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TechnoratiWho Will Be There for Obusha When the Floor Drops Out?
Now I’m wondering if I haven’t been asking the wrong question altogether. Maybe the real mystery is whether Mr. Yes We Can will be another Bill Clinton or, gulp, another George W. Bush.
It’s true, Obama has already made a few quasi-progressive decisions, such as removing some of the insanity from American foreign aid for reproductive health and beginning the process to close down Guantánamo.
That’s well enough, and I give credit where it’s due – though I wouldn’t exactly describe these as bold moves.
I didn’t have high expectations that Obama would turn out to be Eugene Debs, come back from socialist heaven (Stockholm?), and so I can’t say that I’m surprised he’s not. But I am pretty shocked and disgusted at some of the decisions we’ve seen so far, including many that Dick Cheney would have little problem praising (in some cases, because Cheney made them originally).
That’s just too much. And it’s also insulting to progressives who worked hard to put this guy in office, believing – minimally – that he was a better choice than either another Clinton or anything the Neanderthal Party would drag out. I can’t say that I donated a lot of my hours or cash to Obama’s campaign, and yet – just the same – I’m already feeling cheap, dirty and used by what I’m seeing.
The cabinet is a starting place. Like many of the terminally hopeful, I’ve been saying for a while that it doesn’t matter so much who goes in the cabinet, it matters who makes the decisions. This is mostly true, with about one-and-a-half caveats. The half-caveat is that a smart cabinet secretary can take advantage of a president who is out to lunch, like Bush and Reagan were. I suspect Obama won’t often be accused of that during his presidency, though I’ll confess that looking at the rollout of the economic stimulus program, and the rollout of the administration itself, this last month, I am way less impressed with the basic competence of these folks than I expected to be – whatever their politics.
But, the other major caveat is the symbolism
of cabinet choices. Why was it necessary to put three Republicans
in it? And, so far, not a single confirmed progressive?
Cabinet choices are usually as much emblematic as they are truly administrative.
We have to assume that real policy decisions come from the White House,
and that most fools in the cabinet will at least be able to get through
four years of making speeches without completely crashing the department,
while their deputy actually runs the show (notable exceptions noted
and excepted, of course). So presidents therefore use their cabinet
in part to make a statement, pay off some political debts, and placate
groups within their coalition. So far, so bad, ‘cause the main
statement I’m getting from the picks of this yet-another-nominally-
But take a look at some of Obama’s policy decisions in his first month in office, and it gets considerably worse from there. Even today, months after the election is done with, Mr. Obama is out on the stump saying things like, “You didn’t send us to Washington because you were hoping for more of the same. You sent us there to change things.”
That’s a big 10-4, good buddy. So how come, then, you keep turning to Wall Street pirates to run your economic program? It was bad enough that you’ve subjected us to Timothy Geithner to run the Treasury and lead your recovery effort. In addition to being a tax cheat and already demonstrably in over his head, this fool is a protégé of both Henry Kissinger and Robert Rubin. In addition to being part of the brain trust that blew the Lehman Brothers rescue decision, he also presided over the original TARP mass looting of the already stinking corpse of the federal treasury. That would be a pretty impressive resume if one intended to earn his living on his back, wearing a coat and tie. However, I thought we were talking about a Treasury Secretary here?
More to the point, though, this guy is the beginning of this particular ugliness, not the end. Last week, the New York Times reported that, “Senior executives at Citigroup’s Alternative Investment division ran up hundreds of millions of dollars in losses last year on their esoteric collection of investments, including real estate funds and private highway construction projects — even as they collected seven-figure salaries and bonuses. Now the Obama administration has turned to that Citigroup division — twice — for high-level advisers.” Oh boy.
What a shock, then, that even while Obama was pretending to show a wee flash of anger at corporate predators partying on the public nickel the other week, his administration was busy eviscerating the pathetic limitations on compensation it was barely applying in the first place. By the time you get through reading all the caveats, you realize that the $500,000 salary limitation applies to almost no one, and means almost nothing when it comes to those it does apply to. But that’s only the third best part of this charade, however. The second best is that even these absolutely paper-thin sanctions on the compensation of executives of failed corporations now sucking the federal teat first have to be approved by a vote of shareholders in order to apply. But – and this is my very favorite part – did I mention that the vote is non-binding?
It actually gets even worse, yet. Now the AP is reporting that, in the wake of Congress’ stimulus legislation (and you know what bloody socialists those folks are!), the Obama team is looking to play extra-super-double-sweet nicey-nice with the pirates from Corporate Wonderland: “Facing a stricter approach to limiting executive bonuses than it had favored, the Obama administration wants to revise that part of the stimulus package even after it becomes law, White House officials said Sunday”. Obama doesn’t want compensation restrictions to apply to all banks on the government dole. Rather, CEOs who crashed those companies and are now living off the taxpayers they spent decades deriding from the vaunted perch of the free market ideological soapbox can still take all they want, thank you very much, unless they are among the unlucky infinitesimally few getting “exceptional assistance” from Barack, Inc.
Apparently, there is some concern that Obama will take Congress’ bill and just do whatever he wants with it. You know, kinda like what’s-his-name just got done doing for eight years. Never fear, though. Barney “The Enforcer” Frank, and his posse of Democrats led by Sheriff Nancy are on the job. Congressman Frank told CBS the other day: “This is not an option. This is not, frankly, the Bush administration, where they’re going to issue a signing statement and refuse to enforce it.” Given that, seemingly by his own admission, Democrats in Congress will do nothing to reign in imperial presidents, Congressman Frank neglected to mention exactly what would prevent Obama from doing just what Bad Barney had been allowing Belligerent Bush to do for eight years. Call me cynical, but something tells me that a congressman from Massachusetts saying “This is not an option” isn’t going to make the White House tremble in fear, even if they are Democrats there (and only some of them are), and have pretty much long ago gone pro with the whole trembling thing.
Meanwhile, apparently it was young Master Geithner who led the successful battle within the administration not to take away potential third and fourth yachts from the nice men on Wall Street who have caused a global economic holocaust, now reportedly already responsible for 50 million (no, that is not a typo) job losses worldwide. He does make a good point, of course. If you don’t pay these people well, how can you attract such fine talent? Imagine how bad this global depression would be if the average S&P 500 CEO compensation in 2007 had been, say, a mere $12 million, instead of the $14.2 million it actually was! Boy, we’d really have a bad economy now! And don’t you just feel great that Obama is listening to as sharp a mind as Geithner? This is a cat who – in addition to apparently being an arrogant and capricious manager of his staff – opened his mouth for five minutes the other day and caused the stock market’s value to shrink by 4.6 percent. Let’s see here... Arrogance, gross incompetence, flack for the overclass...? Golly, could there actually be four Republicans in the cabinet? Do we actually know for sure that this Geithner guy is a Democrat? Would it matter if he was?
