Under the Thumb of Corporations

Today, OpenSecrets.org posted the latest in their series of exposés on how the bundlers of McCain and Obama are among Wall Street’s tumblers. What is most alarming to me is not the fact that both are under the thumb of the corporations but that Obama, the candidate of change, seems to be duping Americans.

For example, OpenSecrets’ posting says, “Obama's list gives the appearance that he has not leaned so heavily on Wall Street, although since his campaign has ignored repeated requests from the Center for Responsive Politics and other watchdog groups to disclose his bundlers' employers and occupations, these figures are probably undercounts.”

How appalling is it that the candidate for the “change we need” or the “change we can believe in” will not disclose his bundlers’ employers and occupations? How shameful is it that Obama and the Democratic Party would risk Americans’ hopes and aspirations by hiring corporate financiers (people who have created the economic strife Americans are experiencing) and then attempt to hide it or pass off these financiers as something they are not? How despicable that he would do this and make it easier for McCain to remain neck-and-neck with him in the polls because he is just as tied to Wall Street as McCain is and even worse, he refuse to fully disclose that fact to the public because he knows his supporters would resent him for having such close ties?

There’s more to be written. There’s more to be said about Obama and his ties to the giants that have fallen or come crawling to the federal government asking to be rescued. There’s much more to be said about the way Congress has not taken action.

In the meantime, all I can think of is, how do you satire satire? The Daily Show has been offering A+ commentary on the fumblings and tumblings on Wall Street. The show has been especially attentive to the way our leaders respond to the crisis. But, it’s so easy---just watch Secretary of the Treasury Henry Paulson or White House Press Secretary Dana Perino and you’ll see how easy it is.

Such is the state of affairs in America. The downward spiraling economy and the reckless foreign policy of America combine in a way that does not move people to act. It does not result in people Googling extensively to find out what is really going on (although some Americans will). It does not move people to throw off the chains of the two-party system. Rather, it moves them to tune into The Daily Show (or even The Colbert Report) at 11 pm ET.

And why not? I'm tuning in. It's times like these that satire is the most entertaining.

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