Mar 20, 2008
Patrick Ayers
Barack Obama has tapped into the anger of millions of Americans who want real change. He often speaks eloquently against the Iraq War, inequality, and injustice while emphasizing hope and change.
But would an Obama presidency bring the change we need? Is he really cut from a different cloth than the rest of the corrupt, corporate-controlled politicians?
A deeper look reveals that Obama does not deserve the support of workers, progressives, or youth. Here are ten reasons why:
1. His biggest contributors are Wall Street banks and corporate law firms.
Seven of his top ten donors are some of the world’s biggest banks and financial institutions that are behind the sub-prime mortgage crisis and are now looking for big bailouts and corporate welfare from the federal government, while the rest of us are left with the bill (see
www.opensecrets.org for a list of Obama’s donors).
2. He won’t end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.
While Obama says he would end the war in 2009, like Clinton he has been very careful to call only for the removal of combat troops from Iraq. His position might look good when compared to McCain’s statements about staying in Iraq for 100 years. In reality, Obama’s plan would also maintain tens of thousands of troops, special operations forces, and bases – as well as private mercenaries like Blackwater - in Iraq for years to come.
3. He promotes the expansion of the U.S. military.
Like Bush, Obama has called for increasing the size of the U.S. military by 92,000 troops. He calls for redeploying thousands of troops from Iraq to Afghanistan to strengthen the U.S. occupation there.
As William Hartung writes, Obama has said “we will probably need to ‘bump up’ the military budget in a new administration” (Foreign Policy in Focus, 2/21/08). At $614 billion (not counting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan!), the proposed U.S. military budget for 2008 is already larger than the rest of the world’s military spending combined.
4. He has repeatedly voted to fund the war in Iraq.
While he spoke out against the war before entering the Senate, as a Senator Obama has voted for over $300 billion in funding to continue the war.
5. He supports the continuation of the for-profit healthcare system.
Michael Moore’s film Sicko has provided ample evidence to show the key problem with the U.S. healthcare system is that it is controlled by big, for-profit insurance companies and HMOs, yet Obama wants to leave power in their hands.
Moore points out that Obama is “now the second largest recipient of health industry payola after Hillary” and now takes “more money from the people committed to stopping universal healthcare than any of the Republican candidates” (michaelmoore.com, 1/4/08).
6. He supports NAFTA and corporate free trade.
In the Ohio primaries, Obama decried how corporate free trade deals like NAFTA have hurt millions of working people. Yet within days, it came out that his top economic advisor was telling the Canadian government not to take it seriously – it was “more about political positioning than a clear articulation of policy plans” (AP, 3/3/08).
This hypocrisy is not new. As the Associated Press reported, “In his 2004 Senate campaign, [Obama] said the U.S. should pursue more deals such as NAFTA” (2/26/08).
7. He voted to re-authorize the Patriot Act in 2005.
As Ralph Nader’s running mate Matt Gonzalez points out, this was “easily the worst attack on civil liberties in the last half-century. It allows for wholesale eavesdropping on American citizens under the guise of anti-terrorism efforts” (“The Obama Craze: Count Me Out,” beyondchron.com, 2/27/08).
8. He voted for the 2006 bill to build a 700-mile fence on the U.S.-Mexican border.
This racist, anti-immigrant, nationalistic bill will force immigrants to cross in even more dangerous areas. Around 500 immigrants die each year attempting to cross the
what we need is less greed and able to keep our religious freedoms.
1 week agothere was a case recently that the government was tryin to pass a law in northern ireland that stated religious freedom but in actual fact when it was read it was really opressive on christians and wanted a neutrality on religion to prevent offending anyone. this would not muslims or aethiests or budhists etc.
this meant that if the christians outside castle court handed out a flyer and someone siad that it offended them then the christian would be taken to court.
this law was not passed due to jeffrey donaldson and all the other christian politicians fighting for us but times are changing now were christians are and will be getting it rough from the government so as to prevent offending anyone and fear of political incorrect terms being used such as "there is one god".
[Part 2]
3 weeks agoHowever I don't see how they have the right to make money out of services like gas, electricity, transport etc when god knows how many elderly die each winter from cold all just so that some greedy c*nt can make his multi billion pound budget even larger. That disgusts me.
It also angers me when people spend there entire lifes without doing a single days work and the government are happy to let them, whilst people who spend 7 days a week grafting to bring the pennies in are discriminated against.
And it angers me when the NHS is in such a crisis, the politically correct government spend £37billion per year on the European Union, and and about to spend £50billion on providing free translation services at hospitals for those immigrants who 'choose not to learn English'. If they refuse to learn English, we should kick them out, simple as that.