As bad as all this is, I wish I could say that my problem with Obama is just that he is yet another president of the wealthy, by the wealthy, and for the wealthy. Unfortunately, there’s more. There was ol’ Joe Biden, for example, off to Munich for a big security conference, talking about how the Obama administration will continue Ronald Reagan’s dream of missile defense, the ultimate defense industry boondoggle. Never mind that, even if it ever worked, and at astronomical costs which wrecked the lives of tens of millions who didn’t get education or healthcare instead, any terrorist smart enough to build a nuke or determined enough to buy one would also be clever enough to put the thing on a boat and sail it up the Potomac. This is a trillion dollar gift of public funds to the arms industry that just can’t seem to get buried. I think Reagan knew that. But why doesn’t Obama? Or – far worse – likely he does.
Then there’s the undoing of Bush’s faith-based initiative, one of the greatest examples of Constitution shredding out there, from a guy who was the acknowledged master. Obama has now issued new executive rules regarding the relationship between church activities and state money, but declined to actually revoke Bush’s rule, which allows religious organizations to make hiring decisions based on religion, for jobs funded by you and me. I’m not okay with that, and neither is the Constitution. It’s grim enough that we have to endure these assaults when we merely have a reactionary executive and a feeble Congress, especially when the latter is controlled by the alleged opposition party. But must we really put up with more such crimes after sweeping the ‘liberals’ into office?
Still, perhaps the most galling example of Obushism occurred last week in a San Francisco courtroom, where a lawyer from the new (or is it?) Justice Department was asked by the presiding judge whether the government’s position might have changed for any particular reason (wink, wink, nod, nod) since the last time the court was last convened to take up this particular case on the question of extraordinary rendition. Bush’s Justice Department had argued that the state secrets doctrine required the court to dismiss the case without even hearing evidence, effectively giving the president the right to do anything to anybody, without judicial protection or remedy of any sort. You know – kinda like the script for a Dick Cheney porno film. Since candidate Obama had severely criticized such patently and fundamentally unconstitutional concepts, the judges on the Ninth Circuit had good reason to expect that President Obama might reverse the government’s position in this case. They even asked the government’s lawyer a second time, in semi-astonishment, to be sure they were hearing him right. All to no avail. The position of the Obama administration is identical to that of Bush, Cheney, Gonzales and Yoo. The president can order you to be captured, stripped down to diapers, bagged up, tossed on a CIA plane, delivered to Egypt, Bulgaria or Tajikstan, tortured and maybe even killed. All without any scrutiny by anyone.
Maybe it’s just my weak vision, but when I pulled out my copy of the Constitution and pored over it carefully once again, I couldn’t find any language of that sort anywhere. In fact, it almost seemed like that document, and the Declaration of Independence, were written by a bunch of angry patriots pissed off at exactly such behaviors on the part of the British crown. Could President Obama, the former constitutional law professor, really be espousing the same civil liberties policies – hardly exceeded in egregiousness – as those of George III and Bush II? I guess I better re-read those documents yet once more.
Especially since another New York Times article, under the happy title of “Obama’s War on Terror May Resemble Bush’s in Some Areas”, just noted that, “In little-noticed confirmation testimony recently, Obama nominees endorsed continuing the C.I.A.’s program of transferring prisoners to other countries without legal rights, and indefinitely detaining terrorism suspects without trials even if they were arrested far from a war zone”. And, just in case the sum of the above still hasn’t depressed you enough, the piece goes on to remind us of how the new administration recently offered its thanks to the British government when a UK court deferred to American pressure in refusing to release information about the torture of a detainee held by the US. Wow.
If this was just another president doing what presidents do, these developments would merely be disappointing. In fact, they are nearly devastating when considered in context. This is the president who follows the one sure to be known as The Great Trampler, and this is the president who heartily criticized his predecessor’s constitutional calamities just months ago on the campaign trail, and this is the president only weeks in office, finally revealing his policies, not just his promises. If you care about equality, justice and freedom, there is good reason here, one month into the Obama reign, to be heartbroken already.
Look, I don’t expect any president to be one hundred percent in agreement with my positions, brilliant as they universally are on all issues. And least of all did I expect that Barack Obama would be a full-blown lefty, though I still think events might push him in that direction, as they did Franklin Roosevelt. But here’s the thing I’m wondering right now, strictly from the perspective of Obama’s own self-interest: Who’s gonna be there for him when the floor drops out, as it inevitably will at some point? Just who does he think will rally to his support if, for example, a year from now unemployment is up to 15 percent and he has shown no sign of abating this devastating depression?
Will it be the centrist middle class? At some point, they may run well out of patience, their jobs gone, their homes foreclosed upon, their health deteriorating, their hope sagging, and right-wing freaks incessantly screaming in their ears the pounding drumbeat of failed ‘liberal’ policies.
Does he think it will be those very regressives, who one might have expected to be somewhat chastened by their trouncing in two consecutive election cycles? Because when I look at how John McCain and Lindsay Graham and Rush Limbaugh are reacting to the bipartisan olive branch that Obama extended to them, I kinda don’t think so. When I see how many Republicans (three) in both houses of the entire Congress voted for his stimulus bill, I kinda don’t think so.
Does he think it will be progressives? Well, I can only speak for myself, but one month in and I’m already feeling burned by this guy. If he continues to cater to the predatory rich in this country, leaving the rest of us holding the bag, and if he continues to shred the Constitution as if he were George Bush’s kid brother, and if he is nearly as militaristic as the Strangeloves he just ejected from office, then I really won’t care a bit if he gets smashed halfway through his first term. In fact, I might even be happy to see it happen.
So, if it ain’t the right and it ain’t
the center and it ain’t the left, just who does Obama think
will be there standing with him should his presidency hits the rocks?
When you take away all those folks, just who does he think will have his back in tough times?
The Aryan Nation?
201 Comments so far
Show AllThe terms "Obusha" and "Bushama" were coined in Rovian think tanks and can first be seen on Freerepublic.
