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Barack Obama's "Faux Populism"Submitted by Eternity on Wed, 12/09/2009 - 15:29.
Robert Scheer - Barack Obama’s faux populism is beginning to grate, and when yet another one of those “we the people” e-mails from the president landed on my screen as I was fishing around for a column subject, I came unglued. It is one thing to rob us blind by rewarding the power elite that created our problems but quite another to sugarcoat it in the rhetoric of a David taking on those Goliaths. In each of the three most important areas of policy with which he has dealt, Obama speaks in the voice of the little people’s champion, but his actions cater fully to the demands of the most powerful economic interests. With his escalation of the war in Afghanistan, he has given the military-industrial complex an excuse for the United States to carry on in spending more on defense than the rest of the world combined, without a credible military adversary in sight. His response to the banking meltdown was to continue George W. Bush’s massive giveaway of taxpayer dollars to Wall Street, and his health care reform has all the earmarks of a boondoggle for the medical industry profiteers. Read more.
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There's plenty to be unhappy
There's plenty to be unhappy about. However, this anti-Obama drum beat is getting boring. And not productive.
The Republicans are doing as strong a hatchet job as they can to delegitimize President Obama. It is the one thing they have going for them.
Liberals and progressives can find much fault in some of Obama's decisions but I for one would hate to go back to the alternative. And they can look in the mirror and find how much they themselves have been complicit in where we are as a nation.
Please don't join the demented Dick Cheney in a campaign to bring down Obama.
Yes, we need a real reform movement. But don't blame one man for our own failings.
Punk'd by Obama
George Bush stole the 2000 election--with the help of the [Republican] Supreme Court--but many Democrats blamed Ralph Nader for Al Gore's loss.
GEORGE BUSH STOLE THE 2000 ELECTION...end of story. And while I voted for Gore, and Gore really won, regardless of Nader, BUSH STOLE THE ELECTION.
Why do I point that out? Because like Bush should be held to account for his wrongdoings, Obama should be held account for his.
This isn't an either or issue. I mean, any common fool knows that having a Obama is [a little] better than having Bush. But that's pretty much like saying, eating 10 day old rotten food is better than eating 11 day old rotten food.
It's all foul, and not to be tolerated.
And isn't it telling, when you have to compare Obama to Bush just to make yourself feel good.
The RepubliKKKan Party will certainly not get my vote--they might steal it, but not if I can help it--and I'm not yet ready to go 3rd Party. Notwithstanding, lets just face it, you and I and everyone else who voted for Obama made a bad investment. We've been punk'd. And just for those who are wondering, Hillary would have been a bad investment too.
It's not our fault because we really thought we were doing the right thing, voting for Obama. The euphoria was overwhelming and America really seemed like it was turning a page.
I feel like I've been fleeced in a huge way, yet as humiliating and embarassing as that is, denying the truth is not going to make it better.
Barack Obama is a world-class heel. He deserves to have shoes thrown at him.
And you know, I hate to say it Roldo, but if you were a wife that was being beaten by her husband, you'd be the kind that would stay because you didn't want anyone to find out your secret. And you'd probably justify it with some lame-ass rationalizations like...my mother, she's always been against me--always hated my husband, so I can't leave him, because that will prove her right. And what will the neighbors think. I'm too invested in this, I can't turn back now, even though I know it's wrong...blah, blah, blah.
If you had a child that was handicap, would you not discipline him/her because of a missing limb? How will that child grown and learn?
Smothering, enabling, co-dependency and other forms of protectionism serves not the best interest of Obama, or anyone else.
If you know your history, which it would seem you do, then you would know that during the civil rights movement not all Blacks supported Dr. King. In fact, there was a group of middle-class and semi-affluent Blacks who were against him. There was also a group of black Southern preachers who considered him a trouble maker and worked to silence his voice. As well, when King visited--marched--in a rally in Chicago, he was hit in the head with a brick...thrown by a black man.
