well he’s certainly made a start with his campaign promise on global warming, climate change was one of his big rallying cries, now he needs to move ahead with his plans for medicare.

Fundamental change cannot occur under a Democratic administration, no matter who is presiding it, because the Democratic party is not a left-wing party that believes in fundamental change. Democrats do not call the second amendment into question, they do not openly oppose use of the death penalty, and they are willing to overlook certain instances of torture.

Thus despite all the rhetoric about “change”, it should not be expected that Obama close down Guantánamo, and it certainly should not be expected that he proceed with the timely withdrawal of troops from Iraq. The proximity of the two major parties remains a major obstacle to radical change in American political philosophy.

For more: http://www.ilpodesta.org/

The Obiden leadership is not going to SUPPORT a grass roots movement, it is going to OPPOSE it.  It has to, because it’s policies conflict with the policies of the rich Zionist, militarist neolibs that finacned his campaign.

The function of the Dem leadership is to make ruling class polices acceptable to the progressive population.  They adhere to the Likud Zionism of Inherit, the militarism of Tony Wicher, the legalist restrictions of cann4ing, and the poisonous cynicism of Cyrena. They will concede as little as possible to anti-war, anti-imperialism, class equality, and real democracy.  And they certainly don’t was to strengthen a mass movement of such policies.

Obama has more in common with Gops than he has with anti-imperialist progressives.  That is why he is reaching out to them, and pushing away, as much as possible, progressives.  But Dem adherents don’t want to acknowledge it.

A mass movement must oppose BOTH the Dem-Gop coalition.

The article above states, “All of his bipartisan gestures, however necessary and sincere, need not mean that Obama must abandon his promises of change upon taking the oath of office.”

What “change” will that really be?

I believe Obama will do nothing of significance toward the worthy mission of ending this government’s imperialism. His foreign policy, packaged in a more sanitized smooth style,  will not bring peace or prosperity to America or the world. It will continue the brutality.  In my opinion it will be a policy of war continued with our forces in Iraq for years, and warmongering in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a policy of bombings, sanctions, detention camps and needless continuance of our military presence in nearly every part of the world. 

The only difference will be a U.S. president who will be better at trying to clean up our image through token actions and fine words.  But U.S. imperialism will continue unfettered as it has for decades.

I invite you to read my “No Hope For Change This Veterans Day:” http://christinesmith.us/wordpress/2008/11/10/no-hope-for-change-this-veterans-day/

Maybe, Smendler, but it’s harder.

>>we can pull the population opinion center to the left, where it already partially is, but not the Elite ruling class center

I’m not so sure about that, Folktruther…  It takes a lot of pressure, to be sure, but those folks are not invulnerable (at least, the ones who still have consciences ;*).  Part of the pressure can take the form of demanding access to the existing halls of power, even as others of us work on creating alternative power structures/forms of social relations.  We need to use all avenues at our disposal, and all available tools and techniques.

The problem is, Smendler, that we can pull the population opinion center to the left, where it already partially is, but not the Elite ruling class center. The power structure center is base on neoliberalism, militarism, and Likud Zionism.  And infects the leadership of both parties.

Which means that it is necessary to polarize the population between anti-imperialist progressives and those who support the Dem-Gop power structure.  This resistence might mute some of the worst excesses of the coming period, such as the military draft that both Obama and McCain favor.  And perhaps decrease military spending and war to free some funds for the population.

>>Obama is governing from the ruling class opinion center, not the opinion center of the population, most of whom didn’t vote.

I think this is a key insight.  It’s up to progressives to put enough weight on the teeter-totter, if you will, to bring the center more to the left.  We’re going to have to demand to be heard, and do it loudly and repeatedly (without sacrificing respect, dignity, stuff like that).

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/obama-meet-w-nader.html

Obama is governing from the ruling class opinion center, not the opinion center of the population, most of whom didn’t vote. The calculated ambiguity of what is meant by the ‘center’ helps the Dems legitimate right wing policies to progressives.

I really don’t see (so far) how you can call it the center, when Obama hires for his chief of staff, a civilian volunteer of the Israeli Defense Force and huge supporter of AIPAC. The idea of Lawrence Summers as a name to be floated out there for a second stint as Treasury Secretary is not comforting. Maybe Obama needs to consult with Brooksley Born.

If obama wants to get on with ‘bringing’ people together changing our perception of the US by the world, straighten out the economy(retirement, healthcare,jobs, environment, and fix the infrastructure of our country), then he better get us the hell our of 2 disastrous wars, fire the majority of the generals in the pentagon and get a handle on the lobbyists that are all trying to game the system, meaning, the system needs changing back to oversight and accountablility and judicial proceedings . If he doesn’t, there will be little difference from what is now and what will be, and 2012 will be a different story because he was not elected to continue imperialistic wars that will not allow our country to recover from its current dilemma.

When George Bush is on his ranch mending fences or clearing brush, he may be conscious of it then now that he has time to reflect.