You aren't pulling the administration left with lobbying and advocacy.
You are letting go and giving up by engaging in hyperbole and strictly ideological rhetoric. You are incapable of forming a partnership with other human beings on shared issues, that may disagree otherwise.
You couldn't organize a picnic without seven eleven.
You are tools.
Just like G.W.Bush had the white rednecks in his, and by extension corporate America's, pocket, Obama has the black vote in his, and by extension corporate America’s, pocket. Barack Obama has become corporate America's new chief spokesman. The GOP brand and constituency has outlived its usefulness, so corporate America has re-branded to appeal to a more diverse population; Obama's the new face, selling the same old poison.
I dunno, but when corporate press shoves someone down our collective throats as they did with Obama, it made some of us stop and question who this guy actually was. We tried our best to tell our "liberal" friends to beware. We posted article after article detailing exactly who was financing his campaign, examples of his lack of judgment, lack of leadership skills -- and mostly we were run off of blogs, accused of telling fantastic lies, accused of being Repubs, or racists, or just plain stupid.
So now. Now that his actions are betraying his pretty words, some of you are waking up. For those of us who saw him for the empty suit he is, who happens to read a mean teleprompter, being able to saying "told ya so" sucks.
Continuing to say the Obama was a Constitutional professor doesn't help. He gave seminars on the Constitution! Hell, I could do that.
And, yes, the corporate media chose him.
I don't hold much hope, but maybe next time voters will educate themselves in larger numbers and refrain from calling those of us who did the research "racists"!
Yes, it's depressing. But I think we must not give up. Just shutting up would deprive people of the opportunity to learn from this. Shutting up is the shutting off of public discourse, is the shutting off of the public mind, is the death of democracy. We should instead hit this home hard, to educate people so they'll know better and act more effectively and sooner. We should remind people how they've screwed up - really rub it in - to make people think so they won't make this mistake again. We've GOT TO FIGHT these bastards! NEVER GO DOWN WITHOUT FIGHTING, even if you think you're screwed, you fight till you can't. MAKE THESE BASTARDS AS MISERABLE AS POSSIBLE, GUM UP THEIR OPERATION AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, DISRUPT TO DESTROY THEM, THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU, THEY ARE ONLY OUT FOR THEMSELVES, YOU'RE JUST SOMETHING TO USE AND TAKE FROM.
change we can choke on. or, maybe, knowing the economy is gonna tank no matter what, he'll save the big moves for then. maybe by then the left, right and center will be totally united by our hatred of free market fat cats and robber barons and he'll have to fire the entire economic team and replace them with progressives. back by popular demand: FDR.
maybe, as the crimes of the bushies come to light bit by bit and obama appears to be following in their felonious footsteps the libertarians can pass out copies of the constitution to other right-wingers and some righteous indignation will build. back by popular demand: the constitution.
blah, blah, blah. i give up. belize looks nice.
As a foreigner I am constantly amazed. This country is NOT progressive. A very left wing candidate would not have a chance in hell to get elected. The European conservative parties seem to be left of the Democrats here. Americans are allergic to paying taxes. How is all the stuff you so called progressives want going to be financed? There is absolutely no will for it in this country. Can you imagine what would happen if for example Americans would have to pay an extra 10% of their income tax on top of the regular income tax to help out poorer, disadvantaged people like the West Germans have to do since 1989 to help out East Germany? That certainly would cause a revolution here. There is no way even a few more cents in gasoline tax can be pushed through to help the infrastructure.
People here don't even really get outraged about the insane money paid to CEOs because there is always this slight, tiny, totally unrealistic hope that they themselves might one day be in that spot and make "big bucks". The most any president can hope for is being in the center, and that is probably too far left for most Americans.
There is an aweful lot of mean spiritness here in this country, from both the far right and the far left.
I think what you say is spot on. Taxation seems like a crime if you are addicted to the fantasy that you are a winner in the making. This is the mentality of the casino. In fact one way of looking at the States is a giant casino with everyone hypnotized by the flickering lights of the bank of coin op poker machines in front of them - certain that their jackpot is coming up soon. Little do they realize that the game is stacked against them and the pit bosses determine who the winners are. And it's not by playing the game of the masses that's for sure. This is the uber-story of America reproduced in every pop culture piece of rubbish from Rocky to American Idol. "We're all winners," or "I want this more than anyone else. I really, really, really, wish I was special and unique so I deserve to make it." It is tragic to imagine a whole nation of Dorothy's clicking their heels together and wishing they could go home. It's not an easy sell to make people realize that if there are only 1% of winners then the country has lost comprehensively. What you end up with is a society like India where you have an underclass of virtual slaves servicing a tiny minority of oligarchs. That's not a model I want to aspire to.
"What you end up with is a society like India where you have an underclass of virtual slaves servicing a tiny minority of oligarchs."
Excellent point.
Who Will Be There for Obusha When the Floor Drops Out?
Two groups: the blacks and the big money. The blacks will support Obama no matter what, and the big money will back him because he's their new face to present to this increasingly diverse country. Obama provides the big moneyed interests with the outward appearance of change; he fits the big money's narrative that they use to sell themselves and hide their policies. The big money controls the media, and most voters have no other place to go. The sad fact is that this Joe Lieberman acolyte no longer needs the "progressives" that he (and the big money media) bamboozled into working for him in the primary and general election. I'll guess we'll have to get creative to stop this guy, but we'll have to do it fast, and make it clear that he no longer has us in his back pocket. We've got George W. Bush/Bill Clinton in the guise of a "black activist". This fight will be tougher than against W, because most of the opponents to these policies are still hypnotized by Obamamania , and easily fooled by images.
"The president can order you to be captured, stripped down to diapers, bagged up, tossed on a CIA plane, delivered to Egypt, Bulgaria or Tajikstan, tortured and maybe even killed. All without any scrutiny by anyone."
Maybe he's planning to use this power on Bush, Chenely, Yoo, and Gonzales?
"No more blood for oil"
Yeah, right! LMAO.
one old atheist
When are people going to realize that the oligarchs run not only the US, but the West in general. Elections are just a show the oligarchs put on to fool people into believing they have some power to influence what is going on in their particular country. For anyone to contribute to anyone's election campaign is a waste of their money. Obama's election was stage-managed beautifully. Why do you think McCain and Palin were put up against him? Because they were so awful that Obama would have to really screw up in order to lose. It makes life so much easier for the oligarchs if people are disappointed. There is no such thing as "free" elections in the US. They are paid for by the oligarchs with a little help from the gullible populace.
