Z, sorry, writing this from my Blackberry on the train, meant to cast no aspersions on your masculinity. Meant "childish". That one still stands. "Evil sees as evil does?" Oh come on now, Obama is "evil"? That's a pretty strong word, one I would reserve for few people--Hitler, Genghis Khan, etc. But you're free to hate Obama if you like, you will certainly will have lots of company, though it is not company I would personally want to keep.

jimmy,

"Take your meds and get a good night sleep. It will all look better tomorrow."

Thanks for your advice, but I'll defer. I don't know exactly why, but something makes me think that you're a little bit out of your league in giving medical advice.

But I'm sure that no matter what happens ... no matter what the head pr man of the establishment does today ... that he'll still look the same to you tomorrow as he did the moment that you fell in love with him.

Z

Spot on!

Before the 2008 election, I had spent hours and 100's of faxes to Harry Reid and Nancy Palosi and my Senators and Representatives to PLEASE bring impeachment for war crimes to the people who clearly had committed them. But they ignored mine and millions of others request.

After the election, I thought that President Obama would stand up and show the rest of the world that we really do believe in truth and justice.... but no, it has not happened.

And now the flaws in the logic to keep the tax cuts for the rich while taking away unemployment payments to the poor seems obvious to not just Rachel Maddow, but to most Americans. And yet, why is it that the President does not seize this opportunity to do what is right, and at this point obvious?

He needs to realize that the recent election does not show the will of the people as much as the will of the corporate supported media.

He needs to communicate and implement the democratic agenda - to support the American dream and ideals with fiscally responsible, viable policies to deal with the current economic crisis - and ignore the republican agenda - which seems to include total financial irresponsibility and socialism for the rich!

One thing I'm too old to quit -- and it's a damn shame -- is living in this damn Moron Nation called the United States; at age 70 and in declining health, I no longer have the option of immigrating to Canada, Europe or anywhere else.

Though I voted for Obama, I recognized he was giving us all the finger when he appointed the hate-pastor Rick Warren to read the inaugural invocation: the ceremonial equivalent of a keynote address at a political invention.

From that moment on, I knew "change we can believe in" was never more than a Big Lie, that Obama had been hired by the Ruling Class to do exactly what he is doing -- functioning as Barack the Betrayer -- and that "hope" is thus forever reduced to imbecility.

Good for you, WRP! Keep the emphysema and cancer from getting you. Get out and exercise vigorously to get rid of the tension the political sewage is causing. Too many wonderful people have been lost decades before their times to needless cripplers and killers like emphysema and cigarette-induced lung cancer. Stay with us. Whatever happens with politics, we need people like you.

Stockholm syndrome, Schlockholm syndrome, it does not g.d. matter why he's acting
like a dazed rabbit being run over by a tank,
it's time to go up against the tank
hammer and tong.
Well people, when are you (pundits listen up!!)
when are you gonna just say this is it , this is our declaration and manifesto,
Barack Obama has
abdicated his responsibility to preserve, protect, and defend the constitution,
he ain't our standard bearer anymore.
Let's get on to some REAL leadership and get campaign 2012 going
loud and strong and big time NOW!!!

Obama is not weak. He is a scumbag that betrayed all the people that voted for him. From day one he installed right wing people in his administration. Even before he got elected he actually stopped his campaign to go approve a bailout with no conditions of any kind.

All I can say is Malcom X... Read his speech. I believe it was called, "The Ballot or the Bullet".

It's people like you that smoked Obamantion's platitudes that put this unik in office in the first place. It's a little to late to come out of your stupor now Mr. Pitt.

His record BEFORE the nomination showed he was a corporate whore.

His actions just after being elected show he was a corporate whore as he surrounded himself by corporate pimps.

His actions now....well you STILL do not get the picture...Stockholm syndrome,wishing for Santa to do the job !?

I HOPE he gets impeached, because even Palin could beat him now.

Stick to the cigarettes.

Look up Obama's pre-election pledge to the AIPAC and ALL will make perfect sense.

If you're going to vote Republican or Democrat, you're going to remain fucked irrespective of who resides in the White House or who controls Congress.

All that articles and thinking of this sort accomplish is to further erode Obama's strength. As progressives leave the democrats to their own devices, the republican party is strengthened. When Sarah Palin or some other republican gets elected in 2012, the progressives who bailed will bear a lot of the responsibility.

