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'Obama Deceives the Public'
Left-Wing Icon Daniel Ellsberg: 'Obama Deceives the Public' - SPIEGEL ONLINE - News - International
Daniel Ellsberg, legendary leaker of the "Pentagon Papers" in 1971, still has a bone to pick with the White House. In an interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, the 79-year-old, legendary peace activist accuses President Obama of betraying his election promises -- in Iraq, in Afghanistan and on civil liberties.
It's always very telling when threads like this get little play.impdaddy:
What is there to play to? Most of us agree Obamna should do more. But what republican candidate would do as much? I support keeping pressure on Obama, but let's not pretend there's a republican candidate ready to step up and actually do more than Obama has.
Like what? Close Gitmo? oh wait..... Bring the troops home in "18 months" oh wait...... Pass single payer health care nonsense.... Oh wait......
Hmm seems to me the wheels may be coming off the bus. With the likes of charlie rengel critisizing obama and other leftwingers dissatisfied with the man, that his chances or re-election will be pretty slim imo.
Hmm seems to me the wheels may be coming off the bus. With the likes of charlie rengel critisizing obama and other leftwingers dissatisfied with the man, that his chances or re-election will be pretty slim imo.
Hmm seems to me the wheels may be coming off the bus. With the likes of charlie rengel critisizing obama and other leftwingers dissatisfied with the man, that his chances or re-election will be pretty slim imo.
I'm not American, so I did not vote for Obama, but I assume I would have voted for him in 2008 if I were American.
I did not agree with many things Bush did, especially the war in Iraq and the expansion of executive power which I consider excessive in many ways. Legal experts may debate if kidnapping, extralegal detention, denial of legal assistance and fair trials of non-Americans violates the Constitution, but no matter what they say, it's definitely a violation of rather basic Western values. I understand people were angry and afraid after 9/11, but I think respecting our basic values, like giving every suspect a fair trial and considering him innocent until his guilt is proven, is a no brainer. Maybe a police state is technically safer than a free democratic republic, but even if it is, this lack of total safety is the price for freedom.
So I was hoping Obama would put an end to these policies. Unfortunately, he has done way too few in these regards so far, and in some cases even expanded this executive power.
Yet I wonder who else would do more. Among the Republicans ... maybe Ron Paul. But does he have a chance of ever winning a nomination? I don't expect any of the mainstream Republicans to curb these questionable laws.
So as sad as it is, I still think Obama is the lesser evil, although I am by far not that hopeful about him anymore than I used to be. At least, as a nice bonus, he has restored international support for America again. And he indeed held a few nice speeches that give the impression he cares about America's international spending. So maybe if the substance of his Presidency is disappointing, at least the cosmetics are spot on. :/
Ron Paul, maybe…until his son came on the scene saying that he wouldn’t have voted for the civil rights bill. IMO that pretty well tanked Ron Paul’s shot of a viable third party-sadly.
Oh yes, I think I have heard about that. He said quite a few rather non-libertarian, rather far-right things.
Is he politically very closely associated with his father, so that his opinions immediately fall back on Ron? And would Ron have had a chance anyway, if Rand hadn't made these statements?
Yes, in this country, unfortunately the sins of the son in this case will/would be held against Dr. Paul the senior in a run for the Presidency. Would Ron have a chance? Don’t really know, but six years ago who would have thought that the United States would have had a black President?
I know that a lot of people think like myself in this country that the United States has to pass on the role of the worlds Police force to some other folks. We are to overextend and it is time for someone else to pick up the ball and run with it. Which is the meat of Dr.Paul's platform, of course some of his platform is as bizarre as his sons but if someone with a bit of charisma would pick upon it and fine-tune it, I believe it would take off.
I see.
But passing the role of world police to someone else?! Hell no! If that happens, we Europeans would suddenly have to defend ourselves, and we neither know how to do that, nor do we want to spend money on it (we need that for bloated bureaucracies and welfare states, dammit!)
No seriously, I think it would be nice if that role would be distributed a bit more evely among several players. Especially we Europeans should finally get our act together and take some responsibility.
The left is pissed at Obama over health care though frankly I have no idea why given that he pushed for a public option pretty hard before Lieberman finally killed it...its not like Obama could have threatened Lieberman with anything after the later proved he could win an election without any help from the Democratic party. They're a little mad over the bailout because it didn't attach enough strings (though Obama has been seeking to rectify that with a separate financial reform bill) and finally they aren't happy with more troops in Afghanistan (this one is entirely in Obama's control so its actually a complaint that makes sense if you oppose continuing the War in Afghanistan). Really though they'd probably be OK with him if it wasn't for healthcare (something he tried pushing for but no one could have gotten a public option, much less single-payer). Its a lot of bitterness towards a man who is definitely within the scope of the left (even if he hasn't used his magic powers to turn the US into Sweden yet).
Would Ron have a chance? Don’t really know, but six years ago who would have thought that the United States would have had a black President?
I know that a lot of people think like myself in this country that the United States has to pass on the role of the worlds Police force to some other folks. We are to overextend and it is time for someone else to pick up the ball and run with it.
It's always very telling when threads like this get little play.impdaddy:
Yeah? What does it tell you, Reverend?
It tells me that my taunting worked. Muahahahahahaaaahahahaahaa!!!!!!!!
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