In 2008, America rejoiced. My wife and I were in France and witnessed the happiness of the throngs of visitors and natives alike at the "Au revoir, Bush" signs that appeared on walls and in windows. Eight years of George W. were over - and we thought that meant the end of mindless stupidity, lies, invasions, wars and posturing. We looked foward to a new era of equality - economic, racial and social. Our expectations were sky-high. Then reality arrived.
Arguably, Barack Obama is the greatest political disappointment for progressives in this century. Under his administration, we have become:
1. The industrialized country with the greatest income inequality.
2. The democracy with the greatest percentage of its populace in prison.
3 .The country aiming to become the country with the second longest armed border.
4. The democracy with one of the lowest approval ratings for its government.
5. The biggest arms merchant in the world.
So here is America, once the pride of the world and beacon of freedom, trying to explain why millions of Americans shouldn't object when the government wants to know the contents of their e-mails, the subject of thier phone calls and damn near everything else they do - for the purpose of keeping them safe. Safe from what? Terrorists. Under Joseph McCarthy, it was communists. Around the turn of the century, it was anarchists. Now, it seems that government itself is what we have to fear and this, more than anything else, is the reason for our disappointment.
We, as progressives, have always believed in government. Whether in civil rights, legal protection or economic freedom, we've believed that government's role is to make sure the government we elect is there to defend the people who elected them. Now, alas, this is still true, except the people who've elected them aren't the same ones as before. Thanks to Citizens United, their "people" are pumping billions into the system and gaming it for every buck they can shift onto the rest of us - who don't have the billions to fight back. Our government has been bought and, sadly, Barack Obama has been the auctioneer.
We've always known rich people consider themselves different from the rest of us. Recent studies at U.C. Berkeley have shown that even in rigged games, the attitude of the winners begins to shift and continues to do so as they win greater amounts. TV stars break laws regularly and often seem offended when they're caught. Fame corrupts and Mr. Obama is one of the most famous people in the world. Like the rest of us, he likes to have people fawning all over him and it's nice to rub elbows with the rich and other famous people. And who else does he meet, aside from the occasional photo opportunity?
With some, the person is strong enough to put his exalted position aside and concentrate on the role of Public Servant. Unfortunately, Mr. Obama isn't that strong.
It 's too easy to simply say Mr. Obama has lost his guts. With his predecessor, it was a lack of brains, which it certainly isn't now. It's a lack of willingness to fight for what he formerly thought was worth fighting for. However, he didn't have as much to lose back then. It's easier to bask in the admiration he can get every time he makes an appearance in front of selected audiences. Sure, he has to battle the troglodytes in both Democrat and Republican caucuses, but then he can make another "knight in shining armor" speech and go to another ceremony. It;s easier than making a speech telling America what's happening to the hope of mankind and warn us about the rotting foundations of the City on the Hill.