New and Not Improved?

Well, imagine that. That's why past records - and not campaign promises - are what we're supposed to research. :-)

He's still far left... he's just trying to get elected now. Don't be fooled.

I think they all say anything to win - which is why none of them can be trusted.

Obama's proposals are good, but the economic situation will require broader, more radical policies. Obama is intelligent and he may choose highly qualified people, but I think they may be mostly foreign policy hawks and pro-Wall Street. There is a chance that he would have a Democratic Congress that would back some positive economic policies, but the economic situation may become so bad that he may be powerless to do the necessary preparation of the public for new policies, at least in his first term.

The government has grown 60% in the past 8 years but this has actually increased the
power of the corporations and transferred wealth abroad. The Defense spending is mostly "off-budget" and not even disclosed to Congress. It may be a trillion dollars a year. Five major corporations receive much of this money.

Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine offers a global view of the current adminstration's neo-liberal economic policies—privatization, free trade, slashed social spending. Catherine Austin Fitts may be right that the demise of Bear Stearns was a hit job, cannibalizing it for the good of other finance companies. There is an effort underway to centralize the economy and shift assets away from local communities. Fitts describes these efforts as "economic warfare" being conducted on a global scale, that is fostered by technology and "invisible weaponry," such as satellites. With the cooperation of the Bush administration the US economy is being purposely "pumped and dumped."

The reason that politicians do what they do is because the public, in general, yes that's right, you and me, force the politicians to be as nuanced as possible. We are pampered, selfish and self-absorbed. What happened to any concept of self sacrifice? Our economy, our world standing, our fat dumb kids, and our culture in general, have been sold down the river for: gas-guzzling SUV's with "Support our Troops" on the bumper; over borrowing to buy crap we don't need; reading about personalities rather than issues, being bribed by every tax-cut proposal any sleazy used-car salesman will propose; etc, etc. Let's put some cold water on our faces, get a grip, then get a clue.

Peter-

You should take this "act" on the road...you'd be a hit with the Leftist's in Europe.

Here's an interesting and related article:

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977392127

LOL, sadly people seem to be shocked. Both parties pander to their base and move to the center as neither side has the votes without the non party faithful. Obama is either waking up to reality regarding his economic/foreign affairs proposals or he's just another politician with his finger in the wind. Either way he seems to be losing some of his aura of holiness as of late.