Lowering expectations

[blindpig]

Obama's first appointee is Rahm Emanuel, who will serve as his chief of staff. The Illinois Congressman is a leading member of the right-wing Democratic Leadership Council. While running for Congress in 2002, he supported Bush's bill to authorize military force against Iraq. A former investment banker, he has close ties to financial interests and is one of the biggest recipients of campaign cash from banks and investment firms.

Sources close to Obama have leaked names on the list of candidates for the position of treasury secretary—no doubt as a means of reassuring Wall Street. Included are former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, former Clinton treasury secretary and current Citigroup executive Robert Rubin, another former Clinton treasury secretary, Lawrence Summers, and Timothy Geithner, the New York Federal Reserve Bank president.

All of these individuals played leading roles in the deregulation of the banks and investment houses that facilitated the super-profits and massive CEO compensation packages of the 1990s and first half of the current decade, and contributed to the financial collapse that is now plunging the US and the rest of the world into the deepest recession since the 1930s.


http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/nov2008/obam-n07.shtml

[BeFree]

1. No lowerings

With the kind of direction we expect Obama will provide it doesn't much matter who sits in a seat below him.

Besides, who would we expect Obama to appoint, people like you or me, or some other radical socialist? We have to be real, and understand that those who got us into this mess know how to get us out of it given the proper marching orders. Obama, we must trust, will give the proper orders. Give him a chance. A year from now bitch all you want.

[blindpig]

2. Trust?

What about this 'holding his feet to the fire' thing I hear about?

Not that believe for a second that it will do any good. He has been vetted by Wall St, the defence establishment and AIPAC, that's all ya need to know.

[BeFree]

3. No shit

No one, absolutely no one, gets where he is today by being an out and out enemy of the powers that be. I think he promised them they wouldn't lose a ton of money because of his presidency.

But he did tell them they would pay more in taxes, didn't he? It is a compromising position he's had to play, but he did it damn well. So, for now, I will give Obama a great measure of trust.

Really, it's the American people as a whole that just Tuesday, regained a semblance of gaining our trust. They have a ways to go and I think Obama will help them see their way to becoming more trustworthy. If anyone thinks he won't/can't, you gotta be blind.

[blindpig]

4. Our trust?

Who Is we?

The last thing we need is more illusory trust, been there, done that. Kinder, gentler capitalism and empire ain't exactly something to be looked forward to.

Time will tell, but I'm taking bets.

[BeFree]

5. Yeah Trust, but verify

We will be watching to see what happens.

But to just say you don't trust there will be a change to the better is just defeatist. One might as well just get out of politics and move to Idaho with the rabid survivalists.

The main thrust of the Obama campaign was that we the people would institute the needed change. I trust that he wasn't bs'ing us, yes.

[blindpig]

6. Your concept of politics is extremely limited.

Sure, I've given up on the Democratic Party, but one branch of the Money Party. If you don't believe that, just watch.

Obama will be the best advertisement for socialism since the Great Depression by proving the utter bankruptcy of the Democratic Party as the party of the people. Then, maybe, we the people can get to work.

[BeFree]

7. huh?

[blindpig]

8. Here's a picture

[acmavm]

9. I say wait until Obama actually DOES something and THEN see if we

should be jumping in his shit or not.

[BeFree]

10. Good f'n idea

Or we could have elected a died-in-the-wool socialist? lol

And please, someone tell blindpig I don't do images on DU.