the supporters of Obama..or anyone..take risk before you attack others...

Obama is the ONLY chance...it's too bad..it is what it is...he is being an ASSHOLE..but he is the only CHANCE for ANY change..might not be much..might not even be as much as he SAID it would..he is a POLITICIAN...but..for the environment? the ONLY CHANCE..for an end to the full ration of BUSHCO POLICY? The ONLY chance is Obama...and if you want him or ANY member of "Government" to "represent you" then DUHHHHHH...you need to control the M-O-N-E-Y!

Simple math:
$$$ = Testicles
When you have em by the Balls..their hearts and minds will follow!

All the Repugs and other conservatives here are right. Obama is a flawed vessel, as Jerry Brown used to say about himself.

My weak bleating as RichM calls it, is not going to convince conservatives to vote Obama because all authoritarians are convinced they are privy to God's truth (though insults never convinced anyone).

In conservative circles, whoever screams the loudest, most passionately, most patriotically, and sounds more principled and moral than thou like the tv preachers, FOX and Rush, can get the dittoheads of the Republican oligarchy to follow, no matter how moronic the arguments are. After all, its not what you say, its how you say it.

I'm not sure those tactics are working here though one may think so by the amount of Obombing going on lately on CD. It's to CD's credit that they don't censor their posts.

The relentless Repugs are united in dividing us. Getting paid for it helps.

As someone here pointed out, if Obama gets in, they will be all over him like fleas on a cat's butt. They were all over Clinton and Carter with great success, so Obama won't be able to do anything good anyway. Then we may as well join the Obamob now and graciously accept a Republican holocaust.

To conservatives here, knock yourselves out. If you are successful in giving us a McCain administration, I have the consolation of knowing that you too will suffer in the end, along with the rest of us.

Stargeezer: Exactly!

The current U.S. definition of "freedom and democracy" has become the electoral endorsement of evil non-representatives in order to avoid the endorsement of allegedly more evil non-representatives. And, as if that weren't bad enough, your children will continue, regardless of the outcome, to sacrifice their lives to export the same system by force to others.

One thing is certain. No one will ever fix a totally corrupted system by working within the rules and boundaries that it establishes to feed its own corruption.

I had hoped, I "read into" Obama my hope-now it's a bitter taste that I have for the whole "Americana" experience. God, where and when does it end. Those of you who imply Obama is just pretending to be Republican-lite to get elected, I say "bullshit",if that is true then he won't change once in office because the Republican-light, in his mind, is what got him elected. It's either that or he is just an out and out lier. I never thought I would write this but at least a vote for the Greens or Nadar will be an honest vote-I speak for myself only of course. And if McCain gets in will we even know the difference?

Barack Obama is the closest thing you will ever see to an absolutely exemplary human being. There is a woeful shortage of good people in politics. The world will be a much better place if he is elected President. He can't be a great President unless he takes office. That's just the way it is. You have to win the election first. Let's just hope the crooks don't steal the election again.

"And if McCain gets in will we even know the difference?" You bet we'd know and I don't want to. Haven't you been paying attention through this nightmare for 8 years? Ready for 4 more? Time to get real people. Vote for a chance at survival. Remember that web site that apologized to the world when Bush was returned to office in 2004? Give the whole world a chance - that's not available under a McCain rule.

Why don't you watch the press conference in Amman Jorda on tuesday with Obama it is at C-Span-org and the rest of the media is trying to play it down.

obama distinguishes himself from General petraeus and gives good reasoning why a President should not just blindly follow advise from a general.

Obama is our peacenik--- do not support any third party-- focus on the real man who has a chance to win. he is by the way married to a real woman and he has two daughters and he will be representing womankind- being in a household to inspiring females too.

Come on folks- get out there and register a voter-- we need to get all those Obama people registered!!!! They are currently NOT registered. I know I have been out there getting them registered

Stop listening to trolls!!!