There is a term we have for Blacks like those who sided with THE MAN, we used to call them House Niggers, but the N-word is very much out of vogue these days, so we just say House Slaves...as civil rights legend, Harry Belafonte, referred to Colin Powel some years back. And like Belafonte said of Powell "I don't have a problem with the man, but with the policies", that is exactly the case with Obama.
I really like Obama, personality wise.
That's not why I voted for him.
I know you're a hero to NEO, and I'm probably seen as an outside agitator, HOWEVER if you think that telling the truth is something that is "old" then you definitely need to check yourself. And you can start by watching the video of Julian Bond (below) giving a speech on gay marriage where he lambasts the hypocrisy of the Black Church, taking quotes from the Bible--examining them--also quoting Coretta Scott-King and others.
And ask yourself this, what would John Lennon and Dr. King have to say about Obama's hypocrisy--his war mongering--his neglect of the poor--his complete embrace of all things Bush and his torture cover-up? What would Gandhi and Christ and Mohammad and Mother Theresa and Princess Diana have to say about it?
Bottom line: If you are working-class, peace-loving, poor, or otherwise a believer in justice, in following Obama, you are buying into a set of principles that do not serve your interest. And you know you have a major problem when Karl Rove and Newt Gingrich are cheering Obama, while MoveOn, Naomi Klein and Michael Moore are not.
Eternity
punk'd ??
Eternity, I thought Obama to be a great speaker, and I felt excited, but I have not had the high expectations you have had. The Republicans are too well organized, too much money & power for one person to be successful unless we have a progressive Congress. I wrote below that I want to go back and read what he actually said, and once I have done that, I will share it here. I am sure that Carl Rove is giddy right now, with many part of the conservative, liberal, and left attacks on Obama.
Also, the insertion of Nader in the 2000 made a difference in the electoral college count and if those who voted for Nader had voted for Gore throughout the country, the Florida fiasco and resulting theft of the election may not have happened because Gore would have had enough electoral college votes to offset Florida.
The Big Lie: Why blame the perp when you can shame the victim
Debbie,
You FAIL to address the fact of all the wrong doing Obama has done, instead blaming me and those who point out the truth for exposing the truth. And just like a good Republican, instead of arguing the facts, you attack the person(s) who point out the facts that you don't want to fully see.
I think that just might qualify you as a hypocrite.
You need to know your history. Because it seems that you too have brought into the big lie, blaming the victim in stead of the perpetrator.
Bush stole 2000.
It wouldn't have mattered who ran against him.
The Fix was in. The Theft Plan was in Place.
Just like with any robbery, if circumstances change, it doesn't stop the robbery, the robbers merely adapt to succeed with the heist. This being especially true if you've got friends like a brother who's a governor, friends on the Supreme Court and a father who was once President of the US, also being a long time employee of the CIA--having been its director at one time too.
Bush stole 2000--end of story. Learn your history, and you can start by studying some of the research that Greg Palast has done.
We blamed Bush for his wrongdoings, we are hypocrites not to blame Obama for his.
Now folks like you and Roldo are blaming folks like me, Michael Moore, Naomi Klein, Cornel West, Arianna Huffington, Robert Scheer, Cynthia McKinney et all, and by default are soiling the memory of Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Coretta Scott King, Princess Diana and other makers of justice and peace by defending Barack Obama, America's latest war criminal.
I will not be silenced because a group of mealy-mouthed, quasi-Progressives are choosing to prop up a faux-Populist.
True to form in every way, Barack Obama is a tour-de-force Chicago crime boss. He's from the town, he's got the look, he's got the talk, he's got the style, he dupes the people while robbing them blind. sits up an smiles in church while his goons silence his critics.
If Barack Obama were truely a man of morality, he would have honorably declined to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. But being the egocentric glutton that he clearly is, with no concience he went ahead as planned.
The wife who complains for getting beaten and raped by her husband is not to blame. So clear the cobwebs out and get it straight.
Obama is the perpetrator here. He has done wrong.
