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woo me with science

(32,139 posts)
83. GOP obstructionism is demonstrably NOT the main problem.
Sun Jun 16, 2013, 03:46 PM
Jun 2013

This is how the One Percent wins: by promoting this false narrative that teaches each party that the other party is the culprit, when, in fact, corporatists in both parties are complicit. The real problem is corporate money's stranglehold on our government and our elections, corrupting BOTH parties. This administration has acted aggressively on behalf of corporate interests since Day One. To deny that is to deny reality.

The vast majority of the betrayals on this list had nothing to do with Republican obstructionism:

Corporate and bank-cozy appointments, over and over again, including major appointments like:
A serial defender of corrupt bankers for the SEC; the architect of "Kill Lists" and supporter of torture, drone wars, and telecom immunity for the CIA; and a Monsanto VP who has lied and been involved in extremely disturbing claims regarding food safety for the FDA. An Attorney General who has not prosecuted a single large bank but wages war against medical marijuana users and *for* strip searches and warrantless surveillance of Americans. And let's not forget Tim Geithner.
Bailouts and settlements for corrupt banks (with personal pressure from Obama to attorneys general to approve them),
Refusal by Obama's DOJ to prosecute even huge, egregious examples of bank fraud (i.e, HSBC)
signing NDAA to allow indefinite detention,
"Kill lists" and claiming of the right to assassinate even American citizens without trial
Expansion of wars into several new countries
A renewed public advocacy for the concept of preemptive war
Drone campaigns in multiple countries with whom we are not at war
Proliferation of military drones in our skies
Federal targeting of Occupy for surveillance and militarized response to peaceful protesters
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for warrantless surveillance
Fighting all the way to the Supreme Court for strip searches for any arrestee
Supporting and signing Internet-censoring and privacy-violating measures like ACTA
Support for corporate groping and naked scanning of Americans seeking to travel
A new, massive spy center for warrantless access to Americans' phone calls, emails, and internet use
Support of legal immunity for telecoms/warrantless wiretapping
Support of legislation to legalize massive surveillance of Americans
Militarized police departments, through federal grants
Marijuana users and medical marijuana clinics under assault,
Skyrocketing of the budget for prisons.
Failing to veto a bipartisan vote in Congress to gut more financial regulations.
Passionate speeches and press conferences promoting austerity for Americans
Bush tax cuts extended for billionaires, them much of it made permanent
Support for the payroll tax holiday, tying SS to the general fund
Support for the vicious chained CPI cut in Social Security and benefits for the disabled
Social security, Medicare, and Medicaid offered up as bargaining chips in budget negotiations, with No mention of cutting corporate welfare or the military budget
Advocacy of multiple new free trade agreements, including The Trans-Pacific, otherwise known as "NAFTA on steroids."
Support of drilling, pipelines, and selling off portions of the Gulf of Mexico
Corporate education policy including high stakes corporate testing and closures of public schools
Entrenchment of exorbitant for-profit health insurance companies into healthcare, through mandate
Legal assault on union rights of hundreds of thousands of federal workers
New policies of targeting children and first responders in drone campaigns,
New policies of awarding medals for remote drone attacks,
Appointment of private prison executive to head the US Marshal's office
Massive escalation of federal contracts for private prisons under US Marshall's office

