General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Right-wing obstruction could have been fought: An ineffective and gutless presidency’s legacy [View all]L0oniX
(31,493 posts)(much thanks to you)
The record shows aggressive, proactive pursuit of a corporate agenda...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3152360
...in every policy area important to the One Percent.
This list does not show the President trying to enact a more liberal agenda and being obstructed. It shows him working aggressively and proactively, over and over again, to install corporatists into his administration and to enact a corporate agenda.
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. Tim Geithner. And now Penny Pritzker.
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
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White House colluded with House Republicans *against* Democrats to WEAKEN surveillance bill.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024984920
White House (again) Seeks Legal Immunity For Firms That Hand Over Customer Data
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024906691
Obama Administration To Reveal Justification For Drone Strikes On U.S. Citizens
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024979665
Obama administration quietly approves new loopholes to help insurance companies gouge patients:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4970298
No single payer according to Obama's HHS nominee.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4973013
The murder of net neutrality
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4903646
Obama's Crony Capitalism will Kill Net Neutrality. *New* FCC Staff in bed with ISP's
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024906730
Democratic Opposition Lines Up Against Obama Judicial Nominee
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024945344
Secret trade memos calling for more fracking and offshore drilling
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024975916
Obama's Defense Department Refuses to Tell Senate Which Groups Were at War With
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024985813
President Obama close to authorizing mission led by the US military to train moderate Syrian rebels
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025005755
Syrian rebels describe U.S.-backed training in Qatar in new documentary
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025004518
Ethics watchdog calls for investigation of EPA assault on renewable fuels.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024987371
This Trade Deal Will Make You Sick, Maybe Give You Mad Cow
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024979506
Why do we bother: Feds Ever-So-Gently File Criminal Charges Against Credit Suisse
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024974240
Too Big to Jail: DOJ Charges Two Banks with Criminal Acts, But Will Not Hold Them Criminally Accountable
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024906501
College presidents upset. Obama's Ed Dept says rating colleges will be like "rating a blender".
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025004676
Opening the US interstate system to tolling
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024894570
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024892605
And after all that hard work, it's no surprise that Our President put on his comfortable walking shoes and headed out for some golf:
White House downplays golf outing with Bain Capital lobbyist
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4977762