Anyone know where this came from or who the author is? On Wed, Aug 5, 2009 at 4:10 PM, "Lone Wolf" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Six months of the Obama administration > 21 July 2009 > > Six months ago yesterday, Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th > president of the United States. > > The election of Obama represented a popular repudiation of the Bush > administration and its domestic and foreign policies. The principal > slogan of Obama—“change you can believe in”—struck a chord with a > population fed up with eight years of war and single-minded focus on > the interests of the corporate elite. > > Obama’s persona and individual history symbolized, for broad sections > of the working class and youth, this desire for change. The fact that > Obama would be the first African-American president was seen by many > as reason to believe he would instinctively sympathize with the poor > and oppressed. In any case, it was thought, he would be very different > from what had come before. > > What evaluation can be made in light of six months’ experience? The > facts speak for themselves. On every critical issue, Obama—presiding > over substantial Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress—has > continued the basic policy of his predecessor. > > Military policy > The direction of the administration on military policy was signaled > early on. On January 23, three days after his inauguration, Obama > ordered missile strikes by unmanned Predator drones on a location > inside Pakistan, killing 18 people. With this initial blood on his > hands, Obama proceeded apace. > > The war in Afghanistan is now definitively “Obama’s war.” Under his > watch, the US has set in motion a doubling of its forces, from 32,000 > to 68,000, and is presently carrying out a major operation to wipe out > popular opposition in the south. At least 30 US soldiers and 25 NATO > troops have died so far this month, making July the deadliest month to > date for occupation forces. > > With Obama, however, the operation has become the “AfPak” war. US > missile strikes within Pakistan, often killing dozens of Pakistani > civilians, have become a regular occurrence. The administration has > pressured Pakistan to carry out its own offensive in its northwestern > territories, resulting in hundreds of thousands of refugees and > massive causalities. > > The occupation of Iraq continues. The drawback of US forces from the > cities does not herald an end to US military involvement in the > country. Some 130,000 troops remain in what amounts to permanent > military bases outside the cities, and the administration has begun > the process of relabeling troops as “advisors.” In the event that the > fragile political situation breaks down, the US military will > intervene with full force. > > Economic and social policy > On domestic policy, Obama’s overriding concern has been to defend the > wealth of the most powerful sections of the corporate and financial > elite. Through cash injections, subsidies and loan programs, trillions > have been handed out to the banks and financial institutions, with no > strings attached. The administration has opposed any real constraints > on executive pay or bonuses. > > Utilizing the government handouts, the largest banks reported massive > profits in the second quarter of 2009, including $3.44 billion for > Goldman Sachs and $2.7 billion for JPMorgan Chase. The banks plan on > handing out record bonuses this year to their executives and traders. > > The very institutions that precipitated the economic crisis through > their speculation and looting operations are doing better than ever. > This is not an accident. It is the intended outcome of the policy > carried out by the Obama administration. > > Many auto workers looked to Obama for positive change. Instead, the > administration has forced through massive cuts in wages and benefits, > along with the destruction of tens of thousands of jobs. Obama has > shepherded General Motors and Chrysler through bankruptcy court, where > the two companies left billions in unwanted liabilities behind, > including health care obligations to tens of thousands of retirees. > > The administration is carrying out a similar policy in relation to > state and local governments, refusing to give them the type of loans > made available to the banks. The largest state in the country, > California, is on the verge of economic meltdown, and the state > government is seizing on the crisis as an opportunity to gut > education, welfare and other social programs. Similar draconian > measures are being implemented throughout the country. > > As for the Obama’s principal domestic initiative—health care “reform”— > the administration’s proposals are driven by the desire of > corporations to slash their employee health care costs and are > tailored to the demands of the major players in the health care > industry—particularly the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. > > Health care “reform” has been shifted from providing decent care for > all to cutting costs. Obama insists that reducing health care > expenditures is imperative for lowering the budget deficit and > restoring the economy, even as he declares he will do “whatever it > takes” to bail out the banks. > > If a bill on health care eventually passes, it will require workers to > pay more for inadequate health insurance and rationed care. This > “expanded coverage” will be used as a pretext for slashing federal > health care programs, particularly Medicare. > > Like everything else, health care is being restructured as a more > openly class-based system. Workers will have to choose between their > health and their other needs, while the rich are afforded the best > treatment money can buy. > > The outcome of the administration’s policies to deal with the economic > crisis is a massive redistribution of wealth from the bottom to the > top. > > Democratic rights > On all essentials, the Obama administration has continued the > antidemocratic policies of its predecessor. It has invoked “state > secrets” to block court cases challenging torture and domestic spying. > The administration reversed a promise to release photos showing US > torture of detainees. It has continued the military tribunals and > indicated it plans to adopt a policy of indefinite detention for > prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. > > Obama has repeatedly insisted that there will be no prosecution of any > of the crimes carried out by the Bush administration. This means no > one will be held accountable and that the crimes will continue. > > * * * > > The outcome of the 2008 elections is an object lesson on the failure > of American democracy. These elections produced an outcome that is > diametrically opposed to the aspirations of the voters who cast > ballots for the victor. > > It is not possible, through the existing political system, to effect a > change in government policy. The basic reason is that the political > institutions and parties are the unvarnished instruments of class > rule. The financial elite exercises absolute control over every aspect > of political life. > > What is perhaps most remarkable is the fact that the Obama > administration barely makes an effort to conceal its class character. > It seems to assume that Obama’s persona by itself is sufficient to > quell opposition. To the extent that the administration’s attention is > focused on the Democratic Party and its periphery—the assorted coterie > of “left” publications and organizations—this evaluation is correct. > > However, there has already been a significant fall in Obama’s poll > ratings, including substantial declines on the economy and health > care. According to the most recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, > Obama’s overall approval ratings have dropped below 60 percent for the > first time. We suspect that public unease is, in fact, far broader and > deeper than these figures yet indicate. > > Here, Lincoln’s famous aphorism is appropriate: “You can fool some of > the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, > but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” > > Public disenchantment and anger are being driven by the objective > impact of the economic crisis, the consequences of Obama’s wars, and > the ever more glaring contradiction between the popular sentiments to > which he appealed to get elected and the social interests that he > serves. To the extent that the American people feel they have been > taken for a ride and played for suckers, the mass opposition will be > that much more intense. > > The administration has yet to reckon with the independent intervention > of the American working class. When this class movement does develop, > it will seek new channels independent of and in opposition to the > entire political and social system. > > Joe Kishore > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
