Obama’s Failing Emails: Where Did the President’s Mojo Go?

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/10/11-6

Four years ago at this time, the early adopters among us were just starting to get used to the regular flow of email from the Obama campaign. The missives were actually exciting to get, because they seemed less like appeals for money than a chance to join a movement.

Sometimes they came with inspirational videos from Camp Obama, especially the volunteer training sessions staged by organizing guru Marshall Ganz. Here’s a favorite of mine, where a woman invokes Bobby Kennedy and Cesar Chavez and says that, as the weekend went on, she “felt her heart softening,” her cynicism “melting,” her determination building. I remember that feeling, and I remember clicking time and again to send another $50 off to fund that people-powered mission. (And I recall knocking on a lot of New Hampshire doors, too, with my 14-year-old daughter.)

:snip:

Once in office, it was inevitable that he’d disappoint us to some degree. In fact, we knew the disappointment would come and braced ourselves for it. After all, our movement was up against the staggering power of vested corporate and financial interests. It’s hard to beat big money. Still, we didn’t mind thinking: Yes, we can. We’ll work hard. We’ve got your back. Let’s go!

What we completely missed was that Obama didn’t want us at his back -- that the minute the campaign was over he would cut us adrift, jettison the movement that had brought him to power. Instead of using all those millions of people to force through ambitious health-care proposals or serious climate legislation or , he governed as the opposite of a movement candidate.

More at the link --

[Poll_Blind]

1. Recommended reading.

PB

[RKP5637]

2. This, is a good analysis IMO. Many of us (I think) know something is amiss and

at least in my case are disappointed. Those with the real power and money have already selected our next president. Presidents are window dressing for the masses, the real power and money run this country. That, gets more obvious all of the time.

[bengalherder]

3. The OWS protests are the support Obama could have had

had he kept his promises and his momentum.

A lot of people, including myself were ready to get active and he just walked away.

Fuck him, we'll just do it ourselves.

[Poll_Blind]

7. The sentiment behind his campaign of change didn't evaporate, his willingness to channel it did.

Surrounding the White House with protesters holding signs with Obama's own words during the 2008 campaign is about the most pointed sentiment I can possibly imagine- especially for a Democratic President.

PB

[Skittles]

13. CORRECT

[fasttense]

4. This has happens over and over again in American politics.

A politician speaks like a man of the people. Talks all about liberal ideals, change and populism during the campaign. Then when they get into office, they do exactly as their predecessor or opponent would do. Even Herbert Hoover sounded more like a populist in his campaign speeches than he did when he got into office.

Obama is just the latest installment of it.

The only real way this will change is if we stop legalized bribery in campaign donations (and get rid of legalized vote rigging with computerized voting). FDR was very rich and didn't need money from the hands of the idle rich to get reelected. He was his own man.

[RKP5637]

6. Yep, you touched the root cause of the problem, and especially

"The only real way this will change is if we stop legalized bribery in campaign donations (and get rid of legalized vote rigging with computerized voting)."

I wonder how this could come about being corrected. There is so much money and power involved, they will propagandize, lie, distort and spread disinformation, as well as, affecting the right to vote. We see it happening now, and if necessary, I don't think they are above actual physical voter intimidation.

The money and power at play in this country anymore is phenomenal. None are going to give it up, and now we have international influence with their desired outcome too.

One way would be for a significant number of Americans to ignore all of the crap and go on their own to try to resuscitate a credible system. We do see OWS moving that way, but I have no idea of that outcome.

[paulk]

5. Obama's mojo went to the same place

his empty campaign sloganeering came from....

[bvar22]

8. He coulda been a contender!

Now he will share a page in the history books with Neville Chamberlain.



Oh what could have been.




You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[elias7]

9. If Obama had any principles the jobs bill would pass!

He is such a let down! Why couldn't he have just stuck with his guns on the jobs bill! He "cut us adrift, jettison the movement that had brought him to power."

Get real, folks. Obama's mojo cannot compete with the Republican machine funded by the Koch's and supported by the media. He's gotten more done than Hillary would have, perhaps more than FDR would have in this poisonous climate. I think the loss of support and fortitude has been a let down to many folks.

[eridani]

10. What I really expected from Obama--

--was that he would run his administration like he ran his campaign. When it came down to Obama or Clinton, it made no difference to me one way or the other on the issues. Both are confirmed corporatists. Obama was slightly better on the wars, and Clinton slightly better on health care. Both were mostly funded by the same corporate interests.

More at http://journals.democraticunderground.com/eridani/522

[mistertrickster]

11. Yes, brilliant analysis. He left us . . . we didn't leave him.

On edit:

. . . on November 6th, exactly one year before the election, we’re planning to circle the White House with people. And the signs we’ll be carrying will simply be quotes from his last campaign -- all that stuff about the tyranny of big oil and the healing of the planet.

Our message will be simple: If you didn’t mean it, you shouldn’t have said it. If you did, here’s the chance to prove it. Nix the pipeline.

We don’t want dinner. We want action.

[Raine]

12. Interesting ... THANKS for posting! nt

:thumbsup: