This Time I Really, Really, Really Won't Get Fooled Again-- Sorry It Had To Happen On Your Watch, Mr. Obama

In 1992 the Democratic presidential primary field didn't excite me much. I thought Tom Harkin, Jerry Brown and Paul Tsongas were all ok. Basically, as long as it wasn't one of the corrupt DLC reactionaries-- Bill Clinton or Bob Kerrey-- I was ok. I was disappointed that my fellow Democrats had put me into that same ole uncomfortable position of picking the lesser of two evils-- and Clinton was certainly far lesser an evil than George H.W. Bush. I dutifully went to the polls and voted for someone I knew would be another crappy president. When the far right set about to destroy his presidency I managed to work myself up and forget how truly awful he was and see as much good in him as I could.

The far right is doing that again, quite predictably. And Obama is as crappy a vison-free, weak centrist and corporate shill as Clinton ever was. Let them tear him apart. I'm done with these assholes.

Today I spent a lot of time in my car. I could really feel why suburban commuters get angry at life and, encouraged by Hate Talk Radio, wind up consistently voting against their own families' interests. Commuting is a real hell on earth. As I sat still on the 710 Freeway from Compton I strained to listen to NPR over the din of noisy trucks belching cancer-causing black death into the air. I caught a trashy woman who sounded perfect for a KKK-woman's auxiliary group explaining why she was keeping little Johnny away from school next week when Obama plans to address the nation's children. She acknowledged that even if he won't be overtly brainwashing the children with liberalism, there would be subliminal messages. She really used that phrase. I'm positive the idea of an African-American in the White House is enough of a subliminal message to drive her insane. But screw it; he can fight his own battles. That's what he pays Rahm Emanuel to do-- the same Rahm Emanuel who Bill Clinton used to violently shove NAFTA down enough Democrats' throats so that a hated Republican bill that didn't pass under Bush, was one of Clinton's big first term "accomplishments."

Yesterday Greg Sargent pointed out that the White House polling memo seemed to go out of its way to omit the fact that Mr. Obama's constituents support a public option, even if his campaign donors don't. Between Afghanistan and his sellout on health care, all the hope for change will be dead by next week.

[V]irtually every poll cited in this memo also found strong support for the inclusion of a public plan.

* The memo cited a CBS poll from September 1st, saying it found strong support for action. What does it say on the public plan? Sixty percent support, 34% oppose.

* The memo cited a CNN poll done through August 31st, saying it found deep public dismay with the system. What does it say on the public plan? Fifty-five percent support, 41% oppose.

* The memo cited a Kaiser poll from August 11th, saying it found overwhelming support for consumer protections. What does it say on the public plan? Fifty nine percent support, 38% oppose.

Needless to say, they certainly didn't mention yesterday's Daily Kos poll, which shows strong support for the public option in every region of the country but the backward former slave-holding states of the Old Confederacy-- and there is even a plurality of support there (47 % favor, 46 oppose)! Nationally, 81% of Democrats and 57% of Independents (and 26% of Republicans) favor a public option. Isn't that bipartisan enough for Mr. Obama. Or by bipartisan does he only count crooked Inside the Beltway politicians who have accepted gigantic bribes from Insurance companies and the Medical-Industrial Complex? People don't count? Then don't count on people. And see how much leeway progressives-- inside and outside Capitol Hill-- are going to give you on your disgraceful policies in Afghanistan going forward. Let's see how much you can depend on the alliance between Republicans and Blue Dogs Rahm is working with. Wednesday will be the first day of the rest of Mr. Obama's political life.