AMEN!
Yes. It seems only decentralized direct democracy is real democracy. Representative "democracy" only works when We the People, not our reps, are in control. www.ni4d.us
oligarchs give mc'cain 8 and obama gets little above avarage :6 / you take what you can get
edweg
if you think both, business and labor can have their own national organizations you probably wrong / who than be working for business / obama is for free trade that sucks economy dry, labor gets even scarcer and cheaper, business gets ingenious in making money without traditional labor participation and we have more and more questions and not a single answer - or have we / in the course of time we'll all be saying; we knew it all along
edweg
As things continue to deteriorate and the current administration follows in the fascist footsteps of its predecessor there is really not much hope of reform. Remember the formation of this country? Well, we may have to do what was done then....
Peggy
Slavery and genocide? No, let's not do that again.
This is all massively depressing but less so because it is not very surprising. The machine of government seems to be a train rather than a ship. You cannot adjust the direction but only, theoretically, the speed. However Obama doesn't even seem to be keen to hit the brakes. It seems that things will have to get a whole lot worse before they even have the potential for "change".
I live in Vietnam these days and CNN is ubiquitous as an English language news source (apart from sources like this on the net). I'd never really seen it before - oh my god. It's a closed circuit of madness. I thought Fox was out on its own with its drum beating. CNN however is much more ugly and insidious as it pretends to an objectivity that it does not have. They're like cheerleaders for Obama and co. As long as people allow themselves to be ideologically primed by this garbage then it is hard to see who is going to be able to wake the sleepers. Except perhaps, if no one can afford a TV or a news rag anymore. Maybe this is the level things have to get to before we look out our windows to see what's really happening. I hope I'm wrong.
"Tomorrow Never Dies" explains it all, if you skip the "action" sequences.
Finally, a well known "progressive" who has come out forcefully against Obama. I wasn't sure I'd ever see it. Obama is just the same old corporate crap in a new label. It's amazing, and sad, how many people fell for such blatant phoniness. Obama's just Bill Clinton with a different look.
Earlier in this thread PatriotisVeritas suggested putting a small dog on the head as an appropriate response to Oreobama's first forty days. The more I think about it the more heartily I agree.
I have just done so and find it to be a comforting feeling. I have named my Sisu, "Pere Ubu" after the immortal title character of Alfred Jarry's most important work, the first line of which is "Merde!"
Jarry once said, "Laughter is born out of the discovery of the contradictory."
Why aren't we laughing. After all...
Nothing exists.
Isn't it time to ask ourselves if maybe, just maybe, it doesn't matter who sits in the White House? It doesn't matter whether it's George Bush, Barack Obama, or Genghis Khan - their policies are dictated from elsewhere and the job of the chief executive is to implement them. Only obedient presidents are permitted to be elected and Obama has pledged his service to the ruling elite as passionately as his predecessors. If you consider the succession of George Bush the First, Bill Clinton, George Bush the Second, and Barack Obama, it's an exacting science to find any difference in their basic policies. Could it be because they have become figureheads like the kings of old while the real power is wielded elsewhere?
YES!!!!! How do we get the rest of country to figure this out?!?!?!?
"Liberals" are so excited about Obama -- people react emotionally (on both sides of the political spectrum). NOBODY USES THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF CRITICAL THINKING!
When wil we heed the wrod sof Dennis Kucinich and ...
WAKE UP AMERICA!
Thanks, Marius. I'm a Kucinich supporter as well, but I think we need to go a little deeper and examine the nature of the system. It appears that the gushing enthusiasm over Obama has been manufactured in order to evoke the illusion of change. This illusion is extremely useful for many purposes, but primarily because it allows the same policies to be pursued with different apparent justifications. The masses by necessity live on hope. Nurturing this hope is a key factor in the continuing dominance of the command and control system of which Obama is now the visible symbol. Decent people will endure hardship as long as they believe that those at the top truly have their best interests at heart, but require sacrifices of them while the "crisis" is being met. Obama symbolizes the intelligence, compassion, and unruffled endurance that are required to realize this drama.
If you'd like to get into more detail about the nature of this system, you may want to take a look at http://nonviolentjesus.blogspot.com/2009/02/need-for-deeper-analysis.html. There will be some more articles on "false consciousness" coming out on that blog soon as well.
"exacting science"--Yes, a "scientific dictatorship" based on technology and psychological warfare, honed by the players listed above in Herbert Chersonsky's post.
Actually, I don't think there's a need to buy into conspiracy theories. The conspiracy is out in the open, not hidden. I agree that there is a psyops operation going on against the American people, but the propaganda machine and those behind it are fairly easy to identify. It consists of the heads of major corporations and Wall Street banks, along with their minions in government. It consists of those who have grown fabulously rich from neoliberal policies and wish to continue the same policies. No need to invoke the Bilderberg Group or the Trilateral Commission. It's important not to personalize the struggle by making oppression the product of a secret group because that makes it appear that if only we eliminate this evil group, then the New Age will dawn. The truth is less dramatic and more challenging. The ruling elite does not consist of evil individuals who are constantly scheming, but of clever and accomplished people of differing moral characters, who have pursued a strategy that has resulted in great personal success. That success has been accomplished in a particular economic and political system that they wish to preserve because by preserving it, they can preserve their wealth and sense of accomplishment. So far their strategy seems to be working extremely well.