RichM July 23rd, 2008 1:40 pm

If you believe that, then don't you think it might be a good idea to concentrate on local office holders, state offices and ploiticians, Congressmen and Senators? Perhaps have a better effect no matter who wins the Presidency?
..................................................
I fail to understand how someone becomes a troll, conservative, racist or graverobber because they don't support or oppose Senator Obama? Perhaps they just don't believe he would do the best job?

I'd also say many keep missing the fact that Obama doesn't need blacks and democrats to win, he needs the exact constinuency he and other effetes have been disregarding and insulting.

metamorph: Very good advice. Everyone certainly should stop listening to trolls and shills and others who demand blind conformity with the officially sanctioned views of their party sponsors.

On the brink? Should I laugh or cry? Obama has been over the brink ever since becoming a US Senator.

I have said it since Day One of this presidential campaign. "It is not the person who will be President that is important. It's the policies, stupid!" McCain and Obama are one in the same. Different heads mouthing the same crap.

Not only did the US support the Arab Afghan mujahedeens in the war against the secular government of Afghanistan in the late 80s, they supported the muslims in Yugoslavia in the civil war there in the 90s.

The US has the tactic of supplying disgruntled minority groups in coveted countries with millions of dollars and tons of arms. That's what they're doing in Iran now.

Would Gore have made a better president? Clapping your hands and saying "I believe" only works with TinkerBell. Gore encouraged Clinton to bomb Iraq in 92, and the bombing continued throughout the 90s, along with killing sanctions, leading to the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children. Gore/Clinton lowered CAFE standards, supported civil war in Yugoslavia (see above), bombed Yugoslavia with depleted uranium and targeted civilian infrastructure, sabotaged the Kyoto Treaty, opposed returning Elian Gonzalez to his father and twirled his War Boner (thanks to Little Brother for the enlightening image!)

I wish that CanuckChuck was right and that progressives would support a real anti-war candidate like Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader. But you can read the desperate clutching at non-reality of some folks here and see that they will support only a corporate sponsored candidate - no matter what he says or does, because they want to win, not have a better world.

Obama's FISA compromise vote pissed me off so much I called his campaign HQ and demanded my donation back. The volunteer who took my call said many others were doing the same. Then late last week I got a call from the Obama campaign finance department wanting to re-confirm my address before sending my check. Still stinging about Obama's vote, the thought of a McCain administration was and is repugnant and unacceptable. I told her to keep the money--my action was symbolic, at least for that moment.

FDR campaigned in 1932 as the "change" candidate to Hoover whose empty mantra was "prosperity is just around the corner" regarding the deepening Depression. Still, Roosevelt kept most of his intentions close under wraps to keep his label as a "socialist" or "communist" to a minimum. I can only hope that Obama is playing his campaign in much the same way.

McCain must not win. Nader and McKinney, even if well-intentioned, are just pesky flies on a bull's ass. Obama HAS to be the one.

Metamorph at 3:36 pm states that "Obama is our peacenik." One would be quite challenged to find a more obvious example of how Obama supporters have allowed themselves to be brainwashed than by Metamorph's bizarre statement. A sincere peace candidate would be calling for an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq instead of Obama's phased withdrawal plan. A true peace candidate would not be proposing to leave 92,000 troops in the region of Iraq even after his phased withdrawal is finally completed [not exactly the best way to support the troops, now is it?]. A genuine peace candidate would not be calling for adding approximately 10,000 troops to Afghanistan, which will do nothing to win the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. A sincere peace candidate would be calling for the bloated military budget to be cut. Obama is calling for just the opposite to happen.

With Obama's recent shifts, it is becoming increasing more difficult to determine who is more to the right and who is more militaristic, Barack Obama or John McCain. Peacnik? Warmonger might be a more appropriate term to describe the bellicose rhetoric of the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee.

