Why Did Barack Obama Turn His Back On the Constitution?
Watch out, Barack Obama - progressives have endured seven years of hearing from Democratic politicians that the Democratic Party would stand up for strong progressive change, but only after the current election, during which certain compromises of progressive values would have to be made. Every time, after the election is over, we get the same excuses. They say that the Democrats can’t act now, that we need to wait, that they need just a little bit more power.
They must think we’re pretty stupid, because they’re trying to pull this trick on us again.
This time, Barack Obama promised unequivocally that he would filibuster the FISA Amendments Act and its retroactive immunity for telecommunications corporations that helped George W. Bush illegally spy on millions of law abiding Americans. Then, Obama went ahead and voted to kill the filibuster, and voted for the FISA Amendments Act.
This broken promise has inspired a huge progressive backlash against Barack Obama. It’s spawned bumper stickers like this one, asking, Why did Barack Obama turn his back on our civil liberties?
It’s also spawning a new network of anti-Obama web sites by political progressives. See Progressives Against Obama.
This FISA Amendments Act vote has got to be the most obtuse piece of political triangulation I have ever seen. It has cost Barack Obama his image as an idealist, lost him progressive votes, and hasn’t brought Obama any more support from Republicans.
If Obama loses the election, it will be the FISA Amendments Act that did him in.
It’s like Lucy, telling Charlie Brown that she promises to hold the ball still for him to kick this time.
Sorry Lucy, but you’ll have to find some other sucker to play around with.
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