Crossposted from Docudharma.
On the eve of a new and historic Presidency, one I have yearned for and supported, I find myself increasingly unable to savor our victory. We are still at war, still killing innocent people for bogus reasons, and there is every reason to believe that we are not about to stop our militaristic bullying of our neighbors on this planet. Otherwise we would not be escalating that idiotic and immoral war in Afghanistan – or opening a billion dollar embassy bigger then the Vatican in Baghdad, along with fourteen ‘enduring’ bases across the country. There are too many indications that not nearly enough has changed. We are still firmly entrenched in the idiotic war business, people are still being tortured, there is too much money still being stolen and too many lies are still being told.
Obama says he always thought Bush was a 'good guy' ~ CNN
George W. Bush a good guy? What universe is our new Prez living in? I won’t even go into all the reasons that GWB is NOT a good guy, but as we all know, they are legion. LEGION! Contrary to the bullshit the Bush apologists have been busily spreading, when future historians lay the blame for the downfall of America, the bulk of it will fall on GWB and the evil forces he represents. We need Barack Obama to oppose these bastards and speak out against them. How disappointing is it that he won’t?
I always thought Bush was a good guy. This ranks right up there with "I think you reserve impeachment for grave breaches." Come on Barack. We had such hopes for you.
TARP Funds' Second Half Set for Release as Senate Signs Off on Request
The Senate cleared the way for President-elect Barack Obama to access the second half of the $700 billion financial rescue fund, alleviating some concern on Wall Street by setting the stage for another infusion into the weakening financial sector.
WSJ
Thank you so much for alleviating concern on Wall Street. We wouldn’t want to see all those thieving bastards in jail or anything. We’re much happier seeing their concerns alleviated. The same Wall Street Journal piece of tripe goes on to say:
To overcome political objections, the incoming Obama administration pledged to spend $50 billion to $100 billion on a "sweeping" foreclosure-prevention effort. It also said it would impose tougher restrictions on banks that receive government aid, including requirements on banks to lend money, increased restrictions on executive compensation and curtailed dividend payments for some firms.
So they apparently figure that by kicking back a minor portion of the funds to real people who actually need it, they can buy us off and gain our acquiescence, overcome our ‘political objections’. Now that GWB has shown them just how easy it is to steal from the American public, they just can’t help themselves. Dallasdoc asked the pertinent question in Jeff Merkley’s pathetic diary on the subject yesterday.
Isn't $100 billion a drop in the bucket when it comes to addressing the foreclosure crisis?
Dallasdoc in Jeff Merkley’s Why I Voted For TARP
Doc, they expect us to take our crumbs and go away. If they even remotely had our best interests at heart, they would surely have found out where the first $350 billion went before giving away the rest. This time there are going to be strings attached they say. This time they will implement real oversight, not that fake oversight they promised last time. Honest. Just trust us. This time. Jeff Merkley, big netroots candidate. Sigh.
We’ve been robbed...again.
As a life-long democrat I have never been more ashamed of my own party. None of the horrendous abuses of the past eight years could have happened without the collusion of the democrats in congress. They let Bush get away with murder – then refused to impeach him. I guess because he’s such a good guy.
I quote my friend TocqueDeville in DrSteveB’s earlier diary, Sanjay Gupta for Surgeon General - worse than I thought:
I see it as a continuation of the same battle (20+ / 0-)
I've been having for the last 20 plus years.
If this pans out then it will be just another failed Obama appointment, along with a couple of good ones - maybe.
All of his appointments combined demonstrate what the late professor Carroll Quigley, of Harvard Princeton and Georgetown described about how the American political system is rigged so that we can have a great big election and real power never really changes hands. [emphasis my own ~ OPOL]
by TocqueDeville
The real power never really changes hands. I am afraid that is the situation we have here. I fear the Obama presidency will amount to little more than a face-lift. It’ll look better, smell better and play better on the Tee Vee. But make no mistake – The warmongers and the thieves are still in charge. And they are not going to do ANYTHING for us but placate us just enough to keep us from rising in rebellion. They better pray that they are better at calculating where that line is than they have been at anything else.
Yeah, I know. He’s not even president yet.