Obama's Team of Rivals

So much for change? I guess we shouldn't be surprised. However, with the right-leaning group he's putting in place, is the world really better off than it would have been with McCain? Perhaps in the short run, but certainly not in the long run if one is looking for an end to the dictatorship of capital.

From MRZine (Jeremy Scahill):

As Barack Obama's opus, Team of Rivals, continues its rolling debut, the early reviews are in and the "critics" are full of praise for the cast:

"[T]he new administration is off to a good start."
-- Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell

"[S]uperb . . . the best of the Washington insiders . . . this will be a valedictocracy -- rule by those who graduate first in their high school classes."
-- David Brooks, conservative New York Times columnist

"[J]ust about perfect. . . ."
-- Senator Joe Lieberman, former Democrat and John McCain's top surrogate in the 2008 campaign.

"[R]eassuring."
-- Karl Rove, "Bush's brain"

"I am gobsmacked by these appointments, most of which could just as easily have come from a President McCain . . . this all but puts an end to the 16-month timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, the unconditional summits with dictators, and other foolishness that once emanated from the Obama campaign . . . [Hillary] Clinton and [James] Steinberg at State should be powerful voices for 'neo-liberalism' which is not so different in many respects from 'neo-conservativism.'"
-- Max Boot, neoconservative activist, former McCain staffer.

"I see them as being sort of center-right of the Democratic party."
-- James Baker, former Secretary of State and the man who led the theft of the 2000 election.

"[S]urprising continuity on foreign policy between President Bush's second term and the incoming administration . . . certainly nothing that represents a drastic change in how Washington does business. The expectation is that Obama is set to continue the course set by Bush. . . ."
-- Michael Goldfarb of the neoconservative Weekly Standard

"I certainly applaud many of the appointments. . . ."
-- Senator John McCain

"So far, so good."
-- Senator Lamar Alexander, senior Republican Congressional leader.

Hillary Clinton will be "outstanding" as Secretary of State
-- Henry Kissinger, war criminal

Rahm Emanuel is "a wise choice" in the role of Chief of Staff
-- Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, John McCain's best friend

Obama's team shows "Our foreign policy historically is not partisan."
-- Ed Rollins, top Republican strategist and Mike Huckabee's 2008 campaign manager

"The country will be in good hands."
-- Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush's Secretary of State

Candidates turned my face to Jell-O

If Obama wins, will he respond to these types of incidents with accountability? I think it is quite clear that McCain will not. After Nov 4 is when the hard work begins for all activists.

From Socialist Worker:

Nassau County police injured several people in their assault on antiwar protests outside the presidential debateNassau County police injured several people in their assault on antiwar protests outside the presidential debate

WHILE BARACK Obama and John McCain were getting makeup touchups for their Wednesday night debate at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, N.Y., police outside made sure that the voices of antiwar veterans wouldn't be heard.

Officers of the Nassau County Police Department reacted with reckless violence to a protest organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) outside the debate site. Among several people injured in the assault, former Army Sgt. Nick Morgan was knocked unconscious and his cheekbone broken when he was trampled by a police horse.

"We were there to force the issue that the leaders of this nation are not listening to or are not caring about veterans," said IVAW member Matthis Chiroux, who was among several veterans and activists arrested. "And they couldn't have done a better job of proving us right. They stomped my friend Nick's face into Jell-o. I put this on both candidates, on the major press and on the Nassau County police."

[...]

17-Oct-2008. Herschel, Lucy. Antiwar vets attacked by police outside debate. Socialist Worker.

Iraq Vets Rage Against the Machine in Denver

The pro-socialist punk band Rage Against the Machine staged a free concert in Denver the night of August 27th. Attended by nearly 10,000 people, thousands of protesters, led by Iraq war vets marched on the Democratic National Convention to demand an end to the war.

From Rocky Mountain News:

BRIGHTON AND 44TH -- A massive group of at least 2,000 chanting, shouting, sign-waving protesters are marching down Brighton Boulevard escorted by police in what is easily the largest such protest Denver has seen during this convention.

Employees at the Coors Field reportedly were told after 4 p.m. to evacuate because a protest was approaching.

The march, organized in conjunction with a free Rage Against the Machine-headlined music festival at the Denver Coliseum, is cosponsored by Iraq Veterans Against the War and Tent State University.

