Obama’s Right Turn

[defendandprotect]

POLITICS-US: Obama’s Right Turn
Analysis by William Fisher*

NEW YORK, Jun 22 (IPS) - Human rights and open government advocates were heartened by President Barack Obama’s pledge during his first week in office to create "an unprecedented level of openness in government" and "establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration".

But now, well into Obama’s second 100 days in office, many are expressing outrage and disappointment that many of the president’s decisions have followed the path of his predecessor, President George W. Bush.

The Obama administration has invoked the "state secrets" privilege several times to prevent lawsuits dealing with "extraordinary renditions" and warrantless wiretapping from ever being heard in court. Justice Department lawyers have argued that detainees at Bagram Air Force base in Afghanistan have no right to challenge their detention.

The government has also caved to Democrats and Republicans in Congress to keep any of the Guantanamo Bay detainees from ever entering the U.S., even though the Defence Department has cleared these men for release and declared that they present no threat to U.S. national security.

Reliable reports suggest that Obama is considering "indefinite detention" for GITMO detainees who cannot be tried in U.S. courts because the evidence against them was obtained through torture.

The government has gone to court to appeal a court ruling ordering the release of a 2004 report from the Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) describing the harsh treatment of prisoners in the agency’s secret prisons. And the new president has refused to make public photographs reportedly depicting abusive interrogations at these and other government detention centres.

Obama recently rejected a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for Secret Service logs showing the identities of coal executives who had visited the White House to discuss Obama's "clean coal" policies because the disclosure of such records might impinge on privileged "presidential communications".

On the issue of electronic surveillance, the new president has not repudiated the Bush-era executive orders supporting warrantless wiretapping and the legal opinions used to support them. Obama has resisted a "truth commission" to investigate former officials who allegedly broke the law and committed crimes, saying he would rather look forward than back.

Government lawyers asked a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit brought on behalf of a couple who were placed on a terrorist watch list.

And when watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Justice Department seeking records related to former vice president Dick Cheney's interview with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the "outing" of CIA operative Valerie Plame, the Justice Department declined to turn over the records.

IPS interviews with human rights and open-government advocates produced few explanations of the president’s actions, beyond calls for him to live up to his promises.

more....
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=47317

[FLAprogressive]

1. K&R -- this post should be a rebuttal to that list of "accomplishments" that's been floating around

[AtomicKitten]

43. It doesn't rebut his accomplishments. It ignores them. n/t

[FLAprogressive]

2. kick

[dysfunctional press]

3. i don't think that i can/will ever cast another vote for him.

healthcare is the LAST straw- and it ain't looking too promising.

[BlooInBloo]

53. We'll get over it.

[dysfunctional press]

55. not me.

if healthcare reform ends up as the crapfest i suspect it will, i'm done voting for democrats.

[Mari333]

4. always always always always follow the money

always.
knr

[rudy23]

5. This is why the paid Obama staffers have been so defensive on here lately.

I'll keep saying this until it happens----Obama is going to lose the left AND the center if he chases the center like every other phony politician out there.

He campaigned on the narrative that he'd be different. Now the narrative is shaping up to where we who believed in his campaign look like fools, and all the Paulites, Repubs, and independents look smart for laughing at our belief in another phony politician.

[FLAprogressive]

6. the astroturfing has been kicked into high gear

[KittyWampus]

7. paid Obama staffers? Are you a paid republican agitator? It's so easy to be cynical and

defeatist.

Have fun typing away on your keyboard.

[rudy23]

10. Um...have fun...not(?) typing on yours? n/t

[dionysus]

8. yeah, obama pays people to post on DU....

holy smokes folks... :rofl:

[rudy23]

9. I know people who do this, and have been offered the job myself.

Yes, people get paid to blog, believe it or not. Viral marketing is an actual thing.

[FLAprogressive]

14. astroturfing

[Raskolnik]

19. buzzword

[rudy23]

40. defensive

[Raskolnik]

41. I like living in reality, what can I say? n/t

[TheWatcher]

15. While you are being very truthful, it is useless to get through to a lot of people on DU these days.

They just say "it doesn't exist" and scour the Board and the net for nuggets of Propaganda and pap that make them feel good.

A lot of Americans are hopelessly and irretrievably lost, I am afraid, because the fear of the reality that they have been sold a Bill Of Goods has permanently short-circuited their ability to reason and think independently.

It is truly frightening to watch the mental metamorphosis that has taken place.

Those who can see, and are fearful of what they see, SHOULD be.

The line is being drawn between those who can think independently and want REAL Change, and those who blindly follow and can't be bothered for anything except their PERCEPTION being managed.

