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I Want My Money Back! (Pres. Obama!)
I want my money back.
I gave $20 a week for seven months, plus $60 every once in a while for
a t-shirt and sticker. I gave of my modest purse joyfully. Once I
add that all up, it makes a grand total of... $106 billion?! Wait a
minute, I thought I was supporting change I could believe in, not more
of the same bloodshed and war!
Jun 28, 2009
I want my money back.
I gave $20 a week for seven months, plus $60 every once in a while for
a t-shirt and sticker. I gave of my modest purse joyfully. Once I
add that all up, it makes a grand total of... $106 billion?! Wait a
minute, I thought I was supporting change I could believe in, not more
of the same bloodshed and war!
Betrayal is a part of life. After awhile, you just come to expect it.
Yet, the initial shock always hits you as a surprise. Alas, the
nature of betrayal. Humans are vulnerable to being betrayed because
underneath our husky shells, our pain and hardened hearts, we are soft
and trustful creatures. We want to believe in people.
I'm not that young, so I possess some cynicism. But I'm not that old
either, so I manage some idealism. Sure, I am used to being betrayed
by my government. But I thought my days of calling the White House in
tears were over. To think that Barack Obama preyed on this naive hope
in me and millions like me is unforgivable.
I expect the Republicans to throw money at the Military Industrial
Complex. Yet, from the Democrats, I was promised a different
direction (like OUT of the Middle East). Regrettably, there has been
miniscule change. There is still nothing to believe in.
It is against my religion to say the Pledge of Allegiance. (I am a
Christian so I pledge allegiance only to God.) I did, however, pledge
my time and treasure to Barack Obama. On November 4, 2008, I danced
in the streets waving the American Flag, feeling proud to be an
American. I was pathetically close to bustin' out some Toby Keith
ditties.
It's not just the $106 billion that makes me feel betrayed. It's not
just the fact that Gitmo probably won't be shut down after all. It is
not even the president's assurance to Republicans that he will not
release the photos of detainee abuse.
It is the rumors of intimidation and strong-arming that are, to me,
the greatest betrayal.
That President Barack Obama sent Rahm Emanuel and Nancy Pelosi to
bully anti-war Democrats into voting for the supplemental (and
threatening to withdraw the leadership's support for their
re-elections if they didn't) is a shameful misuse of power. Where's
the humanity I once saw in Barack? It's just more of the same and I
can't stomach it.
I knew I was naive; yet like millions of Americans, I had no choice
but to believe. Our hearts were desperate for hope. We saw Barack
Obama as an oasis in the desert. To think that he may be just a
mirage is heartbreaking.
When you have a minute, give Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold a call at
(202) 224-5323. He was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote
against the war funding (along with three Republicans and an
Independent).
Oh, and please consider supporting my grassroots campaign to get my
$680 back so I can donate it to the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center.
Thanks.
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
I want my money back.
I gave $20 a week for seven months, plus $60 every once in a while for
a t-shirt and sticker. I gave of my modest purse joyfully. Once I
add that all up, it makes a grand total of... $106 billion?! Wait a
minute, I thought I was supporting change I could believe in, not more
of the same bloodshed and war!
Betrayal is a part of life. After awhile, you just come to expect it.
Yet, the initial shock always hits you as a surprise. Alas, the
nature of betrayal. Humans are vulnerable to being betrayed because
underneath our husky shells, our pain and hardened hearts, we are soft
and trustful creatures. We want to believe in people.
I'm not that young, so I possess some cynicism. But I'm not that old
either, so I manage some idealism. Sure, I am used to being betrayed
by my government. But I thought my days of calling the White House in
tears were over. To think that Barack Obama preyed on this naive hope
in me and millions like me is unforgivable.
I expect the Republicans to throw money at the Military Industrial
Complex. Yet, from the Democrats, I was promised a different
direction (like OUT of the Middle East). Regrettably, there has been
miniscule change. There is still nothing to believe in.