So yer I do favour socialism all in all, and hope 'New Labour' return to their roots fairly soon.
[Part 1]
3 weeks agoHi my name's Sam I'm from northern England and I too support socialism, as I see capitalism as a system where the rich tories introdce policies which benefit the rich and basically destroy the working class communities ie the poll tax and privatisation under Thatcher.
However under Labour in the 1970's, all the nationalised businesses were failing badly, which meant hey had to increase charges which made them worse; and since they had access to the treasury, they were just a drain to the government and people. The economy progressed very little, and the nationalised car company British Leyland produced some of the worlds most laughable cars.
I also see having a future only controlled by the state a little weary as wouldn't that destroy aspiration and dreams by just sending the nations 16year olds down the pit?
So I have found that neither system is perfect. However, I do not agree that the capitalists have a right to make profit out of public services... [cont.]
hi my name's mark. i support socialism, democratic socalism. i think it's a fair type of regime, making everyone equal and have freedom.
4 weeks agoi don't really feel in the mood of saying much so I'll keep it short ans sweet.
i wish socialism was dominant in most countries because capitalism only benefits the rich, and when it fails, the working class have to suffer to make it right again.
great group
o/
4 weeks agothis guy's a tit!
5 weeks agohttp://uk.youtube.com/user/JackBrindelli
bleugh!
Maybe we need a complete cultural revolution where people are not that pushed into the whole "keeping up with the Jones" lifestyle and be happy with what they have.
5 weeks agoThe Recession = the greatest hangover Ireland and the world has ever had since 1929
hmmm the whole 'loot the looters' idea seems good... good take on Lenin
its tru dat the onli real way 2 make socialism work is 2 try and bring everyone closer in socio economic level. Only problem (if u look at how people are reacting to the idea particularly in the US - note the most capitalist and free market county on the globe) the rich believe they DESERVE their wealth - as they see it - they have worked hard to become so wealthy so why should they give it to people who sponge off the govt? The problem is that so many people have such greed and pride. There are probably many people who purely inherit their fortunes, while yes there are people who work for it. There are also those who feed off the govt, unwilling to work, yet there are so many who just cant find work or are working so hard yet struggle to make ends meet. The largest problem is making this point clear to the wealthy. If this was tackled then I think hightened taxes of the rich could be accepted.
6 weeks agoxxx
I'd rather be pro Socialist than anti capitalist. If ur focusing on one country then its the same thing, but if its global i'd rather focus on keeping a good socialis state than rampaging round kicking all other capitalist countries up the arse
7 weeks agoSolidarity from the anti-capitalist alliance
7 weeks agojoin now!
Don't Dis Obama..he may not be Che Guevara, George Galloway or James Connoly but combined with Joe Biden, he will do more for Working Class people in America than McCain and Palin. We will not see an ideal Left wing President like we need and want but Obama is as close as we will get to a Socialist president. VOTE OBAMA AMERIACA AND SINN FEIN IRELAND!!!
8 weeks agoAnyone seen "Goodbye Lenin"?
9 weeks agoGreat German film, I found it was a really good watch.
You might want to but a copy with subtitles though if ur not up on your Deutsche.
Sweet
9 weeks agoLong live the 32 county Irish Democratic Socialist Republic nothin less we are nationalists and internationalists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10 weeks ago!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Workers power wil triumph we must smash this system mo chairde and my comrades.
Religion!!!
11 weeks agohttp://www.bebo.com/WallLarge.jsp?Ar...
teehee
MAKE CAPATILISM HISTORY NOW!!!! add brendan_celtic67@hotmail.co.uk
11 weeks agoGreat page, keep it up guys.
11 weeks agoThat might've been me but I'm not sure and fail to care.
11 weeks agoAnd I think you can join, we're lefties here, so no Nationalists or Thatcherites telling anyone not born on the same bit of dirt as us to sod off.
Like the pun? (if you can find it)
I'm not Irish but Can I still jion. Or is this Irish only with no English?
11 weeks agoJust wondering?
And to the moron few comments below.
of course recession is a bad thing everyone gets pooerer and the country slumps! Christ alive, if brians were dynamite then you couldn't blow yur ruddy hat off!
Don't forget bebo is still a social site, not just a political broadcast/debate page.
11 weeks agoHave some music:
http://uk.music.yahoo.com/launchcast...
Its mostly Chillout/Rock/Metal, just skip to the next track if you don't like the song that's playing.