4um: Obama incorporated; Is our man of the people already too beholden to the fat cats?

Title: Obama incorporated; Is our man of the people already too beholden to the fat cats?
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
URL Source: [None]
Published: May 7, 2007
Author: Joshua Frank
Post Date: 2008-05-10 15:28:41 by Jethro Tull
Keywords: None
Views: 1591
Comments: 48

Obama incorporated; Is our man of the people already too beholden to the fat cats?

One cannot scale the ranks of the Democratic establishment without selling out to Washington insiders, and presidential aspirant Barack Obama is adept at playing the game. Since announcing his candidacy in February, Obama has raised millions of dollars from corporate fat-cats and multinational corporations. While the young candidate has leaned heavily on law firms to which he has professional connections, he's also not been afraid to dip into the trough of Big Business. And it's a sure sign Obama is a real contender for his party's nomination.

When Howard Dean's campaign began to gain momentum in the 2004 elections, the former Vermont governor had not flipped through his party's corporate black book, and instead relied heavily on the grass roots to provide fuel for his presidential bid. The party's elite, nervous and unsure that Dean could be one of them, quietly sacked Dean because he had not accepted the way business is done in Washington.

NEARLY $160,000 FROM EXELON

Insiders were brought on at safe distance from John Kerry's campaign, and a group, founded by Democratic fund-raiser David Jones, ran vile ads attacking Dean during the Iowa caucus. Moderate Demo-crats labeled Dean a radical despite his conservative tenure in Vermont. John Edwards called him unelectable. The Democratic Leadership Council was against him. Soon Dean was crushed at the polls and never recovered after his screaming speech following the disaster in Iowa. The Deaniacs' hopes were crushed. And it now seems Obama has vowed not to make the same mistake.

There's no question that industry loves Barack. As of March 31, UBS, the second-largest bank in Europe, has given more than $165,000 to his campaign. The Exelon corporation, the nation's largest nuclear plant operator, has donated almost $160,000. The investment Goliath, Goldman Sachs, has fattened the pockets of Barack Inc. with more than $143,000. Citigroup has given well over $50,000, with Morgan Stanley close behind at $40,000. Wall Street has Obama's back.

Kirkland & Ellis, the conservative law firm that worked for the Democrats to limit ballot access of Ralph Nader's campaign in 2004, also digs Obama, and has given his campaign more than $70,000. That's a lot of money to be tossing around so early in the campaign season. But the firm that represents GM and tobacco giant Brown & Williamson has plenty of cash to spare. They know Obama has a good chance at winning the nomination -- if not this cycle, perhaps one down the road.

CHAMPION OF 'GREEN' TECHNOLOGY

In the meantime, Obama's voice as a leading Democrat in the Senate grows more influential by the day. They know they'll get their money's worth in the long run.

The Obama campaign insists the funds he is raising won't influence his positions, politically or otherwise. They assure us Barack is untouchable. But whom are they trying to kid? Frankly, big donors aren't accustomed to handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars without any kickbacks. They don't write checks out of goodwill; they do it because they in turn profit.

Thanks in no part to Exelon, I'm sure, Obama has championed nuclear power as a "green" technology. Through his elaborate fund- raising channels Obama has also formed a close relationship with Skadden, Arps, one of the largest corporate law firms in the country and one of the largest contributors to the Democratic Party.

Skadden, Arps was the legal team hired by David Jones to help derail Howard Dean. They also were a top contributor to Kerry's campaign in 2004.

Like the rest of his deep-pocketed friends, they know Barack Obama has solidified himself as another corporate candidate.

My point is that such absolutist statements by people like JT create a lose lose situation.

Yes, there is a problem with many of those holding positions in government, but is the solution not trying to establish working relationships with the best ones you can get in and work to challenge them to actually do the job they are supposed to do?

I don't think so. Many feel the same way many of you do about Barack Obama about Dr. Paul. They felt that way about Wayne Morse who ran for president in 1960 and would of made an extremely principled and great POTUS.

I admire much of the sentiment of people like JT, but experience has taught me that challenging the problem of selection of those who run is best handled with several sets of tactics some of which are long term and time intensive.

I am going by gut instincts who is the most likely one to be a John Kennedy and refuse the will of the shadow government, even though they damn sure have had it been made clear to them the risks of doing so.

Sometimes tactics for change on the short term done in conjunction with long term tactics can seem discouraging, frustrating and useless; but not doing anything and apathetically abandoning the democratic process and withdrawing completely in a jaded fashion can be worse then challenging the best of those who get to the point of the selection process for a new POTUS.

The odds of Oh'bummer being the next JFK is on about the same order as Pigs sprouting wings and flying.

Oh'bummer is in the Zbignew Brzhenski circle and is just as controlled as Hitlery, and McLame.

What you are doing is trying to ignore reality. Ron Paul was minimized because he WAS/IS the genuine article.

That the lamestream media touts Oh'bummer is a prima facie case in and of itself that he is owned.

Again, we are being presented with false choices and orchestrated pseudo-campaigns and you are biting on the bait.

Quotes on Communism
"Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff."
- Frank Zappa

Quotes on Communism
"Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite."
- John Kenneth Galbraith

Certain leading capitalists of the 19th and 20th century, and their foundations, have funded communism's rise. And they've funded the Nazis.

One of the few things Marx was correct about: In a capitalist system you eventually wind up with one or two humongous fish and a whole bunch of minnows to prey on.

When everyone (90% in 1900) in America was basically self-employed, things worked pretty well...then came the banksters...MNCs...usury...credit...bubbles.

There you have hit on one of the NWO's key tactics in creating a slave population.

Eliminate small independent businesses, because small independent business people are:

C. Employees of large corporate entities are at massuh's mercy and will do what they are told because they fear the "Rice Bowl" could come up empty.

High Property Taxes making subsistence farming, small farms, unable to operate. High Property Taxes are particularly pernicious in that it means that you never really own your land, or your home, because the levels are too high to be paid by anyone unless they are employed and unless you pay massuh government the JBTs will come and evict you from your own land.

Additionally confusing, and I believe intentionally so, Income Tax rules which fall most heavily on the small business making it difficult for them to operate without inadvertently making themselves liable for attack from the IRS Gestapo which loves to prey on small and medium business (they don't have the resources to fight back and so just pay the "squeeze").

Rules and regulations have been multiplied beyond reason making it difficult to impossible for small businesses to operate.

In a nation full of small businesses and small entrepreneuers you have a nation of people resistant to domination.

The stupid liberals have bought the socialist dogma sold them and thus are forging their own chains through "tax the rich out of envy" taxes that actually beggar the independent middle class and make independence difficult at best. It is really a sick mess.