Tobacco companies and other corporations own Obama and both political parties, as they have owned Bush, etc. So WRP, realize that your cigarette addiction is a form of assisted suicide that a corporation induced you to choose, in which you pay them so that they can sell you a drug that you kill yourself with. That's how evil the capitalist profiteers are, and a similar paradigm operates in the military industries, the Pentagon, bankers, mining, logging, etc. The death industries control the planet, and the tobacco industry helped you kill your lungs. Read Derrick Jensen's What we Leave Behind and you will see the reality of what's happening. And never go back to the tobacco. It's suicide.

What kills me is that after Obama has let down all of us progressives, is the right wing hates him more than ever and has made it their agenda to make him a one term president above all else. They play the race card every chance they get. It's "in" to disrespect the president. I had an inkling that having a black president might be more trouble than it's worth, but on election night I was very proud of my country for electing Obama. I am old enough to not expect miracles from a democratic president. Politics in America is about character assassination and in the case of the Kennedys, real assassination. Politics just keeps getting uglier and uglier. The working man has lost and the billionaires have won. That's the way it has been and always will be. The super rich will destroy this country and still be super rich. We are truly in the age of "stupid"!

Basically, obama is a low-life, vacuous, narcissistic piece of trash that hijacked the hopes of tens of millions of people so that he could strut and preen on the world’s biggest stage and have us join him in a celebration of himself. He’s a disgusting human being.

Z

The undemocratic Democratic Party, of which Mr. Obama is a member, is not a political party in the real sense of the term. They are a safety valve which is used when the pressures for change start to build pressure inside the system. If I can mix metaphors, the undemocratic Democratic Party is also a stick used to beat real reformers when they rightly call things the way they are in America.

If you haven't seen the various clips circulating throughout the Internet tubes on "The Death of the Liberal Class" by Chris Hedges, please check them out. The undemocratic Democrats in Congress and the White House have sold the working class and the middle class down the river.

Obama was never a progressive. He didn't quit on us -- he NEVER WAS. Too bad people fell for the soaring rhetoric and didn't do their homework.

CANDIDATES' VOTING RECORDS COMPARED — January 2005 through 2008 (while all three were Senators)

Fourteen of the most significant, most prominent, and/or most revealing votes taken during this period. (NV means "not voting.")

(1) Confirmation of Condoleeza Rice to be Secretary of State
Vote taken: 1/26/2005
Analysis: Neo-con, war criminal
Clinton: Yes
Obama: Yes
McCain: Yes

(2) Tort "reform" (Class Action Fairness Act of 2005)
Vote taken: 2/10/2005
Analysis: Opposed by more than 68 consumer, civil rights, environmental and labor groups, it was described as the "final [Republican] payback to the tobacco, asbestos, oil and chemical industries, at the expense of ordinary families whose health has been compromised."
Clinton: No
Obama: Yes
McCain: Yes

(3) Dayton Amendment (S.Amdt. 31) to the 2005 Bankruptcy Act
Vote taken: 3/3/2005
Analysis: Would cap credit card interest rates at 30%. Senator Dayton provided examples of predatory lenders charging vulnerable people more than 1000%/year interest. Republicans argued that "free-markets" should set interest rates, and government should not interfere.
Clinton: Yes
Obama: No
McCain: No

(4) Energy Policy Act of 2005
Vote taken: 7/29/2005
Analysis: Often referred to as the Dick Cheney Energy Bill (industry lobbyists wrote it in secret in his White House office), this corporate-welfare bill was called "bad policy" by Public Citizen because it gives "billions of dollars in unjustified subsidies to the fossil fuel and nuclear energy industries," rolls back environmental regulations for the oil and gas industry, and "repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA), an essential consumer protection that ensures that electric utilities exist to serve the people, not the profit interests of large corporations."
Clinton: No
Obama: Yes
McCain: No

(5) Dorgan Amendment (S.Amdt. 1665) to the 2005 Commerce Appropriations Bill
Vote taken: 9/15/2005
Analysis: Would prevent future NAFTA-like trade deals that allow "dumping" of products into the U.S. at prices below their cost of acquisition (harming U.S. farmers, ranchers, businesses and workers), by prohibiting the Commerce Department from weakening current countervailing duties and antidumping laws.
Clinton: Yes
Obama: No
McCain: No

(6) Confirmation of John Roberts to the Supreme Court
Vote taken: 9/29/2005
Analysis: Hard right-winger
Clinton: No
Obama: No
McCain: Yes

(7) Confirmation of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court
Vote taken: 1/31/2006
Analysis: Hard right-winger
Clinton: No
Obama: No
McCain: Yes