"Vietnam was lost, not because of a lack of power, but because of a failure of skill and determination at using power. These failures caused a breech in public trust and led to a collapse of our national will. Finally the Presidency was weakened by the restrictions Congress placed on the President's war making powers and by the debilitating effects of the Watergate crisis."

Richard M Nixon
The Real War (1980)

If we view the real agenda of those in power - stated by Nixon 28 years ago - it is two things:

1) Switch the powers to declare war from Congress, to the President. And prevent Congress from doing anything -(except a rubber stamp)- about it, which is required by the Constitution.

2) Buy off (or otherwise corrupt) journalists and the news media. Keep them from reporting any "debilitating" scandals; such as violations of the Law and The Constitution, and War Crimes.

Both the Democrats and Republicans (with the help of multinational corporate money) have effectively carried out Nixon's directives. Both political parties violate the law and the original intention of our Constitution's framers. Some Democrat's statement that; "Impeachment is Off the table", should have been your first clue! Since when does a political party presume to take The Constitution of the United States of America off the table!

While our founding fathers roll in their graves - Machiavelli stands proud!

Been sayin the exact same thing for over a year right here, Bob, but the BO supporters are drunk on the "no, really, he'll be soooo different once he's in office" kool-aid.

They should make him prove it - demand he renounce the phony "war on terror" and also demand he return all "donations" from Big Defense and "Homeland Security" profiteers, Big Telecom criminals, Big Energy thieves and Big Wall Street bastards.

And he should also proclaim the term "Homeland Security" non-operational.

" News Middle East

Obama vows support for Israel"

What must the widows and orphans of the USS Liberty be thinking? Or Rachael Corrie's friends and family?
Let the Isrelis vote for him, I sure won't!

Perhaps both of the candidates of your Nation seeking the Head Honcho position both belong to the New World Order or perhaps both of the political parties they belong too are both controlled by the NWO.

Henry Kissinger said something to the effect that military men were stupid animals for them to use for their foreign policy. He also called most other people useless eaters.

Perhaps these politicians actually hate having to go out to the public (useless eaters)& hustle votes to be elected? But they seem to have their speeches down to appeal to the useless eaters of both parties through their political ideology (brainwashing) & the issues rarely change from election to election. Perhaps it's all a farce of the NWO?

The politician begs for votes.
The business person begs for business.
The job applicant begs for work.
The street person begs for spare change.
Perhaps all are but beggers upon the earth?

revengegirl July 23rd, 2008 4:28 pm

Nice post.

Here's a good analysis by Bruce Gagnon of the Global Network:

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O-BUMMER

I had a phone call from a friend in Maine yesterday. He was very upset about the recent passage of the FISA surveillance bill in the Senate and wanted to know what should be done about it. He cares very much about civil liberties issues. He mentioned that he was disappointed that Obama had voted in favor of the bill.

I listened to him for some time. When I finally spoke I told him that I was losing patience with my progressive friends who keep complaining about how badly the Democrats performed (on Iraq occupation, possible Iran attack, no impeachment hearings, civil liberties, etc) and then turn right around and vote them back into office without a mumbling word.

He acknowledged that he, like many, has donated to Obama and volunteered for his campaign. He said he fears that John McCain would be a dangerous president - after all just look what McCain had said when he spoke at the recent AIPAC convention........

I told my friend that in the end the right to vote is a sacred thing. We each must be free to do what we have to do and friends must remain friends. But with that said I told him I needed to tell him a story.

I voted for Jimmy Carter when he ran for president (1977-1981) largely because of his statement during his campaign that the "arms race was a disgrace to the human race." Then he went and built the huge Trident nuclear submarine base in St. Marys, Georgia right on the Florida-Georgia border. I spent many days and nights protesting at this base in the years thereafter.

