The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    oleeb's picture

    Meet the new boss, same as the old boss: Obama unmasked during FISA surrender statement

    By oleeb on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 9:10pm |
    Obama's surrender statement today on FISA lays bare the lie of "change", "hope" and moving the country forward.  Anybody who buys that load of crap now is just a willing sucker who refuses to see what is plain as day: Obama's election doesn't mean "change" it means more of the same.  More capitulation, more servicing of the wealthy and powerful, more war, more excuses for why we can't provide healthcare, a decent education, mass transit and clean environment for all our people just to name a few items on the people's agenda that never get taken care of because we have to spend more than all the other countries on earth on the military instead of our people. 

    The cowardice of the Democratic Party including quite clearly Sen. Obama on the issue of retroactive telecom immunity is shameful and an utter humilitating disgrace to put it mildly.  No amount of dodging, no amount of sugarcoating and no amount of bullshit spin can hide the fact that DC Democrats had and have the power to stop this abomination and instead they are taking yet another dive to accomodate the most disreputable tyrant ever to occupy the oval office.  True they don't really like the tyrant but they are doing this unconscionable thing  primarily because their true masters: the corporate powers that be, demand once again that their interests be served and the national interest be damned!  When the master snaps it's fingers these DC Democrats respond in Pavlovian manner like the poltroonish whores they are. 

    I am ashamed and sickened to be a Democrat today and tired of the spineless cowardice of our alleged "leaders."  I tried to believe in Obama, but how anyone can be fooled by the litany of excuses offered up and those that are to come is beyond me.  Millions of us are tired of the same old trick (a favorite of DC Dems now for years) of announcing one's opposition while doing nothing to prevent evil's advance, lieing to the public about how this compromise is some sort of "best" deal we can get knowing that is false and knowing damn well it is the wrong thing to do.  This is simply intolerable.  This is a dark, dark day for democracy, for the United States and especially for the common people's liberties and rights.  We no longer live in a republic friends.  We live in an authoritarian, corporate controlled state where the alleged party of the people is just a decoy that mouths soothing platitudes to the public, promises change but is on it's knees servicing corporate wealth and power 24/7.  There is nothing the Democrats won't do to please and service corporate greed, corruption and as in this case: criminality.

    Obama's embarassing surrender statement today is a perfect example of Helen Keller's wise words from long, long ago.  She said:

    "We the people are not free.  Our democracy is but a name. 

    We vote?  What does that mean?  It means that we choose between Tweedledum and Tweedledee. 

    We elect expensive master to do our work for us, and then blame them because they work for themselves and for their class.

    She was right then as now. 

    At the very moment America needed Obama to demonstrate he wasn't just lucky about Iraq, he was genuinely courageous enough to oppose evil when it presented itself he proved that no, indeed, he just lucked out that he made a public statement against the war. 
    Given the ease with which he has bent over and spread em for this galling circumvention of our laws and our Constitution, it is crystal clear now that had he been in DC he certainly would have joined his cowardly Democratic brothers and sisters in the Senate who voted for the war because they believed it to be politically "smart" and the "safe" position.  There is nothing more cynical and nothing that our people hate more than that.

    What a load of bullshit we're being asked to swallow by Obama on this issue!   Does he think we are that stupid?  It appears that way.  Could he possibly even believe this garbage.  I think not. 

    As far as I'm concerned, Obama should start returning all the money he's collected from all those suckers who thought he really was different and not just another craven, cowardly, calculating DC Democrat more committed to himself than to the nation or the people he allegedly represents.

    Comments

    You're outraged at this, but not so much the whole Wild West cowboy attitude that got us here in the first place by Buch and co. You know, the not so patriotic Patriot Act.

    I suggest waiting until Jan 21. You may see some huge changes to FISA when there is a President Obama who will follow the original FISA structure.


    by Jade7243 (not verified) on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 9:17pm

    Jade, maybe you're right. But "change you can believe in
    eventually " is not Barack Obama's campaign theme.

    And as far as FISA telecom immunity is concerned, I'm afraid that Barack Obama is guilty of what he said Hillary was guilty of:

    saying or doing anything to get elected.

    I'm voting for Obama. It doesn't mean I have to approve of everything he does, though.


    by tpmgary (not verified) on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 9:59pm

    Because Obama is willing to compromise to see that the president can no longer skirt the law to trample on the right to privacy we can now say goodbye to "healthcare, education, mass transit, and the environment?"