(8) USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
Vote taken: 3/1/2006
Analysis: Allows the government to spy on citizens in "fishing expeditions" without probable cause or a court order, including listening to telephone calls, intercepting emails, accessing private medical records, library records and bank records, and searching homes and businesses without permission or knowledge.
Clinton: Yes
Obama: Yes
McCain: Yes

(9) Nomination of Dirk Kempthorne to be Secretary of the Interior
Vote taken: 5/26/2006
Analysis: Hard right-winger who received an overall score of zero from the League of Conservation Voters during his six years in the Senate.
Clinton: No
Obama: Yes
McCain: Yes
(Hillary and just seven other Democrats voted to block Kempthorne's nomination.)

(10) Feinstein Amendment (S.Amdt. 4882) to the 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations Act
Vote taken: 9/06/2006
Analysis: Outlaws use of cluster bombs in most cases, in order to protect civilian lives from unexploded cluster munitions.
Clinton: No
Obama: Yes
McCain: No

(11) Iraq withdrawal timeline goal (2007 Supplemental Appropriations Act)
Vote taken: 3/29/2007
Analysis: Provides that, "The President shall commence the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, with the goal of redeploying, by March 31, 2008, all United States combat forces from Iraq."
Clinton: Yes
Obama: Yes
McCain: No

(12) Kyl-Lieberman resolution on Iran
Vote taken: 9/26/2007
Analysis: Tantamount to a declaration of war (Sen. James Webb, former Secretary of the Navy).
Clinton: Yes
Obama: NV
McCain: NV

(13) Feingold-Reid Amendment (S.Amdt. 3164) to the 2008 Department of Defense Appropriations Act
Vote taken: 10/3/2007
Analysis: Requires the President to safely redeploy all U.S. troops from Iraq by June 30, 2008, except for those needed for al Qaeda operations, security and training.
Clinton: Yes
Obama: NV
McCain: No

(14) Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) amendment (H.R. 6304)
Vote taken: 7/9/2008
Analysis: Legalizes warrantless wiretapping of, and spying on, Americans by the federal government in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution. Covers up and excuses more than 30 felony crimes committed by President Bush when he authorized the illegal wiretaps. Provides retroactive immunity to lawbreaking telecom companies and terminates all pending lawsuits against them.
Clinton: No
Obama: Yes
McCain: NV

A good progressive would have voted as follows:

(1) Condoleeza Rice: NO
(2) Tort "reform": NO
(3) Cap credit card interest rates at 30%: YES
(4) Energy bill: NO
(5) Prevent unfair trade deals: YES
(6) John Roberts: NO
(7) Samuel Alito: NO
(8) USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization: NO
(9) Dirk Kempthorne: NO
(10) Outlaw cluster bombs: YES
(11) Iraq withdrawal timeline goal: YES
(12) Kyl-Lieberman resolution on Iran: NO
(13) Iraq withdrawal timeline requirement: YES
(14) Illegal wiretapping: NO

Here are the candidates' progressive vote totals:

Clinton score: 10 of 14
Obama score: 4 of 14
McCain score: 1 of 14

Th real smoking habit that people need to quit is the idea that elections in America CAN change anything. I admit I caved into hope while voting, along with the excitement they are able to generate during campaigns (and this time, packaged as a 1st woman or 1st African American), but all along, I was skeptical, and expected that we would be in for a number of disappointments, some quite great, as far as war and health care were concerned.

(I know any longer post won't make it past the spam dragon, so I'll continue below)

(continued from above, we hope)

So, you have understand, just like understanding your smoking habit when you quit, William, that you too, are a one-night stand sex addict like the rest of consumer America when it comes to voting. Worse yet, you're a writer, and as you get caught up in the throes of mass frenzy, you are encouraging it even more, since you participate in the mass media consumption machine (albeit to a much lesser extent at places like truthout.)

Why, personally, I don't have the answers as far as continuing to vote for democrats or going third party. Sure, turn in a ballot, cross everryone off if you must, but I'd be insane if I pointed the finger at people voting for neighbor or told everyone I know they're jeopardizing the nation's health and well being if they don't vote for democrats.

(continuing past the spam dragon ..)

In a nut shell, we the People are their one-night stand. They'll ever be walkng out the door in the morning to go back to their real wives and husbands -- the corporations.

Accept it, America. Vote, but stop looking for answers there. Like the American farmers who put down their plows and picked up their guns -- pick up yours too -- but in the form of your cell phones -- and cancel your health insurance policies.

