"Governments no longer represent the people. This is not a democracy. It is a financial oligarchy."

[Better Believe It]

Weekend Edition October 7-9, 2011
Obama’s New Populist Fakery
by MICHAEL HUDSON

When I visited the OccupyWallStreet site on Wednesday, it was clear that the disgust with the political system went so deep that there is no single set of demands that can fix a system so fundamentally broken and dysfunctional. One can’t paste-up a regime that is impoverishing the economy, accelerating foreclosures, pushing state and city budgets further into deficit and forcing cuts in social spending.

The situation is much like that from Iceland to Greece: Governments no longer represent the people. They represent predatory financial interests that are impoverishing the economy. This is not democracy. It is financial oligarchy. And oligarchies do not give their victims a voice.

That is the spirit of civil disobedience that is growing in this country. It is a quandary – that is, a problem with no solution. All that one can do under such conditions is to describe the disease and its symptoms. The cure will follow logically from the diagnosis. But the role of OccupyWallStreet is to diagnose the financial polarization and corruption of the political process that extends right into the Supreme Court, the Presidency, and Obama’s soon-to-be notorious Committee of 13 once the happy-smoke settles from his present pretensions.

Read the full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.org/2011/10/07/obama%e2%80%99s-new-populist-fakery/

[wundermaus]

1. there is a logical progression...

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." - President John F. Kennedy

[aquart]

4. Therefore you are advocating WHAT, precisely?

What do you consider the NEXT STEP? And when is it you think we should take it?

Now, I am endlessly bloodthirsty as long as it's someone else's blood so when do you plan to spill yours?

[Better Believe It]

6. Revolution can and will only happen when a majority decide that's necessary.

Revolution is hardly the next step when when most working people are still dependent on corporate run political parties and still haven't even organized mass organizations such as labor unions and a radical working peoples party to promote their interests.

[The Traveler]

7. It was an observation.

And a historically accurate one, also. If current trends continue, civil unrest is not only a possibility but a virtual inevitability.

So ... what do YOU propose to do to change these current and worsening trends? If these protests are not productive towards discovering and implementing the necessary changes, then what is?

[aquart]

10. Oddly enough, I'm still a Democrat who favors democracy.

Slow and annoying as it is.

[tama]

16. Hmm

Was the armed Zapatista rebellion undemocratic? Or the American Revolution in 1776? Just asking.

[Bandit]

17. How would you suggest you get the politician's attention?

This is not about revolution, either peacefull or violent, it is about awareness. It is about waking up america including the politicians that understanding is beginning to happen and if they like their job then they best pay attention to the people....I also believe in the balot box and if Democrats especially Obama don't wake up and start working for the people instead of the very wealthy, they may just not have their jobs as long as they would like.. People are starting to pay attention.

[bluestate10]

22. BUILD alternatives to what exists now.

Not an abstract concept, but sure one that the biggest whiners on DU never seem to be able to grasp. Don't like banks? Then don't put your fucking money in them. Don't like the product choices that multi-national corporations offer? Well, there is always small scale alternatives available for anyone that really, REALLY care will find. Don't like the outsourcing of jobs? Well, fore-go buying at Macy's and Walmarts of the USA and fucking find products from manufacturers that care about having americans at work making living wages. There is ALWAYS a solution for anyone that give a shit about finding that solution.

[The Traveler]

29. Define your terms, then

I see precious little of what I call democracy happening in this country.

[wundermaus]

8. I advocate...

NOTHING.
You seem think I'm an idiot.
Simply Stating a Fact.
Project much?

[truedelphi]

20. There are many here who will take anything said as

Though the speaker were endorsing it.

But as JFK said, revolution will follow from the major efforts to suppress democracy.

For the past twenty years, the Powers that Be think that having a Republican-Lite President every few years or so shows what a fabulous and amazing free country we are in. Even as we are watching our ability to buy needed goods like food and medicine evaporate, due to inflation, even as we find outselves without a job, due to unemployment, and even as the 1% get so fat they can't squeeze through the door.

