November 10, 2008 at 05:11:30

Obama Mania

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-- supports the Paulson bailout plan and the fraudsters that get it;

-- backs repressive immigration legislation affecting people of color;

-- is beholden to his corporate backers; and

-- is committed to a pro-business agenda overall.

He steered clear of criticizing Wall Street, and appears ready to back down on his campaign pledge to cut taxes for earners under $200,000 and raise them on incomes over $250,000. When asked point blank, he waffled and said this policy may be reconsidered, which is clear evidence it's been scrubbed.

He's reputed not to be a member of the far-to-the-right-of-center Democratic Leadership Council (DLC), but according to its founder, Al From, he's on board for "a good part of the strategy we have articulated over the years." He added that Obama has an "intellectual" and "tactical" connection to the DLC. It was clear in his first appointment - Rahm Emanuel.

He's a key DLC member in good standing. The organization Ralph Nader calls "corporatist (and) soulless." Governing from the far right no different than Republicans. Founded in 1985, it grew dominant in the party under then governor Clinton and Senators Gore, Lieberman and John Breaux.

Its ideology is anti-labor, anti-populist, anti-welfare, pro-business, and very amenable to imperialism, militarism, and foreign wars. Again Ralph Nader: "To the DLC mind, Democrats are catering to 'special interests' when they stand up for trade unions, regulatory consumer-investor protections, a pre-emptive peace policy overseas, pruning the bloated military budget now devouring (the federal budget), defending Social Security from Wall Street schemes, and pressing for universal health care coverage. So right-wing is the DLC....that even opposing Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy....is considered ultra-liberal and contrary to winning campaigns."

DLC "special interests" include the rights of blacks, Hispanics, Latino immigrants, Muslims, labor, the poor, consumer justice groups, populism, progressivism, environmental protection, anti-war activists, peace supporters, groups demanding corporate and war criminals be prosecuted, and anyone believing that America should have honest elections and be governed democratically.

Based on early indications, these "interests" appear sidelined in a new Obama administration. But not according to New York Times columnist Bob Herbert in his "Take a Bow, America" article. "The nation deserves to take (one). This is not the same place it used to be."

In his latest Times commentary, our newest economics Nobel laureate, Paul Krugman, agreed in calling November 4 "a date that will live in fame. If the election of our first African-American president didn't stir you, if it didn't leave you teary-eyed and proud of your country, there's something wrong with you. But will the election also mark a turning point in the actual substance of policy? Can Barak Obama really usher in a new era of progressive policies? Yes he can."

Times writer Frank Rich agreed as well in his article titled "It Still Felt Good the Morning After (as) America's tears of catharsis gave way to unadulterated joy....millions of....Americans were....waiting for a leader. This was the week that they reclaimed their country."

It will await a future one before they realize they were fooled again. The nation will remain in safe elitist hands. It won't get "a new New Deal" Krugman advocates given the names being floated to serve in it who seem to have passed under the radar screens of the above commentators.

Tom Daschle

The former Senate majority leader. Now a special policy advisor at the Alston & Bird law firm and visiting professor at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute. He's also a senior fellow at John Podesta's Center for American Progress. Possible posts mentioned include secretary of state, health and human resources for his work on health care, and agriculture for the same reason.

Richard Holbrooke

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I am a 72 year old, retired, progressive small businessman concerned about all the major national and world issues, committed to speak out and write about them.

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