Who said the conspiracy wasn't in the open--at least for some?? And why not bring up the Bilderberg Group, the Trilateral Commission, The Council on Foreign Relations, or any of the other exclusive and secretive clubs (at least secret to the extent possible)?? This isn't just about doing lunch or a game of tennis. The members of these groups are players...and they do conspire, although I doubt that they catch themselves, pause and say, "Ooh noo, I think we're conspiring". You're right in the sense that there's a broad range of interaction and channels for doing business, but at the same time you can't discount the roles of these exclusive (and secretive)(and compartmentalized) groups. I don't think myself or any of the other posters concerning this topic have tried-- "to personalize the struggle by making oppression the product of a secret group"...and that "if only we eliminate this evil group, then the New Age will dawn." That came from you, not me or anyone else. "New Agey,...Conspiracy Theorist"--what else can we conjure up. Now let's talk about the "ruling elite", who you say--"does not consist of evil individuals who are constantly scheming, but of clever and accomplished people of differing moral characters, who have pursued a strategy that has resulted in great personal success. That success has been accomplished in a particular economic and political system that they wish to preserve because by preserving it, they can preserve their wealth and sense of accomplishment. So far their strategy seems to be working extremely well."-- That is PRECIOUS!!! But I think you go a little overboard in your generosity for the "ruling elite". Sure there's human nature, animal nature, Mother Nature, whatever. There was a time when I never pondered the existence or nature of evil too much, but at this point I'm going to have to call it something, and I think it will be called evil. Sure, well-intentioned people can get caught up with harmful influences and while trying to preserve their "wealth and sense of accomplishment" hit the slippery slope of corruptibility. DUH! I think we're concerned about something just a little more serious here. Your "ruling elite" has written it down, verbalized it, and expressed one way and another what they think of their perceived inferiors and how they intend to deal with us. You are correct--that is no secret, except to those glued to the TV and Entertainment Tonight. I'm thinking of the editor of a weekly alternative publication in the area. He practices pretzel logic editorials and doesn't take stock in the good/evil thing. Bush is not evil. Cheney is not evil. They're just "misguided". How would you propose dealing with the ruling elites--just keep looking forward, not back? Now that is what I would call "waiting for the New Age" to suddenly appear.
There is a method in his madness.
He has a few problems to solve before he can really do what he/we want.
The financial meltdown.
The War in Afghanistan.
The War in Iraq.
Any one of those may be intractable, maybe all. When the ship is sinking you can't redesign the power system.
W left this mess, as he does everything in his life, to someone else to clean up. Only this time his Daddy can't bail him out of it, with money from Daddy's friends, so the American people have to do it.
Obama has to clean it up now and it may take a while, but slow and steady wins the race. Give the guy some time, it took W eight years to get us in this Hole, it may take just as long to get out.
Funny, when George H. W. Bush was in office we had the S&L meltdown, and now with George W. Bush we have the Mortgage meltdown.
When George H. W. Bush was in office we had the Invasion of Panama and Iraq, and with George W. Bush we have the Invasion of Afganistan and Iraq.
Electing Republicans, especially Bush's, isn't good for the Economy or the Military.
So, you do not consider President Obama capable of multitasking? Nor do you question whether a military solution is at all possible? Further you leave vacant the actions already taken by this neophyte leader, actions like pouring billions upon billions down the same rat hole, and with the same results, a still sinking economy. But at least he is rewarding all those hundreds of millions in contributions that bought him the job!
"Most people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so." Bertrand Russell
I wish that I did not know so much....
There is no "Hope" !!!!! Unless you have studied "The Bilderberg Club" and its sub-groups: Tri Lateral Commission, Skull and Bones, Council on Foreign Relations, Masonic Lodges and the "Think Tanks" they control, you could not comprehend the control those groups have had over world governments.
Most of Obama's major appointees were attendees or invitees of the Bilderberg Club in the past three or four years.
DOD, investigating itself, just claimed, "Guantanamo is a humane prison." The DOJ recently affirmed the status "National Security" trumps "The U.S. Constitution"and everyone handling the stimulus is from "The Robber Barons of Wall Street¨.....
No one talks about bringing back the manufacturing jobs. No one talks about taxing multi millionaires 50% over two million in income. No one talks about the trillions of dollars hidden in foreign accounts to avoid paying taxes. No one talks about the illegal invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan to gain control of the oil fields......No one talks about 1 million dead Iraqis and 4 million homeless. No one talks about a 10.7 TRILLION DOLLAR National Debt.
Obama says, "We must look forward." I say start with the demolition of World Trade Center #7 and get back all the money companies earned and stole during the following eight years. From Mobil Exxon to Halliburton and from Ken Lay (Where did the money go?) to Dick Cheney, the money they acquired was through illegal or immoral methods using the murders of almost 3,000 human beings to advance their "Project For A New American Century"
I agree with your post completely, herbert r chernonsky. Many great points there, thank you!
The globalists want military intervention in Sudan not because they give a shit about a million more dead blacks; no, because more death and mayhem is occurring in the Congo, though the corporate press doesn't talk about that. It's about China's oil development and infrastructure projects in Sudan, and the Brezinsky crowd that advises Obama (another Bilderburger like Obama) needs their global hegomony over China and Russia. Every international move Obama makes is for global control, using whatever slogan and lie necessary to get popular support (even if the media must lie about there being no support whatsoever).
The same people pushing fiat money, FEMA centers, genetically modified food, corporate monocultures of mind and space, DU, nuclear energy, fossil fuel dependence, $1trillion/per year US military expenditure, mercury tainted vaccines and high fructose corn syrup, and a public education system that has destroyed critical thinking skills as well as removing civics instruction and PE -- these same people and foundation fronts love us so much that they want to save the planet via a fraudulent international carbon tax paid to a new global bank that trumps every nations' laws. The CFR does not give a damn about you or the quality of human life. This is about CONTROL --- and much worse soon to come.
The false flags of OKC and 9/11 were central catalyzing events for the federal usurpation of states' rights in the US, the investigations into which have been completely whitewashed and sanitized and corporate press promoted. All to protect the hand of elite, zionist, Wall Street, globalist interests behind them. The roll out of the "green" police state we see, that calls for a 90% reduction in human population by 2050, has been in the works, in various foundation white papers, since the early 1960s. Just wait to see our FEMA camps, incinerators, and bioweapons labs turned against the US people. This economic collapse and consolidation is merely a segueway to a deeper and more destructive luciferian aspiration.
Ask your reps why we've been under 8 years of national emergency, without Congress's review or consent as required every 6 months by law.
http://www.rockcreekfreepress.com/
http://www.globalresearch.ca/
http://www.restoretherepublic.com/
http://prisonplanet.tv/alex_jones_live.html (best radio show in the US, in my opinion)
***
911 was an inside job. Cheney suspended the Constitution via the imposition of Continuity of Government on 911. Congress has been denied access to the COG details. COG is martial law.
Your posts are a great boost to those who have experienced the "paradigm shift" or who are still struggling with it. I am encouraged by what seems to be more and more people waking up to the distracting manipulations and LIE which the Republican/Democrat Klown Show represents. Thanks.
"...He has a few problems to solve before he can really do what he/we want.
The financial meltdown.
The War in Afghanistan.
The War in Iraq..."
--------------------
You're overlooking the "minor detail" that in EACH of these areas, Obama is basically continuing Bush Jr's policy, as opposed to "cleaning it up."
