We surely ought to know that fortunes are being made in the health insurance industry and these corporations are strengthening their positions by giving large donations and opening the door for the ill-conceived and ill-fated HCAN/Obama health plan. Progressives have to be aware of all of these things and that the Democrats are not going to delivery us from this corporate corruption because they are up to their necks in it just as the Republicans are.
It can't be news that we have not only endured eight years of the worst president in American history but also eight years of the worst opposition party in American history. The Democrats could have drawn a line at any point against Bush's disastrous policies and they failed to do so with stunning consistency. From the Patriot Act through the Iraq war resolution to telecom immunity, to the suspension of habeus corpus, leading inexorably to the Wall Street bailout, the Democrats have proved themselves either unmitigated cowards or criminal accessories to Bush's high crimes and misdemeanors.
It cannot be controversial to say that on each of these issues, Barack Obama, who we all hope will be the next president, has sent unequivocal signals that he stands for continued corporate hegemony. On the imperial military he stands for increased funds and continued occupations. On the new economy he has received the most support of any candidate from Wall Street. In healthcare he is prepared to give the insurance companies what they want- continued control and taxpayer dollars. And on the environment, as much as he is signaling a new direction from government, it should be clear that he has few plans to actually confront the entrenched powers that are destroying the planet.
So we can see that the bottom line of this election hinges on two undeniable yet conflicting truths: that Obama has to win and that both he and his party are fatally flawed as agents of redemption. We have to not only reconcile this paradox in our minds, but reconcile it in our strategies for bringing about the changes that we all want.
We have to start then by recognizing that we are in a good position because the first of these imperatives is very nearly realized. Barack Obama will be the next president. So we are free then to begin addressing the second part of our quandary. And the best way to do this is to deliver a strong qualification to his mandate.
If progressive voices make themselves invisible in a mass pro-Obama turnout then they will be at the back of line when it comes to influencing the new president. I shouldn't have to tell you who will be at the front of the line- the same corporations who have pulled the strings in American politics for years. The belief that Obama needs a resounding mandate in order to govern wisely is absolutely misplaced. Such a mandate will only strengthen his ability to pursue those policies that he has talked about in his campaign that we know are wrong and go against the wishes of his constituents. As intelligent, likable and honorable as he may be, he is still prone to arrogance and reliance on establishment advisors.
I admit that for many, perhaps the bulk of Americans who are fed up with the direction our country has taken, this is too complicated a formula to undertake. Also, anyone unwilling to admit to the shortcomings of their beloved candidate should probably content themselves with the simple storyline that I started out with-- you want Obama to be president? So, vote for Obama.
But anyone with the presence of mind to be aware of the inherent paradox of electing an unreformed Democratic party to power, should in all conscience be willing to put themselves on the line. We have to create a counter-mandate to business as usual. A solid Obama win with a significant third party turnout will deliver this message perfectly. There's no reason to prophesize failure for Obama's presidency. I hope he's the best president we've ever had. But it's not going to happen without strong consistent pressure from a vocal, engaged progressive movement. There's nothing to be gained from going easy on the Democrats and everything to be gained from giving them hell.
It's time for a clear opposition voice in this country. And no one who understands the problems I have just outlined should allow this opportunity to pass. You have to register a pre-emptive protest by voting third party.
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