I told my friend that after the Vietnam War the American people were suffering from the "Vietnam syndrome" which meant the people were not eager for any more "foreign entangling alliances". David Rockefeller at the Trilateral Commission sent the executive director of that high-brow organization, Zbignew Brzezinski, out to find a fresh face, someone who could offer "change" to the public. He recruited Jimmy Carter, the unknown Georgia governor and peanut farmer, to run for president. With the support of this hidden elite Carter became president. I fell for the trap. Brzezinski became Carter's national security adviser and is the one who helped us arm the Taliban in Afghanistan so they could give the former Soviet Union their own version of a Vietnam quagmire. The U.S. has now built six permanent military bases in Afghanistan.

Zbignew Brzezinski went on to write a book called The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives that was published in the late 1980's or early 1990's. In this book Brzezinski talks about the importance of the Middle East and Central Asia because of their vast supplies of oil and natural gas. He says, "... But in the meantime, it is imperative that no Eurasian challenger emerges, capable of dominating Eurasia and thus of also challenging America. The formulation of a comprehensive and integrated Eurasian geostrategy is therefore the purpose of this book."

He continues, "In that context, how America 'manages' Eurasia is critical. Eurasia is the globe's largest continent and is geopolitically axial. A power that dominates Eurasia would control two of the world's three most advanced and economically productive regions. A mere glance at the map also suggests that control over Eurasia would almost automatically entail Africa's subordination, rendering the Western Hemisphere and Oceania geopolitically peripheral to the world's central continent. About 75% of the world's people live in Eurasia, and most of the world's physical wealth is there as well, both in its enterprises and underneath its soil. Eurasia accounts for 60% of the world's GNP and about three-fourths of the world's known energy resources."

How though, Brzezinski asks, will we be able to convince the American people to expend the enormous amount of money it would take to secure Eurasia on behalf of the American corporate empire? How can we talk the American people into giving up their favorite social programs (Medicare and Social Security) so that permanent bases can be established in this region in order to control the extraction of resources?

He answers the question by saying, "Moreover, as America becomes an increasingly multi-cultural society, it may find it more difficult to fashion a consensus on foreign policy issues, except in the circumstance of a truly massive and widely perceived direct external threat."

Translation - terrorism. The war on terror. Endless war to protect us from the dark, hard to find, cave dwelling forces of evil.

Today the American people are beginning to suffer from the Iraq and Afghanistan syndrome. Since 2001 we have been in a perpetual state of war which has been supported by both the Republicans and Democrats. How can we ever convince the American people to press on, to keep our feet in "Eurasia" when they have begun to show such a proclivity to tire of these foreign entanglements?

A new fresh face is needed.

I recently read an interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski that was published in a British progressive journal. In the interview Brzezinski, who is now one of Obama's chief foreign policy advisers, brags that he had early on "vetted" the potential presidential candidate and was quite certain that he was the right man for the job at hand.

The official definition of the word vetted: to evaluate for possible approval or acceptance.

I told my friend that the fresh face of change was a facade. A false, superficial, or artificial appearance. A trick. A lie. A humiliation.

I told my friend that I cannot spend my life doing the work I do and then turn around and betray my own being by voting for someone that I know in my heart is pulling a fast one on us - pulling the wool over our eyes.

The great black abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass said it back in the 1880's. "I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence."

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Posted By Bruce Gagnon to Organizing Notes at 7/18/2008 08:50:00 AM

Robert Scheer, if you are disappointed, then you probably didn't read Obama's foreign policy speech months ago, while he was still battling Clinton - I can't find the link right now. But in the first few paragraphs, he claimed that he wanted to enlarge (!!!) the US army by 50-75,000 troops.

Already then written under the auspices of that old Cold Warrior Zbigniew Brzezinski, mind you.

At a time when this site was overflowing with praise for Obama and everyone who was a sceptic was basically mobbed.

No change in this country was brought about by a politician. The grassroots became more vocal until it was impossible for the politicians to cross the public. It's how we got the 40 hour work week, child labor laws, Social Security, the minimum wage, womens' right to the franchise, the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.