[NOTE: Unlike my prior comment(s) I provide no links in this comment as all the evidence to substantiate what a growing chorus of truth-seekers already see and have already said is abundantly sourced in my and others posts and comments]
Eternity
lies/obama/and all
Max, I have not failed to address the wrongs that we all kow that Obama is doing; I just don't join the chorus feeding into the Republican Rove/Palin machine on the blogs. I also know my history quite well, thank you anyway. I am disappointed in Obama, I am not shattered. Of the possible choices, who would we have perferred even today?
Did I really expect that this country, owned by corporate America, would deliver a fair health care reform bill, or that we would not be debating Roe v Wade as a condition of that coverage, and more? No. Did I expect that we would be even more delivered into the health insurance industries hands? Of course I did. I did my share of letters and e-mails to the House of Representatives and the Senators because I feel that it is my responsibilty to do so, but expectations?
But, then, I hoped in vain the the Nobel would be withdrawn by the committee.
There is no conspiracy to silence you, why would there be? It is fair to challenge you, though, as you are not posting constructive criticism, only condemnations. This is already being done, again, again, and again, and for what purpose? It isn't like we live in a country lacking media sources other than Fox. Who do you think that this will make a difference to without also naming solutions?
Attacking me will FAIL
Debbie,
Attacking me will FAIL.
Have you attacked the words of Dr. King?
Have you attacked Naomi Klein?
Have you attacked Michael Moore?
Have you attacked Arianna Huffington?
Have you attacked Amy Goodman?
Have you attacked Gandhi?
Have you attacked Robert Scheer?
Have you attacked Glenn Greenwald?
BLAMING ME--ACCUSING ME OF COUNTER PRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IS SINISTER--PART OF YOUR AND OTHER'S OWN SELF-DECEPTION.
And I wll not feel sorry for you or others who behave and think as you DO because of your own failure to find solutions, WHICH begins by owing up to the truth.
You've been punk'd by Obama. Get over it.
RealNeo finds its solutions by first point out the lies and deception. Isn't that what Houser did? But now when others point out the lies and decption of Obama, suddenly they are unproductive.
Being a hypocrite, that's counter-productive. And that's exactly what you're doing.
And furthermore you clearly DON'T know your history, because if you did you wouldn't be telling lies about the 2000 election, which George Bush STOLE.
Now I voted for Obama, and I stand by my decision, because he presented himself in a very attractive way--not just in his celebrity packaging, but in his message too. He is more tolerable than Bush, which means he's more up-to-date, yet stilll behaving as an arrogant war criminal, attacking the poor and defenseless, enriching the powerful few.
If I were more like Obama, I'd put popularity above truth and justice. I'm not like Obama though. So, while I full realize that I'm probably becoming less popular to some on this site, I really don't give a flying fuck, because the truth is, has been and will always be more important to me than some ass-kissing celebrity status.
Barack Obama is a house slave.
fahgitaboudit
Eternity
challenge
No, you have not been attacked. You have been issued a challenge, learn the difference, please.
Enjoy your war
You can't argue the facts, can you? So like a good Karl Rove zombie, you blame me for Obama's big FAIL.
What about what Michael Moore has said? What about what Naomi Klein has said? What about what MoveOn has said? What about what Allison Kilkenney has said? What about what Arianna Huffington has said? What about what Glenn Greenwald has said?
And you think to school someone about being challenged.
PLEASE, until you answer to the litany of falsehoods staring you in the face, what could you possible have to add?
Obama's the problem.
Enjoy your war.
Eternity
get over yourself
Obama said during the campaign that he would increase war efforts in afghanistan yet you now call him the war president? His position is no different than 18 months ago.
Debbie
You insensitive, selfish little war-mongering hypocrite!!!
Debbie, you are a war-monger, like Bush--like Obama.
And like Roldo, you are all to happy to cherry pick the facts.
You have not face facts...all the FACTS.
You've yet to respond to anything Michael Moore, Naomi Klein, Amy Goodman, Chris Hedges, Arianna Huffington, Robert Scheer and other progressives have said about Obama--they have said exactly what I am saying.
No, instead you skip pass all that to try an discredit me.
Like Obama, you might think you're slick, but you're not.
And then you have the nerve to say something about people who are misogynist or racist. Just exactly what do you think Obama's doing in killing all those brown-skinned women and children?
