Friday, January 08, 2010

Head Of State


I enjoyed watching this 2003 movie years ago. Long before I had ever heard the name Barack Obama. It is a great comedy; I viewed it again yesterday evening.

In the movie Chris Rock plays Mays Gilliam, an alderman of the 9th Ward in Washington, D.C. who sort of mistakenly gets elected as President of the United States of America.

In this movie Mays Gilliam is not doing well at all in his campaign against the bozo white candidate…until he stops listening to the professional politicians, spin artists, marketing specialists, and other associated liars. Once he begins telling it like he really sees it, his fortunes improve; and he eventually wins the election.

Sort of reminds me of Obama. Back when he was campaigning he passionately talked about the evils of the health insurance companies and the need for a single payer health care system. He spoke of the importance of closing ALL of the secret jails being operated by the U.S. Government. He spoke of the horror of war and the need to really, completely end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He eloquently described the long history and importance of progressive taxation. He understood and described the terribly harmful effects of years of deregulation to this country.

Senator Obama had the very most liberal voting record of any member of the U.S. Senate.

One year into his tenure we find that he has significantly increased the troop levels in the wars. He has not closed all of the secret jails. He has not only given up on the “single payer” health care system, but he has even sold out the far weaker “government option.” His administration has not implemented significantly improved regulation of the abuses and fraud in the financial system. Instead of slightly increasing taxation on the super wealthy to help pay for his modest health care reform program, he has chosen to increase taxes on middle class unionized workers.

He has kept on the Bush warmongers in defense and the military, and most of his economics advisors come directly from Wall Street. He seems to be 100% in the pockets of Wall Street now. His actions show a negative bias against organized labor.

On the issue of terrorism Obama sounds more Bushian every day.

ANYONE would have been a big improvement after Cheney and Bush II. In looking at Obama’s track record in the first year of his presidency I have to say that Barack Obama has certainly not behaved like an intelligent, well educated, open-minded liberal. Not at all. Like Chris Rock, President Obama speaks eloquently. But in many ways his behavior speaks louder, and this has been that of a moderate Republican; sometimes almost the actions of a right winger.
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Many people are beginning to question whether Barack Obama has any deeply held core values at all. He clearly is not at all committed to the values that the Democratic Party has worked so hard for. Of the people, by the people, for the people. Barack has sold out these values to the corrupt liars of the right wing time-after-time. At the slightest little provocation. Obama does not seem to have any backbone at all. No strength of character.
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I strongly disagreed and still do disagree with Ronald Rayguns' supply side economics and most of his other policies as well. Yes, he read his lines well, but the old guy had integrity. He stood up for what he believed in (most of which I disagree with). Even Bozo Bush II (who didn't even read books) refused to sell out his core values....too bad his core values were so sick.

Maybe it is no coincidence that America is beginning to see through the façade of Barack Obama right at the same time that Mr. Clean, Tiger Woods, has come tumbling down. This is like a Greek tragedy, except it is happening to our own country.

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