About 50 Iraq veterans are leading the march to the Pepsi Center, followed by thousands of mostly young protesters carrying signs denouncing the war. More protesters continue to stream from the coliseum, where nearly 10,000 watched Rage urge them to join the march.

From CommonDreams:

DENVER - August 28 - Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) led a non-violent march of 8,000 allies, including members of Rage Against the Machine, to the front entrance of the Pepsi Center. There they delivered a letter containing their three points of unity to the Obama campaign's veteran staff. IVAW's three points of unity are:

1. Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces from Iraq
2. Full benefits and healthcare for returning veterans
3. Reparations to the Iraqi people
   

IVAW is calling on Senator Obama to allow an IVAW representative to read the letter to the delegates.

Senator Obama's veterans' liaison, Phil Carter, told IVAW that they could expect a response from the Senator's campaign staff regarding their request. IVAW plans to hold Senator Obama's campaign team to their word.

*IVAW members Jared Hood, Jeff Key and Josh Earle are available for comment throughout the day.

Jared Hood, who lives here in Denver, served as a specialist in the Colorado Army National Guard from 2004-2007. During that time he served in Camp Navistar, Kuwait and Vilseck, Germany.

Josh Earl served as a Military Police Specialist in Iraq from 2003-2004 with the Denver-based 220th Military Police Company of the Colorado Army National Guard.

Jeff Key, a former Marine Corp lance corporal, served in Iraq in 2003. Mr. Key currently performs his one-man show, The Eyes of Babylon, which tells his story as a Marine in Iraq, in theaters across the country. He was also one of the IVAW members to speak with Obama's veterans' liaison on Aug. 27.

Support Obama

Folks, Obama is getting tons of negative press, as expected, from the US right-wing controlled media.

Sure, he is no socialist, but realistically, it is NOT in the interest of the world working-class for the Republican's to consolidate their stranglehold on the American imperial system.

Sure, all Obama offers a kinder-gentler capitalism - GOOD! I'd rather that then an invasion of Venezuela, for instance.

Finally, any movement to the left by the American ruling elite is going to pay out for the working classes and working class movement.

That is why I am supporting Obama.

From the AFL-CIO:

Sen. Barack Obama has pledged to fight for working families, and he has the record and the policy proposals to back it up.

Check out new fact sheets that spell out what Obama would do as president in two crucial areas: education and the building trades.

When it comes to education, Obama has a record of supporting full funding for No Child Left Behind, increased special education funding and expanding Pell Grants to enable more students to attend college.

He supports forgiving student loans for teachers and opposes taking away funds from the public school system through private voucher programs.

Obama’s education plan includes:

• More funding for early childhood education and Head Start, so children are ready for school.
• Reforming and fully funding the No Child Left Behind Act so it supports, rather than punishes, schools that need help.
• Providing scholarships, mentoring and training to help recruit and retain teachers.
• Supporting after-school activities and special education.
• Helping make college more accessible for all families through grants, loans, tax credits and full funding for community colleges.

Obama has earned the endorsement of the AFT and the School Administrators union for his strong support of public education.

He also will support good jobs in the building and construction industry. As a church-based community organizer, Obama helped neighborhoods recover after being devastated by steel mill closings, so he understands the importance of protecting workers and making sure they have good jobs.

As a senator, Obama has been a strong supporter of prevailing wage laws and of investing in America’s infrastructure.

A co-sponsor of the Patriot Employers Act, Obama has fought to reward companies that keep good jobs here and support workers’ rights to a fair wage, health coverage, retirement security and the ability to form unions. And as an Illinois state senator, Obama voted for numerous bills ensuring workplace safety, prevailing wages and responsible bidder requirements for public contracts.

The AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department, a coalition of 13 unions in the industry, gave Obama its endorsement earlier this summer.

To rebuild an economy that works for everyone, we need to make sure that all families can send their children to public schools that are safe, well-staffed and well equipped so they can get the education they deserve at all stages of life. We also need to make sure we’re creating good jobs with good pay and an infrastructure that can support economic growth. Obama has the plans that will help create prosperity and make sure it’s shared by everyone.

To find out more about where Obama stands on the issues that matter most, check out Meet Barack Obama.