Of course this should be organized and doctors and hospitals should be compelled to participate and put their money where their mouths are (since they say 55% support opening up Medicare) -- but that is something we DO have control over, while the elections, we do not. It is a sick co-dependent relationship, where the cheaters using you always return home to the real spouse.

COME TO TERMS WITH THIS AMERICA AND QUIT SCREWING AROUND.

The only politician who never disappointed me was Howard Dean. If he would run again, I'd go right back out to the streets for him. Barack Obama, not so much.

Most of their articles supported the airport crack-down. W.R.P. is mostly smoke and mirrors entertainment, not serious intellectualism. To make them "look" like they're with the "proletariat." It's like the Republicans with their "lumpen" proletariat variety to keep the masses titilated. He'll be smoking forever, in the figurative sense. And his article on "Thanksgiving" was crap. William Burroughs he is not.

Have been getting my (cheaper) nicorettes for a decade from an Australasian country. It's insane that the anti-smoking effort is coming from so far away. At great environmental cost.

I was watching a show on Democracy Now where a guest, living in Southern Chile decried that his hotel butter came from Australasia when HIS region produces very good butter, locally. He thought it was an insane economic model.

Nothing will change until Americans stop voting for "Cheerleaders" (Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush, Hilary, Obama, etc.). I dismissed Obama as an airhead before the primaries. It's the people who were gullible enough to swallow his BS that are the big barrier to real change.

A friend just sent me this article. I think the left is just as out of touch as the right, as you can see his poll numbers have not changed much after all the bashing from left, right and everywhere. I still have faith in him. He will be remembered as a great President. Just remember what he inherited.

American are uninformed. They believe commercials, for crying out loud.

anonymous at 7:35...they may believe in commercials,but believing in obomber is even DUMBER

OK - what if Obama really is a person of integrity, and ran to show everyone that the Dems cannot be relied on? Maybe he is sacrificing himself to make it really obvious that the system is beyond repair.

It reminds me a little of Sir Thomas Moore. He was tasked by the Tudors with writing a history of Richard III. Even though he was a highly respected scholar, there are egregious factual errors sprinkled through out that work, that don't appear in his other work. He of course had to write a very negative view of Richard III. But as a person of integrity, he left clues that might cause a future historian to pause.

It's interesting to ponder at least. Perhaps Obama is a true progressive whose greatest contribution will be showing ordinary people how badly broken the system is. Will they get it?

William,

Yeah, it's really discouraging. We'll just have to keep complaining and shouting out warnings while we wait for economic conditions to degenerate to the point where enough of our countrymen realize that they've been bamboozled.

My hope is that the Economy falls apart before the Ecologic life-support system of the planet falls apart.

In the meantime, stay away from those cigarettes. Don't let the bastards ruin your personal health even before they ruin everything else.

Z, I agree it was a far-out thing to say. I don't think it's a much of a real possibility. I do think he has betrayed his progressive base. But I also think he is a smart guy. So I'm just trying to think outside the box.

All I know is that this latest week has more people talking about quitting on the system and taking up real revolution than I've heard in a very long time. It just makes one think...

But responding to you is probably much like Obama trying to appease the repubs. You've just decided that everyone who doesn't spew the same thing you do is a dumbass.

It's not that I can't stomach it. It just doesn't make much sense to me. Why misrepresent yourself if you're going to just do what the other guy would have done?

I think we can agree that he sold us out. I'm guessing Hilary would have too. Her hubby certainly did, though he never ran as a progressive. I'm actually not a democrat, but up until last week I did believe that Obama was who he said he was. He just seemed so real.

I was the one who posted originally that it looks like he is either being threatened, has been beaten down, or is intentionally betraying us.

I'm just curious. I don't know what's going on, just what it looks like. I am not making up theories to make myself feel better; I'm just asking questions of a situation that doesn't really make much sense.

P.S. I agree with you that I don't like the division on this site between "not verified" posters and FB posters. It's yucky.

I work on a college campus, and one thing I'm convinced of: Hilary would never have taken the election if she'd won the primary. It was Barack Obama's inspiring young people to get involved in politics that brought them out in droves and won the election for him. So if we'd all been brilliant enough to "read the future" and supported Hilary (for whom, by the way, I have a great deal of regard), we'd be trashing President McCain today instead. Where would you rather be?

Do any of you understand yet why us third-party freaks continually "throw our votes away" instead of encouraging this charade?