In the latest in a string of caves (Iraq, NAFTA public financing, FISA . . .), Barack Obama announced Friday that he was open to offshore drilling thereby stabbing US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the back. In a rare show of spine (and to please her big donors), Pelosi took offshore drilling off the table and declared that she would refuse to even let it come to a vote. Friday, Barack showed up wearing a skimpy thong of solidarity and talking "compromise."
Captain Caveman's gives away the farm before he's even signed the lease.
Pelosi, after nearly two years as the House leader, finally finds something she can stand firm on and Barack cuts her off at the knees. He can't support the people and he can't even support his own party.
For Barack, it is always and forever about Barack.
It took a lot of stupid for him to get this far and stupid even reached the great Howard Zinn. Hopefully, it's the only stupid thing that Zinn will do for the next four years, but it was stupid of him.
When Barack was getting close to caving on FISA, a number of his supporters took to his campaign's official site to register their objection.
Because The Nation is run by the brain dead and the socially stunted today, they decide to copy that with an open letter. (They only know how to do what was done before, no visionaries or dreamers they.) The open letter is called "Change *We* Can Believe In" and if the starring of "We" didn't indicate to you there was a lot of ego tripping going down, you only had to read the names of those who signed on to the garbage -- including non-Democrat Frances Fox Piven (billed as Francis Piven -- what happened, she looked in a mirror?), The Ego Of Us All's Red Buddy who pimped her hard to The New York Times and did more to lie for Friedan than even she herself did, Democratic Groupie (in the worst sense of "groupie" in the rock world) Norm Solomon, Tom-Tom Hayden (still fretting about the 1969 violence we pointed out recently), Red Billy Fletcher, Take Me To My Divorce Pay Day! Jodie Evans, Emma Goldman lookalike Barbara Ehrenreich, Does-Marlo-Know-You-Signed-That-Garbage Phil Donahue, School Girl Katrina vanden Heuvel (who reportedly came up with the embarrassing phrase "the long night of greed" -- to which C.I. responded, "Oh, she's turned her hand to autobigoraphy?") and, yes, Howard Zinn.
The 'open letter' is not about accountability. It's about fawning and we're reminded yet again that when the non-democratic Don't Run Ralph! crap started in 2004, Zinn sadly hopped on board that as well. "We recognize that compromise is necessary in any democracy!" insist the pathetics as they lick Barack's boots. "We understand that the pressure brought to bear on those seeking the highest office are intense." Blah, blah, blah, garbage, garbage, garbage.
Although John Pilger, Adolph Reed Jr., Doug Henwood, Glen Ford and Paul Street (among others) have made perfectly clear that there is no movement, the open letter lies and pretend there is. They 'source' that false claim with such interesting evidence as, "The millions who . . . visit your website are a powerful testament to this new movement's energy and passion." Ah, yes, the website. Who among us can forget how website traffic kicked off the labor movement at the turn of the last century, how MLK decided to skip speaking to the public and instead post videos to get more 'hits'?
Why does Barack keep caving? Partly because of garbage like this:
Your candidacy has inspired a wave of political enthusiasm like nothing seen in this country for decades. In your speeches, you have sketched out a vision of a better future--in which the United States sheds its warlike stance around the globe and focuses on diplomacy abroad and greater equality and freedom for its citizens at home--that has thrilled voters across the political spectrum.
Barack promotes 'fighting' the 'war on terror,' proposes more US troops in Afghanistan and his advisers want war in Africa. He's never sketched out anything. He's been vague and it's been the liars like Tom-Tom and Katty-van-van who've supplied 'details.'
No change will come from this letter. Hopefully the signees will all receive what their letter truly indicates they want, an 8x10, glossy, autographed photo of Barack.
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Illustration is Isaiah's The World Today Just Nuts "Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels" and the teen angels are: Matthew Rothschild, Peace Resister Katrina vanden Heuvel and Betsy Reed. At least Rothschild showed the good sense (thus far) not to put his name to that garbage. (We're told Betsy's taking lessons in cursive so that she can sign.)