Unfortunately our side, that wants REAL Change and can see through the facade that has been constructed before us, seems to be getting smaller.

Although it has not been revealed as of yet, this period we are living in now could well turn out to be even MORE threatening to our country and it's survival than the previous eight years, living under the OBVIOUS dictatorship and criminality of the murdering bastards who left us only 6 months ago.

[FLAprogressive]

33. Excellent post....unfortunately truth tellers are berated and in some cases, tombstoned.

[Raskolnik]

38. Don't forget mocked...you're often mocked. n/t

[Raskolnik]

17. No, you don't, and no, you weren't. n/t

[rudy23]

20. I absolutely was, and I still know people who do this.

Not only for political organizations, but for movie studios, and other products.

[Raskolnik]

26. No, you really weren't.

I don't doubt that a friend of a friend told you that the Obama campaign could pay you to post your ultra-persuasive opinions on ultra-influential websites like DU, but that doesn't make it so.

[dionysus]

47. oh shit...

:spray:

well, I was offered 10 bux a post, AND a jetski. See, i said that, that makes it true...

[Raskolnik]

50. I saw a banner ad that said Google would pay me just to surf the internet all day.

Therefore, it is also true.

[defendandprotect]

23. Paid posters and investments in websites....

is something everyone has to think about --

and judge for themselves.

[Raskolnik]

28. If you can think of a more *in*effecient use of resources than paying someone to post on a

a messageboard, I'd be interested to hear it.

[defendandprotect]

30. Why do you think this is so uncommon . . . ???

Wasn't Bushco sending people out, for one?

Propaganda is a useful tool to keep people from truly thinking issues thru --

Misinformation and disinformation do work --

Coverups are kept in place by anti-conspiracy propaganda --

You know . . . this is "conspiracy-free America" . . . !!!

[Raskolnik]

34. You didn't provide a more ineffecient use of resources than paying someone to post on a messageboard

I'll await your example.

[FLAprogressive]

35. You obviously know very little to nothing about viral marketing.

[Raskolnik]

37. I know enough to know what is and is not a good use of resources.

And the Obama campaign paying people to post on a messageboard would be an incredibly pointless waste of resources. My offer stands: if you can find a single example of someone being paid by the Obama campaign to post on DU, I will donate an equivalent amount to DU.

[rudy23]

42. Making your message appear to come from the grassroots is an effective use of resources

Three years ago, I was offered a job by a major movie studio to write articles to try and climb the rec list for Digg, and to post their viral videos onto Myspace, blogs, and other social networking sites as if I'd just posted them out of excitement.

Another friend here in town offered me a job doing viral blogging for AOL's Christmas promotional service. This involved writing stories that involved their products as if I were an independent consumer.

When the campaign started, this first contact asked me if I wanted to do viral PR for a group affiliated with the Obama campaign. This was an informal offer, and I don't have more specifics, but it is well known within the freelance writing communities that one can make extra money on the side as a paid viral blogger. Many major companies have official titles for viral marketing. It's more than a buzzword, it's marketing strategy that's based more on product placement than on things that traditionally look like commercials.

I successfully called out two members of DU for this, and they came right out and admitted it. I wish I remembered their names, b/c I'd love to see you make that donation!

[Raskolnik]

44. You are talking in broad generalities about "viral marketing" and "freelance writing communities"

But at the end of the day, your claim still amounts to a "friend" asking you if you wanted to work for a group "affiliated" with the Obama campaign.

And, no, I don't believe you that you "successfully call out" two DU'ers for being paid by the Obama campaign to post at DU.

[rudy23]

45. I don't believe you're not a paid blogger. So we're even.

We could really do this all day. My story really is just a friend asking me if I wanted to get involved, and yes, it was not as formal as the offer to hire me to work for the movie studio. Take that for what it is.

I did peg the two DU'ers correctly. I think this makes three, but you're not as forthcoming as the other two were :)

[Raskolnik]

49. I do take that story for what it is, which is not much, to be frank.

My offer still stands. Find an example, and then we'll talk.

[Greyhound]

63. You could just place a period after the seventh word. n/t

[defendandprotect]

51. What I provided was something for you to think about . . .

but, Okay . . . good to know who you're talking with!

Saves time!

[FLAprogressive]

32. Either you are completely ignorant and naive.....or part of the astroturfing itself.

[Raskolnik]

36. Your position is a perfect blend of self-importance and self-righteousness.

Paying people to post on messageboards is silly, and if you can find one (just one) example of the Obama campaign doing so, I will donate an equivalent amount to DU.

You need to accept that not everyone that disagrees with you is in the employ of someone else and being paid to undermine your wonderful position.