It is against my religion to say the Pledge of Allegiance. (I am a
Christian so I pledge allegiance only to God.) I did, however, pledge
my time and treasure to Barack Obama. On November 4, 2008, I danced
in the streets waving the American Flag, feeling proud to be an
American. I was pathetically close to bustin' out some Toby Keith
ditties.
It's not just the $106 billion that makes me feel betrayed. It's not
just the fact that Gitmo probably won't be shut down after all. It is
not even the president's assurance to Republicans that he will not
release the photos of detainee abuse.
It is the rumors of intimidation and strong-arming that are, to me,
the greatest betrayal.
That President Barack Obama sent Rahm Emanuel and Nancy Pelosi to
bully anti-war Democrats into voting for the supplemental (and
threatening to withdraw the leadership's support for their
re-elections if they didn't) is a shameful misuse of power. Where's
the humanity I once saw in Barack? It's just more of the same and I
can't stomach it.
I knew I was naive; yet like millions of Americans, I had no choice
but to believe. Our hearts were desperate for hope. We saw Barack
Obama as an oasis in the desert. To think that he may be just a
mirage is heartbreaking.
When you have a minute, give Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold a call at
(202) 224-5323. He was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote
against the war funding (along with three Republicans and an
Independent).
Oh, and please consider supporting my grassroots campaign to get my
$680 back so I can donate it to the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center.
Thanks.
I want my money back.
I gave $20 a week for seven months, plus $60 every once in a while for
a t-shirt and sticker. I gave of my modest purse joyfully. Once I
add that all up, it makes a grand total of... $106 billion?! Wait a
minute, I thought I was supporting change I could believe in, not more
of the same bloodshed and war!
Betrayal is a part of life. After awhile, you just come to expect it.
Yet, the initial shock always hits you as a surprise. Alas, the
nature of betrayal. Humans are vulnerable to being betrayed because
underneath our husky shells, our pain and hardened hearts, we are soft
and trustful creatures. We want to believe in people.
I'm not that young, so I possess some cynicism. But I'm not that old
either, so I manage some idealism. Sure, I am used to being betrayed
by my government. But I thought my days of calling the White House in
tears were over. To think that Barack Obama preyed on this naive hope
in me and millions like me is unforgivable.
I expect the Republicans to throw money at the Military Industrial
Complex. Yet, from the Democrats, I was promised a different
direction (like OUT of the Middle East). Regrettably, there has been
miniscule change. There is still nothing to believe in.
It is against my religion to say the Pledge of Allegiance. (I am a
Christian so I pledge allegiance only to God.) I did, however, pledge
my time and treasure to Barack Obama. On November 4, 2008, I danced
in the streets waving the American Flag, feeling proud to be an
American. I was pathetically close to bustin' out some Toby Keith
ditties.
It's not just the $106 billion that makes me feel betrayed. It's not
just the fact that Gitmo probably won't be shut down after all. It is
not even the president's assurance to Republicans that he will not
release the photos of detainee abuse.
It is the rumors of intimidation and strong-arming that are, to me,
the greatest betrayal.
That President Barack Obama sent Rahm Emanuel and Nancy Pelosi to
bully anti-war Democrats into voting for the supplemental (and
threatening to withdraw the leadership's support for their
re-elections if they didn't) is a shameful misuse of power. Where's
the humanity I once saw in Barack? It's just more of the same and I
can't stomach it.
I knew I was naive; yet like millions of Americans, I had no choice
but to believe. Our hearts were desperate for hope. We saw Barack
Obama as an oasis in the desert. To think that he may be just a
mirage is heartbreaking.
When you have a minute, give Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold a call at
(202) 224-5323. He was the only Democrat in the Senate to vote
against the war funding (along with three Republicans and an
Independent).
Oh, and please consider supporting my grassroots campaign to get my
$680 back so I can donate it to the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center.
Thanks.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.