I hate Obama. I hate Democrats as much as Republicans. I hate electoral politics. My rage sits with me, fetid, like a growing abscess. I want so much to use this post as razor blade to lance it, and spray the pus all over you, leaving you so disgusted that you will share my hate.
I won’t do that. I won’t use this blog to crucify my grudges.
But I will make a claim: Obama is a manipulative liar, and he does not have your interests at heart; if he is elected, this will become only painfully evident.
Two cases in point; first, public financing. When asked, “If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?” Obama responded, “Yes … If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election” So what happened? McCain opted for public financing, and Obama did not.
Second, the surveillance law. Obama pledged to support a filibuster on any legislation that granted immunity for telecommunications companies. Then he voted for the very same legislation.
So I won’t say don’t vote for Obama. Just know that he’s a liar. And if you vote for him, don’t expect any consistency between what he’s saying now and what he’ll do when the time comes.
How could you see these contradictions and still believe in the man?
Don’t be hypnotized by hope.
July 14th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
True. Don’t trust Obama; don’t trust McCain; don’t trust Michelle; don’t trust Cindy.
Trust yourself. Trust an honest day’s work. Get up early, eat eggs as frequently as possible, and all will be well. Obama won’t change the world–only we can.
July 14th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
If it wasn’t already obvious, many of his recent remarks prove that we will say anything to get elected. Fortunately, many people are catching on to this, but will they stay home on election day and embrace anarchism? Doubtful.
July 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Obama’s support of FISA upset me to the point of not voting for him. However, staying home on election day wont prevent ANY candidate from winning. We need a solution thats different from avoidance.
July 14th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Avoidance isn’t a solution, but it creates conditions conducive to a solution. Not voting is not a solution, but in abstaining from the empty ritual, we are forced to look for real solutions.
July 14th, 2008 at 11:58 pm
I’ll be able to vote in this election and I’m excited. However, my trust in Obama is diminishing faster and faster as we get closer to November. I’m disappointed in his recent actions regarding the telecom filibuster. At this point, he will be lucky to earn my vote.
July 15th, 2008 at 9:19 am
@Jack
Creating an environment conducive to change wont guarantee change. If the majority of Americans stayed home this voting year, and all the news agencies covered it, do you think electoral process would change? Do you think a new process of establishing leaders would emerge? I doubt it. Those in power, who have the ability to make the change, wont relinquish it.
Instead we’d have to make our own process and follow it our selves.
If we made our own leaders, followed them instead of our current government, within the borders of the US, we’d have our selves a civil war. Or a cult.
Our best bet would be to do it else ware, make our own community, and grow…
July 15th, 2008 at 11:04 am
You misunderstand me.
I don’t want to change the electoral process.
I, like you, want to create new structures, though I want as few leaders as possible because leaders tend to fuck things up for everyone else when they get greedy.
I’m saying, as long as we invest hope in the electoral process, we are not investing hope in ourselves. And we are also forcing ourselves to get off our asses and work for change, otherwise we’re just lazybones who don’t vote and don’t do anything else either.
It’s also about integrity. In my view, national government is illegitimate (because there is no way to keep it in check, it does not represent the constituency it pretends to represent), so voting is not an option because that would signify my acceptance of this government’s right to rule over me.
July 15th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I agree with you on all points.
I worry that if a group of people created a new sovereign body , they wouldnt be viewed as a legit by their peers. Especially when established within the borders of an existing country.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Right, it will be difficult. We have enough freedom to navigate a bit though and create something pretty solid without having to secede.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Guthrie: Why are you excited? Your vote hardly has any significance. And if you vote for the eventual winner, you will be partially responsible for the inevitable atrocities he will occur.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I understand why some ppl want to vote and are excited. It is easy to believe in him, because we want to so badly. We have been bred to believe in America, and our presents to the point of religious reverence. I think Obama is crazy to have voted for FISA. Just bc i know everything he says and does is for one thing: to get your vote. this clearly has turned many ppl off. Maybe he didn’t have a choice? Maybe this indicates that FISA is more important then we already think it is?
Clearly, without a doubt: democracy in America is DEAD. Its possible that it partially existed for mainstream middle class america at one time. it doesnt even do that anymore. Bushs elections are all the evidence we need that its rigged and not up to us. Hope all you want, but there is no easy way out of muck we are neck deep in. Obama, even if he wasnt hand picked to be president, and even if he was genuine, isn’t the answer. As Jack said, it takes all of us, do everything we can.
July 15th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
To do all that we can… is more than just NOT voting.
July 15th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Nobody is saying that not voting is a solution. We are saying there is no point in participating in a broken system, that doing so is unproductive because it displaces our energy and hope into a dead end. However, by not voting, we are forced to look for our own solutions–and that’s where doing all that we can comes into play, into OUR solutions for OUR problems.