[dionysus]

48. and delusional paranoia...

[bertman]

60. Raskolnik, you are either an ignorant person or someone who is paid for disinformation.

[Fire1]

24. Then WHERE'S MY MONEY????? LOL! n/t

[dionysus]

31. yeah no shit...

:shrug:

yeah, obama staffers are posting on DU, because of the vast influence we have.
:eyes:

[chill_wind]

12. If there were any here, they're not very good at their jobs :-)

Their defense consists almost entirely of hoping to "kill the messenger" no matter how much the league of messengers has grown, or how formerly respected so many of them were before January 19.

[rudy23]

16. They're doing a very good job of trying to paint those disappointed with Obama's right turn

as Naderites, hopelessly impatient, or full of petty vengeance.

They've split this board 50/50, which is all Obama needs to get the lefty blogosphere off his back so he can get to appeasing Goldman Sachs and covering up Bush's war crimes/abuse of power.

[Raskolnik]

18. The fact that you think the "lefty blogosphere" is the first item to get squared away

before moving on to the rest of the agenda indicates an extremely...let's call it inflated view of that particular niche's role in shaping policy.

[rudy23]

21. If I implied it was the first thing on the list, I misspoke.

It sure is working though---the shouting down of Obama critics is in full force right now in a way it hasn't been all year.

[Raskolnik]

29. So its safe to assume, by your logic, that you are being paid by the Republicans. n/t

[defendandprotect]

25. Obama cheerleading inside DU . . ..

is fruitless when the liberal/progressive criticism is widespread --

and far beyond DU.

[defendandprotect]

22. Obama isn't chasing the "center" . .. he's chasing the RIGHT . . .

including the Republican right --

[SammyWinstonJack]

11. K&R

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. But, "Transparency in Government" made such a swell slogan.

[SammyWinstonJack]

27. So did "Hope and Change". Real swell.

[Echo In Light]

39. Especially when in the US, that's Orwellian code for: Don't Hold Your Fucking Breath lol

[Terry in Austin]

46. Oh, puh-LEEZ

"Right turn," indeed. Shows how relative these terms are.

If Fisher means "not a radical progressive reformer," then he's guilty of misplaced expectations: Obama never signed up for that. His genius is to know just where the center is, and that turns out to be somewhat to the left of his predecessors.

It's bound to disappoint those who thought we were in for some revolutionary changes. It's just the US government, for Pete's sake, and Obama is just the president of it.

If someone is going to buy in to electoral politics in the first place, they should have a realistic grasp of what the range of possibilities is for things the government establishment can actually get done.

I'd have to say it's pretty darn narrow. YMMV.

[chill_wind]

52. The OP has nothing to do with misplaced expectations

of "radical progressive reform"-- unless you are capable of thinking expectations about the Constitution, the rule of law, the separation of powers and those quaint Geneva Conventions are radical notions. And I don't think you do, anymore than any other DUer believes that. I think you just missed the point of-- or don't like-- the observations in the OP. Bob Herbert's OPed today makes many of the very same observations. They are getting harder to ignore.

[Terry in Austin]

61. Radical reform

Personally, I'm in favor of it. My own shift to the right was when I registered as a Democrat. But I don't have any illusions about the capabilities of the established system.

Yes, the US government should be truer to the ideals we learned about in high school history. However, the misplaced expectations, IMO, occurred with those who thought of Obama as some kind of messiah who was going to come in and fix all that.

Keep in mind, he's just the president. A smart, honest, capable one, and will probably do what's doable. But he still has to work within the system -- it's still the US government, the establishment. It's limited by its own nature.

Okay, the system is pretty good, and can get better, but it only goes so far -- I think it's pretty easy to overestimate its capability for justice and equality, and falling into that is just asking for disappointment.

Gotta keep it real...

[Senator]

54. Obama's Driving Full Steam Ahead

Trouble is, he's driving the bushcheney getaway car.

---

[SammyWinstonJack]

56. +1

:spray:

[WI_DEM]

57. Anbody who thinks that Obama is a right wing president is too far to the left to know what a

mainstream Kennedy-Humphrey liberal democrat is.

[chill_wind]

62. He's not RW. This isn't even a Right Turn. It's a U-turn

in some instances on his earlier signals about restoring justice and transparancy ie --cooperating with the court rulings on the detainee photo evidence FOIA.

With respect to the rest, in refusing to look back, the exact same abhorrent Bush era court arguments go forward. Need a good house cleaning at the DOJ, but it doesn't appear to be happening.

[LWolf]

58. K & R nt

[Romulox]

59. Obama is doing things (e.g. forcing GM into bankruptcy) that no Republican could dare.