    Overreact much?

    I couldn't really care much less about whether a few telecom companies have retroactive immunity from lawsuits. They won't have future immunity.

    It takes a lot of courage to stand up and say no when the most powerful person in the world is asking you for something. Kudos to Qwest for having that courage. To the others, better luck next time.

    It's the president and his administration that I want held to account for the clusterf*$k that is the last eight years.

    But as impeachment is a gigantic waste of time and money, that can't happen until President Obama is in the White House.

    Let's keep our eyes on the prize, shall we?


    by Orlando (not verified) on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 10:01pm

    And what, pray tell, is the prize my dear?

    Is the prize another cowardly Democrat who will assuage the masses by claiming that each new capitulation, uh, I mean compromise, is not what he wanted but wait till next time and then we'll do better? How many times can you swallow this same crap and still think the people handing it to you are going to change anything? It's incredible how many people will cling to any excuse not to simply recognize you've been bamboozled!


    by oleeb (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 12:12am

    Wait till January for what Jade? He can't and won't repeal the immunity and all the people in the telecoms and in the Bush regime who trampled our Constitution and broke our laws are laughing all the way to the bank because their crimes are no longer prosecutable.


    by oleeb (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 12:14am

    I haven't been bamboozled. What I liked about Obama from the start was his refusal to participate in knee-jerk politics: democrat-good; republican-bad.

    He recognizes that there is value in incremental change. If they just keep screaming at each other across the isle NOTHING ever gets done. I don't mind compromise and I don't mind not getting my own way on everything as long as there is forward progress.

    And please don't call me "dear." It's insulting.


    by Orlando (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 1:03am

    Another thing, the bill has left the issue of criminal liability unclear, he has stated previously that he would pursue those who broke the law. There is no "pass" for everyone in this bill. I think that we should wait and see. Personally, I think that the habeus and toruture issues are bigger fish to fry at the moment.


    by Ohia (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 2:28am

    the bill has left the issue of criminal liability unclear

    A zealous chief executive may have several avenues of inquiry available for purposes of uncovering exactly what was tapped and upon whom, by whom, but Dept. of Justice resources will be "off the table", as it were, pursuant to the *pardons issued January 19, 2009.


    *Later called by historians, "The Blizzard Pardons", and not because it snowed that day in Washington DC.


    by jollyroger (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 3:45am

    i dont like your tone.


    by freaktown (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 3:56am

    You are confused about the difference between legislators and Presidents.

    Obama said he specifically opposed the immunity aspect of the bill and would work to strip it out or reverse it once he is president.

    Personally, I could care less about immunity from prosecution, so long as the policy changes, which is only possible if Obama is President or we have veto proof majorities in both houses (actually I still think you need control of the executive authority).

    Are you going to be this strident every time an accomplice to murder is granted immunity for his testimony?



    by Economides (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 4:48am

    Good Helen Keller quote.


    by Desidero (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 6:13am

    Tough shit for us, huh? Who cares? Seriously--who the fuck cares? Why is it so important to you? Do you want to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future, or would you rather fight endlessly about the past?

    You're the kind of person who goes on vacation in Europe and then when it rains, spends the entire time whining, "We should have gone to Hawaii."


    by hrebendorf (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 5:03pm

    "He recognizes that there is value in incremental change."

    Yes, amen, and yes again.


    by hrebendorf (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 5:05pm

    Quit acting like a big, fat, spoiled baby. Grow the fuck up.


    by hrebendorf (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 5:08pm

    The Telecoms get off, but Bush has to fess up in writing that he cleared it first. The compromise puts on the record that Bush defied the constitution and sacrificed our freedoms. Since it's unlikely impeachment will ever get through, this is a necessary step toward ending this era of GOP tyranny. Much like the South African Truth Commission, about all we can hope for after this long nightmare is that the facts be exposed for all to see just how evil and un-American this administration is with the hope that it will never be repeated - at least not in our, or our children's lifetimes.

    Yes, we should mourn, but also celebrate that after this long night, the dawning light of hope and change is on the horizon, and we must work to ensure that President Obama will have 60 Dem votes in the Senate so that there will be no need for further compromising our values.


    by Cy Guy (not verified) on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 5:32pm