“We expected broken promises. But the gap between the soaring expectations that accompanied Barack Obama’s inauguration and his wretched performance is the broadest such chasm in recent historical memory. This guy makes Bill Clinton look like a paragon of integrity and follow-through.
From healthcare to torture to the economy to war, Obama has reneged on pledges real and implied. So timid and so owned is he that he trembles in fear of offending, of all things, the government of Turkey. Obama has officially reneged on his campaign promise to acknowledge the Armenian genocide. When a president doesn’t have the ‘nads to annoy the Turks, why does he bother to show up for work in the morning?
Obama is useless. Worse than that, he’s dangerous. Which is why, if he has any patriotism left after the thousands of meetings he has sat through with corporate contributors, blood-sucking lobbyists and corrupt politicians, he ought to step down now—before he drags us further into the abyss.
I refer here to Obama’s plan for “preventive detentions.” If a cop or other government official thinks you might want to commit a crime someday, you could be held in “prolonged detention.” Reports in U.S. state-controlled media imply that Obama’s shocking new policy would only apply to Islamic terrorists (or, in this case, wannabe Islamic terrorists, and also kinda-sorta-maybe-thinking-about-terrorism dudes). As if that made it OK.
In practice, Obama wants to let government goons snatch you, me and anyone else they deem annoying off the street.
Preventive detention is the classic defining characteristic of a military dictatorship. Because dictatorial regimes rely on fear rather than consensus, their priority is self-preservation rather than improving their people’s lives. They worry obsessively over the one thing they can’t control, what Orwell called “thoughtcrime”—contempt for rulers that might someday translate to direct action.
Locking up people who haven’t done anything wrong is worse than un-American and a violent attack on the most basic principles of Western jurisprudence. It is contrary to the most essential notion of human decency. That anyone has ever been subjected to “preventive detention” is an outrage. That the President of the United States, a man who won an election because he promised to elevate our moral and political discourse, would even entertain such a revolting idea offends the idea of civilization itself.
Obama is cute. He is charming. But there is something rotten inside him. Unlike the Republicans who backed Bush, I won’t follow a terrible leader just because I voted for him. Obama has revealed himself. He is a monster, and he should remove himself from power.”
—Me
3 Comments.
Ted, all these historical posts are good and well – but ultimately pointless. Are things really worse? No, they’re not. In fact, they’re better. Obama has done exactly what he was intended to do, and has succeeded admirably.
Why? It depends on your view of what constitutes success. If you are a member of the ruling class, Obama has served you loyally. Let’s look at just some of Obama’s successes:
– Corporate profits at all time highs.
– Wall St. bonuses at all time highs.
– Bailouts ensured Wall St. profits will continue to soar.
– No penalties or new regulations.
– The wars continue to transfer taxpayer funds to the wealthy MIC.
– New saber-rattling with Iran guarantees the foreign policy apparatus continues undisturbed.
– New presidential powers extended beyond even Bush norms. Extremists overjoyed.
– BP spill coverup implemented with great loyalty. New permits for BP coming.
– Basic U.S. model of socialism for oligarchs and capitalism for everyone else has been preserved.
– New free trade deals will mean more corporate profits, less jobs.
– Union crushing is all the rage.
– Obama puts SS and Medicare cuts on the table. (only Nixon can go to China).
– And on and on …
Obama is the most conservative president since Reagan, and if you are a member of the ruling class he has performed almost flawlessly.
Here’s the main point: if you are NOT a member of the ruling class, You are not relevant. Your opinion is not relevant. What happens to you is not relevant. You are not included in the equation of presidential success. You. Don’t. Matter.
If the “protesters” can get that through their heads, then perhaps the beginnings of real revolution can take place. It’s not even remotely likely, but possible I suppose.
exkiodexian is quite right! People who are unhappy with Obama have to recognize that their unhappiness has no political impact. In November of next year, next year mind you, Barack Obama and a Republican will be the only candidates who could be elected. Within the Constitution as it has been distorted by Citizens United v. FEC from a severely undemocratic basis of government to the near fascist system that is now operational, we, non-rulers, are powerless. Who said that revolution is the mother that eats her children? That aphorism is undeniable as evidenced by the French and Russian revolutions. For that reason, I do not advocate it, but nothing less than revolutionary change is required to restore our country today even to the highly flawed republic it was before Jimmy Carter’s presidency.
What I admire about Mr Rall is his willingness to write what few others in journalism will. Very few others comment on Barack Obama’s character as his principal fault. Others write about his conservatism, his concern for achieving consensus, Obama’s lack of political “fortitude”, inexperience, intractable problems. All this is a distraction from the truth: he serves the powerful in order to gain their favor in the future. The presidency is a not a lifetime career; at most eight years as matters now stand. In 2013 or in 2017, he will be in need of a job. Surely, Obama does not intend to support his family by writing another autobiography nor by teaching law at the University of Chicago.
Ted Rall saw Obama for the rascal he is in May of 2009 and declared it. A bit late, but better late than never!