In the financial meltdown, he is shoveling trillions to the banks, just as Bush did. The only difference is that Obama's grandstanding is more skillfully 2-faced (for instance, his fake salary limits for CEO's), making it harder to see that he, too, is defending the banksters' interests.
In the Afghan war, his policy is even worse than Bush Jr's. He is not only continuing this immoral unjustified unwinnable war, he is escalating it, murdering civilians, & risking the stability of Pakistan in the process.
In Iraq, he is "consulting with his commanders on the ground." Nothing has yet come out of this showing the slightest serious intention of getting out of Iraq. Meanwhile, there are still the same number of US troops & mercenaries in Iraq as there were under Bush, Iraq is still a mess, & in the context of the "War on Terror," Obama has reaffirmed numerous Bush positions [such as CIA rendering anyone to other countries to be tortured; & US jailing people in overseas prisons, & holding them indefinitely without any legal protections]. (See top article on today's Bagram decision.)
Johnco, perhaps you should read the latest headline on this site, "Obama: No Justice for Bagram Prisoners". Then see "Taxi to the Dark Side"...
joehope, my friend you are blind. He'd have no friends in the Republican party if he were doing right by the people.
I don't feel burned as I am not surprised at Obama's MOR-ness. I never had any illusions about the man, which is why I voted for Nader.
However, he's only been in power a month, and we have yet to hit rock bottom, which is when the people usually start rising up because they have nowhere left to go.
Most of the people want all those radical socialist ideas the D's and R's fear with all their hearts.
Nothing like a good lip flapping from a chief polly-sigher to send all the polly-sigh wanna bees into a swoon.
Ah, me! Poor I!!
Oh, the history! Ah, the ironic!!
Behold the histrionic!!!
What did you think a crumbling empire would look like…would feel like?
Do you really think someone’s “in charge”??
nothing is revealed
excellent irony rob o
I'd like to say I told you so, but the truth is I'm glad someone who voted for Obama has seen his first month for what it is, and maybe realized the error of his ways. The question for those in this position is, will this change your vote the next time around? Or will you use the same arguments to support Obama again? (by "you" I'm specifically referring to Obama voters who don't like what they see, most people on this site already support voting third party).
Will Obama be the guy who pushes over his loyal girlfriend Betty and invites Veronica to the prom, only to be stood up at the final hour when she goes out with Reggie?
Joe
I read an article last summer (I think) written by the former Green-Party candidate for mayor of San Francisco. The title was, "What do these people have to do to lose your vote". Something to that effect. It was a compelling litany of Democratic Party egregiousness, not too different than that listed above. The difference being that this summer the past was being described and now it's the present.
What DO they have to do to lose your vote?
In reality, Orwell's 1984 was the blueprint and vocabulary builder for the 'doublespeak' in use today. the society depicted in 1984 is almost here, just a few more details. Reread it and tell me I'm wrong.
Oceania forever!!! Neverending war is good!!!!
I was hopeful for a miracle, but it looks like it's not going to happen. Obama doesn't have it from the git-go. His vision is just the same old same old with a little 'liberal' rhetoric gloss.
I voted for Nader.
GREEN ON THE COUCH: THIS ISN'T ABOUT BEING DISSAPOINTED IN OBAMA; IT'S ABOUT RATIONALIZING HIS REJECTION OF A VOTE FOR NADER
Being pissed and picturing progressives not being there when Obama "hits the rocks" is the puerile, defeated fantasy of the neglected progressive spouse after - predictably - a Democrat has ditched you again.
'But I gave you my money, my time. Blubber sob sob sob.' What a laugh.
And yet, actually, Green has little reason to be disappointed because he saw it coming clearly(SEE link).
So why is he bitching and moaning now? Because railing at Obama is a distractor - the real point is rationalizing his rejection of a progressive vote for Nader:
"It's easy enough to be disappointed, especially for progressives, but mostly if you're so unrealistic that you'd rather be one hundred percent politically pure than have a chance to govern...If we're honest we'll admit that the only difference between voting for Ralph Nader versus demanding that Obama take electorally impossible stands is that the latter is an even surer path to political suicide."
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/06/27/9925
"Now Comes the Hard Part," June 27, 2008
This stuff is just great (sarcasm intended). I have to listen to my neocon boss complain about Obama's recession and all his "lies" all day. Friends and relatives constantly watch Fox News pundits tear at Obama's policies. Now, only a few weeks into his administration the progressives have written him off. (At least this author and those on this thread.)
The administration has too much on its table right now to please everyone. They have done a good job with the stimulus plan, and have planted a lot of seeds for a green economy. They are closing Guantanamo and will get to reversing the Dubya/Cheney illegal human rights policies. Hopefully Summers and Geithner have learned their lessons from the deregulation of 1999, abused globalization, and non-enforcment of remaining regulation by the Bush administration. (Does anyone really think McCain and his buddy Phil Gramm have?)
Obama has tried to be inclusive, a healer, but it looks like he, the cabinet and the democratic majority in congress will have to "circle the wagons", ignore all this flack, do what is right, and prove to the thugs on the right and purists on the left that they can govern this country.
The neocons are planning on a short sabbatical. So be ready for the next Dubya if Obama fails.
Multitudinous progressives have written off Obama before the election even took place. What's happening now is the we-had-no-alternatives buyers remorse. But yes, you did have alternatives.
I am not going to endorse the EXACT same policies Bush engaged in (read the article for substantive proof) that Bush engaged in just because they are rubber stamped with a D instead of an R. No dice I'm not playing that game, and neither are millions of other progressives, if Obama behaves like Bush he will be a one term President and good riddance. Maybe it's time for the Dims to crash and burn so we can have a real left party to face off against the Repiglicons.
I agree there have been some disappointments so far, especially things like continuing rendition abroad, but the difference on environmental issues is night and day. A quick primer:
http://climateprogress.org/2009/02/19/obamas-first-month-31-days-that-made-and-may-remake-history/#mor...
I vote for constructive criticism and more time for this adminstration to prove itself.
Tell that to the dead people in Afghanistan and Pakistan and homeless people from foreclosures while our tax money goes to the banksters. A piddly little investment in high speed rail and some tax breaks impresses me not at all. Where is the leading by example for example Carter put solar cells on the Whitehouse, hell even Bush had solar cells on his "ranch" in Crawford.
Obama's first month has been way beyond weak.