The curtain has been pulled back, and the ones sitting at the wizards' bench are about to experience some unpleasant Truths. They can start engaging in discourse and be willing to give back so much of what they've taken, or they an find it a whole lot worse than some young people carrying signs.

It's just the way things are, and always have been.

[WinkyDink]

15. Tom Paine, you aren't!

[saras]

30. No blood need be spilt. We just wait for China to turn everything off.

Plague, famine, starvation, but I promise that everyone in America will be nonviolent.

And/or we hope that Anonymous, or some anonymous other, doesn't turn the power grid off and the reactors on.

It's a good question, though. How do you force a Department of Justice that refuses to enforce the law, to enforce the law? Surely just giving up and walking away isn't going to do it. Maybe we just have to have enough cops and soldiers on our side, and they do what they're trained to do.

[bvar22]

32. He was QUOTING Democratic President John F Kennedy !

Admittedly, that WAS from a time when the Democratic Party was very different from the one we have today.





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

Solidarity99!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[RKP5637]

2. Exactly! "The Government No Longer Represents We the People!" n/t

[bluestate10]

23. Represent yourself. Doing that is not rocket science. nt

[RKP5637]

24. Yep, that's where it's at. n/t

[msongs]

3. good thing nobody from Goldman Sachs is running the country lol nt

[Ship of Fools]

5. If you haven't already, sign up on getmoneyout.com.

It's a start ...

[truedelphi]

19. Thanks for that link. n/t

[Better Believe It]

25. Thanks. Here's the direct link.

http://www.getmoneyout.com/

[Taverner]

9. Yep.

[Kaleko]

11. "The cure will follow logically from the diagnosis."

That's exactly right. We, the People, are engaged in the process of arriving at the correct diagnosis.

We've reached a pivotal tipping point worldwide in our attempts to understand precisely what ails us.

An unprecedented opportunity presents itself to mankind. It's truly awesome to be alive at this time.

[OHdem10]

12. I first thought about this as the UK began to implement the Austerity

Program. Cameron and Clegg had run their campaign explaining
there would be changes and cuts. They made a specific promise
of a certain percent. Everyone would have to share the sacride.

UH OH--There Came the Bond Agency.. Instead of Cameron and
Clegg being able to carry out their Deficit cutting plan as
promised, they required that cuts be much deeper and much
more quickly implemented.

The Market dictated the Plan. I thought to myself. Why
have Co-Priministers and a Parliament.

Here in this country, it is the Market making noises about
Entitlements and Health Care that is driving our Leaders.

That Invisible Hand is not invisible. On the Business Programs
you pick up what and who is running things hear.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hifiguy]

14. The real money line in this piece is:

"He <Obama> has double-crossed them – smoothly, with a gentle smile and patronizing pattern talk, but with an iron determination to hand federal monetary and tax policy over to his largest campaign contributors: Wall Street and assorted special interests."

Truer words were never spoken.

[indepat]

18. Spreading populist fakery all the while implementing a far-RW agenda junior would be proud

of? If so, what genius at multi-dimensional chess-style gamesmanship. :patriot:

[bluestate10]

21. "It is a quandary – that is, a problem with no solution."

Yep. After a computer snafu and being blind with rage, I was unsure whether I had made it back to DU. The quote above confirms that I am back. Back among many that decry problems and excessive wealth accumulation, but don't do shit about it except write long DU screeds. Problems without the will of many to FIND a solution. Folks, we will own the 1% when we make personal decisions that give US control of the economy, until then the 1% have no reason to give a micro-hectare on a rat's ass about what we think.

[Capitalocracy]

26. "Financial oligarchy" or, to put it in a single word...

(see username)

[Quantess]

27. I love counterpunch.

[donheld]

28. Wake up America!

[ananda]

31. People seem to be waking up.

The oligopoly has been in force for the past ten years or so. That's
what Molly Ivins called it.