You cried and carried on about your brother you died recently, but you have no problem murdering other people's brothers.
You insensitive, selfish, little war-mongering hypocrite!!!
Enjoy your war. I hope you choke on it!
Eternity
perhaps a Peace movement is in order
I must admit I feel very detached from war - it is such a way of life in America, us attacking and killing strange people in strange lands, and all - it seems like what we are supposed to do... and Obama is doing it like there is no tomorrow.
As silly as it seems, perhaps a Peace movement is in order.
A Peace Party?
Disrupt IT
Peace is noble and very achievable
It is only because we have been held hostage to the lies of extremist, free-market capitalism and hedgemony that we see peace as trivial--unachievable.
Don't shortchange yourself or the world.
Truth, justice and peace are very real.
Eternity
don't go too far over the edge
unless you have a safety net to catch you.
I have more faith in Obama than that
Too early to tell, but I still see something good in the man
Disrupt IT
I agree
It is early in the term, not even a year. There are a lot of good that can come yet and time will lay it out.
Well, unless Obama is
Well, unless Obama is playing to get along in order to make a change, like Schlindler, he really has disappointed many people that gave him their vote. It sure does seem like he is being led by the nose by the power elite that has a strong hold on this country. But, only time will tell. I would like nothing more than to actually see the change that he promised during his campaign. But, his sending more troops to Afghanistan lost him my vote for the next election. I will probably go for a worthy independent next time, even if it means my vote will be thrown away.
Obama
Obama, during his campaign, said that he planned to draw down troops from Iraq and increase troops in Afghanistan. He said this numerous times, making me unhappy. But here he is keeping a promise, and while we can be anti-war, we can't say that he lied about this. Are we lying to ourselves in recreating the politics of the U.S. and demanding that this one person change it in 11 months? Two years? What are we doing now to prevent a Republican take over of Congress in 11 months? Can we act now to give this President a Congress that gives a damn about the well being of this nation?
I am going to spend some time on transcripts of his campaign speeches in the next few weeks, and answer my own questions.
I won't vote Republican
I won't vote Republican either, unless someone with great talent and leadership that surpasses all others rises to the top, but that is probably not going to happen. But, my faith in the Democrats is also wavering. Time for a good strong third party to emerge from the ashes? The time may be ripe for it now with all the discontent that is being voiced about both the Republican and the Democratic parties.
Reviewing the transcrips of Obama's campaign speeches is a great idea. Sometimes we think we heard something that never was really said. I, for instance, really thought he was planning to end the wars and spend more money taking care of our domestic needs instead of spending it on military needs overseas. Sometimes we hear what we want to hear.
Where can we find the transcripts from the campaign?
third party
A third party pretty much guarantees a win for the Republicans (google Green Party Presidential races).
Maybe not. Maybe the third
Maybe not. Maybe the third party can actually win if enough people are disgusted with both the other parties. Maybe Obama really was about change? Change from a two party system to a three party system?
working for THE MAN
Agreed
I'm not quite there yet with the 3rd Party, but another 6 months of what I've already felt and seen and I likely will be.
Obama's a total house slave--working for THE MAN.
Eternity
we agree!
Ward14
I did not vote for either Clinton or W. And I didn't vote for the democrat who ran against W either. And, as I calmly told an old "friend" screaming at me during a peace demonstration in 2002 that I was "the reason W was in office", I voted my conscience, I don't regret it and I'd do it again.
AND I also told her - if EVERYone voted their conscience, W would not have won either and we would have a progressive party in this country. The Democrats are no longer "my" party.
I logged off Obama's website and withdrew my support when he dissed Reverend Wright. He had a "teachable moment" and he failed it miserably. His subsequent behavior has only proven his disingenuity. To say he does not have the populace behind him on progressive ideas is utter bullshit. Besides, a true leader doesn't need a cheerleader majority to do the right thing.
YES!
Thank you and thank you!
With all these faux-Populists and wannabe poser-Progressives wallowing in denial and glib self-assurance, it's good to know that somebody in here knows what having integrity really means.
YES!
Eternity