There will undoubtedly be those muttering "Yes We Can" as they board that train or bus to a FEMA facility called "Camp Hope".
Check out the latest headline on CD!
There must be a full moon tonight.
Sioux Rose
No full moon, nearly dark of the moon. Reading Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine," I am struck by what seems like an almost step by step recipe-style set of procedures to bankrupt a country (now it's ours), sell off its important industries/infrastructure, remove all monies for social functions, arrest or marginalize any who might stand in the way of these policies, legitimize torture, allow the state to bypass Constitutional laws, and more.
Either Obama was always an insider, the new face on the same HORRIBLE U.S. "product," or he's been threatened, and it would not be the first time in this nation's history. Anyone who can still rationalize these appointments is definitely a kool aid drinker.
I highly encourage everyone to read Naomi's book. It is not just sickening, or morally repugnant, the analogies between what occured in Chile and what IS occuring in our "homeland security" state, added to the ROLE of TORTURE, cannot be missed. Disturbing does not begin to cover it. I don't think Ms. Klein realized when she wrote this (copyright is 2006) how much she'd be defining the "program" for America, or the degree to which our banks/industries have ALREADY been gutted. And who stands to profit, and this explains why the same INSIDERS are being given the keys to the kingdom as it were, competence and integrity are NOT their qualifying points. Just as Bush had his idiot-team of loyalists, there is the parallel track of slightly more intelligent, but evidently ON the same page peers who only depart from the Bush cronies by virtue of a different initial defining their alleged team (R or D). It might as well be a full moon for the madness that's going for leadership in this land of the increasingly depraved. (I'm writing from San Francisco, a city where VENUS seems to rule. There's no sense the economy is tanking here, from my limited exposure.)
Reading Naomi Klein now there is one we can agree on SR
Sioux Rose
HOOT: Doesn't the book blow your mind? The levels of evil, the experiments in torture that go way back? The same M.O. practiced in different nations, always rendering the persons of conscience, those who CARE about a quality of life for the average person, those MOTIVATED to work towards just ideals, as the enemies and not only marginalzing but taking steps to consciously destroy these people, these GOOD people? And the levels they go to! And just so that the few that already have can claim far more than they could possibly need. And how like dark magnets they draw to themselves the soulless types who are all too ready to do their bidding, regardless of the inhumanity and monstrous violations of others involved. I had no idea of the depth of this depravity and have you noticed how many programs enacted in Chile are EXACTLY what's going on here now? Right down to the privatization of education? PAINFUL stuff to read, and profound to connect the dots.
Sioux Rose.
I have read the book. Once you are done I will suggest a small rather fun exercise.
Google up "Critiques of "the Shock Doctrine".
I have read some of these and they are rather entertaining.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/98338/naomi_klein_strikes_back_at_critics_of_her_'shock_doctrine'_book/
This is Naomi taking a few of the "critics" to task. I cant help but like the gal.
Sioux Rose
GW North: I just finished a book of my own, and my bibliography runs about 3 pages, whereas Naomi's runs about 35. She did INTENSIVE research for her book, and in my view is a genius. Her writing style is probably somewhat diluted so that readers can follow her thought process. The linkage between that singular victim of torture and what's going on at times on a wholescale level is mind blowing. It's truly the sort of thing that had it been stated 20 or 30 years ago at a polite cocktail party, would have you locked into a mental institution.
Yes I think she is a genius, and it rather nice to see her put her critics in their place.
They smack of having that condenscending "what can a girl know about economics?" attitude.
I like to see her take them apart at the intellectual level. No children killed with "collateral damage". They are just shown to be WRONG.
All those people who voted for “Mr. Change-Hope-Believe” were fools. If they really wanted “change,” they should have voted for Ron Paul.
It was and is so obvious that Mr. O is just the next iteration of the Bush-Clinton-Bush elitist cabal. I honestly fear he will be worse than Bush, if that’s even conceivable.
I hope all the people who voted for Mr. O are happy. The guy isn’t even eligible to be the president. Has he ever bothered to show us his original birth certificate? Or any personal records that might convince us that he was actually born here?
What is amazing, heartening, and largely irrelevant is that Mr. O appears to have enjoyed the briefest honeymoon of any president in history. I’m reading the words of “progressives” who are turning on him right and left.
Dave - Erstwhile Urban Wanderer
Uh, he wasn't on the ballot in TX.
Nader and Mckinney were only write-ins in TX so I reluctantly hit the Obama choice. We need to mobilize 3rd parties starting on local levels and moving up. Nader for President is right now a pipe dream sadly even when this country seriously needs him.
Inhaling. Ah. The pipe dream. Better than another nightmare.
What's the point of a pipe dream when you'll get nothing out of it? Sure, it'll make you "feel good" but you'll still be in pain. If you want a Nader presidency, and trust me I wouldn't mind one, the only way you're going to come close to achieving one is to start from local offices and move up. You can't win as an outsider where the voting is rigged to keep the two parties intact.
What do you call nothing,Nebraska? If you are trying to move the monolithic Democrats to the left how better to achieve that than have them tally the numbers who desert them for the more progressive candidacy? Both parties carefully watch polling data and any significant drift towards Green Party or Independent candidates would seem to mandate a shift to return them to the fold.
Working from within the Democratic Party is , in my opinion, a useless endeavor as they focus, not upon the wishes of the people, but upon the amount of corporate donations they receive. I personally feel that both major parties are a waste of time, but I respect any who still attempt to move them leftward...What then is your plan?
"Most people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so." Bertrand Russell
I did not say that you should only work from within the Democratic Party although that's not a bad idea. Conservatives have been infiltrating both the Republican and Democratic parties as well as keeping prepared for 3rd parties just in case. On the other hand, all you can do is attack others who have different plans. Look, I would have loved a Nader presidency but as JWVerez said, it can only be a pipe dream at this point. You and binban need to first chill down, take a deep breath, and go out and enjoy some sunlight and then your mind will be open to understanding. I said I agreed with the idea of getting 3rd parties boosted but just obsessing on presidential elections for 3rd parties only makes them look bad. You are not being realistic. Thomas More on another thread made that clear to binban and DaveBronstein that 3rd parties can often end up rendering themselves useless when there is no real perception that the public will benefit from them. Now sit down and try to understand how the system works and then work your way around it. Things take time but trust me, you'll understand.
You see emotionalism where none exists. The one constant in your posts seems to be an egregious habit of assuming incorrectly what others think and do....I would honestly urge you to spend more time reading and thinking and less in knee jerk reaction.
