Why We Can't Believe In Change

Follow the money, and a potential Obama presidency looks more and more like just another case of "meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

Sure, the handcart may slow down a little on its journey, but it still appears headed inexorably down the same one-way track with the same invisible hand at the controls. And, for those who hunger for real "change we can believe in", that is scant motivation to get out the vote for the Democratic candidate this election cycle.

The Constant Promise of Jam Tomorrow

P.M. Carpenter over at BuzzFlash tells all of us lefties to, in so many words, just shut up and lump it in relation to Barack Obama's early abandonment of some of the very ideals and principles that inspired so many people to support him with an energy and enthusiasm arguably unseen since the ill-fated campaign of Robert F. Kennedy. After all, Carpenter tuts, the goal is victory in November rather than righteousness in June and, once the former has been achieved, St. Barack will go back to being the principled and visionary leader who got us all worked up in the first place.

When have we heard this kind of nonsense before?

While there are certainly clear differences between the situations - Barack Obama is not, insofar as anyone can tell, on a crusade to modernize and overhaul the Democratic Party in a quest to appeal to Middle America in the way that Tony Blair dragged Labour rightwards to appeal to Middle England - the hopes that a politician will return to some kind of left-of-centre principles and policies after the business of getting elected has been achieved have, more often than not, proven to be misplaced before and seem just as likely to prove a fallacy now. Politics, we are so often reminded in times like these, is a cynical and merciless business that more often than not leaves a trail of disillusionment in its wake.

Caveat emptor.

Buyer's Remorse Part II

David Brooks, in an op-ed in the New York Times, suggests yet more reasons for concern about St. Barack aside from the whole shameful FISA sell-out.

Campaign finance reform appears to be going out the window yet again, ushered out by

...a phalanx of big money bundlers, including, according to The Washington Post, Kenneth Griffin of the Citadel Investment Group; Kirk Wager, a Florida trial lawyer; James Crown, a director of General Dynamics; and Neil Bluhm, a hotel, office and casino developer.

So, that's Wall Street bigwigs, high-profile lawyers, emissaries of the military-industrial complex and big-time property developers? Forces of social progress and enlightenment all, we're sure... and perhaps you'd also be interested in our attractive portfolio of Florida waterfront properties.

The champion of a so-called "New Politics" suddenly looks about as sincere and progressive as the champion of a "New Labour" once did. It's increasingly looking wiser and more astute to cease making Barack-Obama-as-the-new-JFK comparisons and to start making Obama-as-the-new-Tony-Blair ones instead.

The left has been cruelly and cynically betrayed before and, it appears, should begin lowering its expectations now before allowing its heart to be broken and its energy and idealism to be stubbed out yet again.

Is This For Real? Pinch yourselves!

Let's get one thing clear: Barack Obama is neither a perfect man nor a perfect US Presidential candidate. Nevertheless, he damn sure seems like the most impressive major party nominee that your correspondent has seen in his 40 years and counting on this mortal coil. Here's one of the many reasons why.

One gets the impression that, if Obama somehow makes it through the election and into the Oval Office without some crazed Rush Limbaugh fan, Fox News-inspired redneck, Clintonoid fundamentalist or professional hit squad from the military-industrial-security-Big-Oil complex pulling a Sirhan Sirhan, we may actually have a President who could save the country from its worst collective impulses and genuinely restore honour and dignity to the White House after what has arguably been its lowest ebb since the Civil War.

Of course, the five months between now and the General Election is a long time. Still, we can but hope.