People are so comfortable that they don't realize they're being robbed. Gregorian Jun 2013 #1
This is the point I have been trying to make! The solution to this problem is Dustlawyer Jun 2013 #54
It's a Catch-22. First the people need to know what is in their best interest. Then they can elect. Gregorian Jun 2013 #71
yes, blinding people with lies is one way hopemountain Jun 2013 #82
I have posted this same message 100's of times here at DU, Dustlawyer Jun 2013 #87
It's NOT just the rich buying our democracy fasttense Jun 2013 #85
''Capitalism...allows a few people to abuse 300 million people with NO Repercussions.'' Octafish Jun 2013 #88
That is the Elephant in the room- ruffburr Jun 2013 #2
It doesn't really matter who the President is right now. octoberlib Jun 2013 #3
I won't go so far to say it doesn't matter but... Bjorn Against Jun 2013 #5
Yes! nt snappyturtle Jun 2013 #10
We need campaign finance reform but I have no idea how to accomplish this. CrispyQ Jun 2013 #50
SCOTUS WovenGems Jun 2013 #74
Also, you hit the nail squarely on the head. nt octoberlib Jun 2013 #4
Brilliant. I agree completely. JDPriestly Jun 2013 #6
succinct and exactly it. +100,000 for brevity. Phillip McCleod Jun 2013 #64
EXACTLY! SHRED Jun 2013 #7
K&R Note also the extremely disturbing propaganda machine woo me with science Jun 2013 #8
+1 Well said, woo. n/t Laelth Jun 2013 #41
+ 1 here as well. n/t truedelphi Jun 2013 #63
K&R abelenkpe Jun 2013 #9
Around the water cooler people are asking "why now?" Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2013 #11
"Why now" is not really the relevant question... ljm2002 Jun 2013 #14
no one bothered before yet it was common knowledge Rosa Luxemburg Jun 2013 #15
"Better late than never"... ljm2002 Jun 2013 #21
if only congress represented its citizens... flobee1 Jun 2013 #31
'Why now?' is a good question felix_numinous Jun 2013 #45
Why NOW? Because..... fasttense Jun 2013 #86
Excellent.K&R I would love to hear from Naomi Klein. I just wonder hoe snappyturtle Jun 2013 #12
Hear, hear... ljm2002 Jun 2013 #13
knr alfredo Jun 2013 #16
knr, Strange Bedfellows Unite to Fight FISA Deal, 2008 ... slipslidingaway Jun 2013 #17
I've been saying we may need the Tea Party tblue Jun 2013 #26
Having an obvious enemy helps, but we can find other areas ... slipslidingaway Jun 2013 #68
The President is swept up into the system ErikJ Jun 2013 #18
You're about to get the meme tblue Jun 2013 #28
Great post dreamnightwind Jun 2013 #56
Nail... head. Blue State Bandit Jun 2013 #19
Bjorn, I must've said this 20 times here in the past week Hekate Jun 2013 #20
Problem is that if you believed those who said such things ... slipslidingaway Jun 2013 #24
k&r thanks for posting. rhett o rick Jun 2013 #22
Not answering any "auto" hate replies ... slipslidingaway Jun 2013 #23
Clinton did repeal Glass-Steagal... n/t Fire Walk With Me Jun 2013 #25
Obama and Bush have to figure in there somewhere. delrem Jun 2013 #27
It is not that they don't have a role, the issue is that this is so much bigger than any one person Bjorn Against Jun 2013 #32
I always knew something was wrong.... ReRe Jun 2013 #29
My biggest political issue is education because my son has suffered so much, but this too liberal_at_heart Jun 2013 #30
For a visual mnhtnbb Jun 2013 #33
This message was self-deleted by its author mother earth Jun 2013 #34
Thanks you! Excellent post, best I have ever seen on DU!!! Civilization2 Jun 2013 #35
Give ownership of the data to the customer, not the corporation. geek tragedy Jun 2013 #36
Recommend...OP and Thread Comments. KoKo Jun 2013 #37
Spot on, I have been saying this for years, follow the money! Rebellious Republican Jun 2013 #38
That's it. Great OP. yardwork Jun 2013 #39
Very thoughtful and reasonable. Laelth Jun 2013 #40
to read later snagglepuss Jun 2013 #42
Compromise pmorlan1 Jun 2013 #43
Agree 100% with ^^^ and this OP. GoneFishin Jun 2013 #47
My argument is not about excusing Obama, it is pointing out that this goes beyond any individual Bjorn Against Jun 2013 #59
The President may not unilaterally change duly enacted law, that's Congress's job. xtraxritical Jun 2013 #72
K&R me b zola Jun 2013 #44
I love your handle Demeter Jun 2013 #46
Thanks, yes it is a play off Born Again Bjorn Against Jun 2013 #62
If the system and those that run it are such powerful behemoths, Myrina Jun 2013 #48
"The NSA has been spying on Americans for the last sixty years..." calimary Jun 2013 #49
Brilliant essay MrScorpio Jun 2013 #51
General Alexander, NSA director, is more powerful than the POTUS grasswire Jun 2013 #52
He's like Admiral Poindexter, except without the criminal record. Octafish Jun 2013 #89
K&R dmr Jun 2013 #53
I think we over rate the President. timdog44 Jun 2013 #55
Yep. You've got it right. Too many of us think that President Obama is some kind of AikidoSoul Jun 2013 #57
Thanks for the post....... Swede Atlanta Jun 2013 #58
The organizational principle sulphurdunn Jun 2013 #60
. blkmusclmachine Jun 2013 #61
End stage capitalism...... socialist_n_TN Jun 2013 #65
I disagree. A real leader, who really wants to change the obscene status quo, doesn't lead MotherPetrie Jun 2013 #66
Yep, a colossal failure kwolf68 Jun 2013 #75
What it's all about. n/t Doremus Jun 2013 #67
Funny, I thought this was all about how far off track we can get from world peace. Spitfire of ATJ Jun 2013 #69
Time mtasselin Jun 2013 #70
I recommended your OP, although I find parts of it HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #73
To be fair, when Obama is criticized, we are reminded that he has a GOP Congress and djean111 Jun 2013 #76
Agreed. The NSA stuff would be deeply odious and an abomination, even HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #77
Agreed right back at ya! djean111 Jun 2013 #78
While I enjoy this discussion, I tend to come down pretty firmly on the HardTimes99 Jun 2013 #79
GOP obstructionism is demonstrably NOT the main problem. woo me with science Jun 2013 #83
corp control of spying is never good, this video gets to it mettamega Jun 2013 #80
K&R midnight Jun 2013 #81
"Let's fight the real enemies." Hear, hear! woo me with science Jun 2013 #84
There is nothing they love more than to see us fight ourselves Puzzledtraveller Jun 2013 #90
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