I do not attack others plans, I do not attack much of anything unless it is blind stupidity , which I abhor. Quit telling others what to do , especially when you yourself offer nothing of substance.
"Most people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so." Bertrand Russell
"I would honestly urge you to spend more time reading and thinking and less in knee jerk reaction."
Tell yourself that first sir.
"I do not attack others plans, I do not attack much of anything unless it is blind stupidity , which I abhor. "
I'm pretty sure if you ever bothered to read your own posts and reflect on them, you sir would realize what a foam-at-the-mouth Republican you appear to be more like. You're just jealous and angry that your man couldn't even make it to 800k votes while Obama made it to a smashing 69.5 million. And Nader's drop from 2.8 m in 2000 to less than 800k in 2008 is an obvious sign that you Naderites are doing something all wrong.
"Quit telling others what to do , especially when you yourself offer nothing of substance."
Tell yourself that first sir. At least I'm offering better ideas while rightwing dittoheads such as yourself refuse to open your minds. You're the rightwing fascist who keeps attacking others who aren't foam-at-the-mouth Limbaughians like yourself.
There appears to be something very seriously wrong with you....
"Most people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so." Bertrand Russell
If Obama tries to triangulate policy between the right, the left, and public opinion, then he loses.
The right will be against him no matter what. Bipartisanship is a joke. WTF was he even thinking? The right must be dominated, devastated, and destroyed.
The center will do what the right-wing media tells them to do.
The left will apply ZERO pressure. They are cowardly, passive, and lazy. Remember the stolen elections in 2000 and 2004? They rolled over for it without even so much as a whimper. Disgraceful.
Triangulation points way towards the right.
First, let me say, I agree with much (if not all) of the sentiment of the writer.
However, I think he would have a better chance to win people over to his side if he could limit the seething anger and flip commentary. Not that it is unwarranted - I am deeply disturbed about what is happening to our country (and our world) - but I think the heightened sarcasm and nasty tone mostly alienates those who disagree.
More (or, at least, equally) to the point, how did you not see this coming?
Obama is the latest standard barer for the Capitalist Class. He raised hundreds of millions of dollars from large corporations --- WHO DID YOU THINK HE WAS GOING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO AS PRESIDENT?
There was nothing in his campaigning that would lead an intelligent person to believe otherwise. Other then his rhetoric, he has not said or done a progressive thing. Did you truly belive because he CAMPAIGNED by railing against Bush that he would seriously do anything different? "Change," ahh yes ... we need change. That must have been it.
I'm pretty sure Bush (Clinton, Bush, Reagan et. al.) used that word a few times in a stump speech.
Perhaps we should consider the possibility that the Democrats are never going to be the answer for progressives and that we need to build a third party to move things back in the "left" direction.
With Hope,
MariusP
Moving to the left or even to the right is okay by me as long as we don't put any conservatives in office, a sure recipe for disaster.
Yeah lets pull our punches and just whine that will solve everything. Bullshit what we need is a new Green Huey Long for the 21st century:
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/hueyplongshare.htm
I can agree with that.
the only way to move it to the left is if the people mobilize. they have to be on the streets and ANGRY. But they won't. The left are cowardly, passive, and selfish. Obama will fail but it wont be his fault; it will be OUR fault for sitting on our fat butts behind a computer.
All I can say is that now, I will stand, with love in my heart, I will give my praises to the king and I will fight with my heart. Its time to realize that our selves are not important, sacrifice is key, its time to fight for the people around us, and bring us out of the pessimistic attitude that is bringing everyone down. Optimism will win the day, I hope you are with us when we do. I know one man can not be the whole problem, we need to show our worth, our truth, and bring life and love back into our lives, I think this is the only way to get out of the "crisis".
You're kidding I hope? Do you forget so quickly that the U.S. fought a revolution against the idea of kings with divine power?
Yuck!!!!
First of all, my king is not here on earth. Second, I am not in the government. Third, the revolution was also fought for people's right to believe in what they will. Fourth, I respect your opinion and wish you the best in all of your endeavors.
Your king is then on Mars, Jupiter ....? No kings. No masters. No slaves.
Oh brother another religious nutter:
http://richarddawkins.net/
First of all, my king is not here on earth.
____________________________________
"Oh brother another religious nutter"
Not necessarily, hootowl!
PatriotisVeritas may simply mean that his/her king is on the fourth moon of the third planet of the Aldebaran system.
· Yr Obd't Servant
I say we invade the Caymans and all the other little islands that shelter taxes for the rich. Kind of like Grenada only we just hit their banks.
thong-girl
Excellent.
"our selves" are not important. Perhaps, you mean: "We are not important"? Studies show that optimists are happier people, and that pessimists have better grasp of what is going on. I'm too busy putting "food on my family" to get sucked into more of the "ourselves" feels good Nuage syndrome. When the fit hits the shan, the pessimists will duck. The optimists will call it chocolate pudding.
I need to be optimistic to get through every day. I see and feel how bad it is. I do. But I don't think this is Obusha's fault. I think it is a sign of a critical mass where labour has been so compromised by capital that there is no choice but to demand fair distribution of resources, whether that is through stimulus, revolution or regulation. So in essence, I agree with you, meanwhile I don't call it chocolate pudding, I call it a time to put a smile on and get through the pain. The Finns called that Sisu. That is what I am talking about. I am putting on my Sisu. Good luck.
Good perspective.
I need to be pragmatic to get through every day. So what then I say, needs to be done? I don't need to see the glass as half full nor half empty, but rather sip and partake when needed. Pain will always be there.
You are going to put a small dog (Sisu) on you head? Just kidding. I know what you mean: strength, determination, etc. perseverance. Yes. Of course.
This depression is worse than the 30s. Obama isn't in the driver's seat; the depression is. It means less money for war and weapons. It means the hubris of the powerful won't succeed in drowning out public outrage. This is not a time when complacency pays. This is one of those rare times when the greed has produced such over kill that no one in a priviledged position is secure. Socialization is coming on strong. Sure, the crooks will find a way to milk some of that but, overall, the common people will benefit whether Obama wants it or not. Obama is right about one thing; this is much, much bigger than him.
Prof. Green,
I entirely saw this coming as far back as his not-at-all progressive DNC keynote speech in 2004. But I feel no schadenfreude, only depression.
otherwise your points are well-taken.
---USAn---