Glenn Greenwald notes that even Democratic party loyalists are getting fed up with Obama’s Bush-like actions:
Even the most loyal establishment Democrats are now harshly denouncing the president for his war on transparency ….
This secrecy has become so oppressive and extreme that even the most faithful Democratic operatives are now angrily exploding with public denunciations.
(Greenwald gives numerous examples.)
The Hill reported last month:
A majority of voters believe President Obama has been no better than his immediate predecessor, President George W. Bush, when it comes to balancing national security with the protection of civil liberties, according to a new poll for The Hill.
Thirty-seven percent of voters argue that Obama has been worse than Bush while 15 percent say he has been “about the same.” [In other words, a total of 52% think Obama is just as bad as Bush. That was before the drone controversy - discussed below - went viral.]
***
The results cannot be fully explained as party line responses. More than one in five self-identified Democrats, 21 percent, assert that the Obama administration has not improved upon Bush’s record. So do 23 percent of liberals.
Indeed, more and more Democrats are waking up the fact that Obama is doing a lot of the same stuff Bush did.
Bush was a horrible president. His warmongering, disrespect for civil liberties, redistribution of wealth from the poor and middle class to the super-elite, and obsession for secrecy were all abysmal.
But how does Obama stack up by objective measurements?
Let’s compare …
Favoring the Super-Elite the Expense of Everyone Else
Income inequality has increased more under Obama than under Bush.
Under Obama, the richest Americans have captured more than 100% of all income gains (and see this).
Liberal Nobel prize economist Joseph Stiglitz said in 2009 that Obama’s toxic asset plan “amounts to robbery of the American people”.
Bailing Out the Big Banks
While everyone knows about the $700 billion “Tarp” bailout which started under Bush, a top banking analyst puts the current bailouts under Obama at more than $780 billion each year. (Background here.)
Protecting Financial Criminals
Obama has prosecuted fewer financial crimes than President Reagan, Clinton or either of the Bush presidents.
Obama’s chief law enforcement officer – the Attorney General of the United States – has publicly stated that he won’t go after big banks.
Targeting Whistleblowers
Obama has prosecuted more whistleblowers than all other presidents combined.
Obama – even more than Bush – is protecting criminal activity by prosecuting and harassing whistleblowers.
Indeed, the Obama administration is are literally treating whistleblowers as terrorists.
Using Government Secrecy
In March 2010, AP documented that – under Obama – 17 major agencies were 50 percent more likely to deny freedom of information requests than under Bush.
An ACLU staff attorney puts it:
In some ways, the Obama administration is actually even more aggressive on secrecy than the Bush administration.
A new AP investigation published last week shows that the Obama administration has recently become more secretive than ever.
Trampling Liberties and the Constitution
Liberals rightfully hate Bush for trampling liberties. Bush even called the Constitution a “God Damn Piece of Paper”.
But Obama has gone much further than Bush ever did by:
(1) Declaring the right to assassinate Americans living on U.S. soil (no … this was never disclaimed) without any due process of law
(2) Declaring that he can indefinitely detain Americans on U.S. soil without any due process of law
(3) Spying on Americans more widely than Bush (the former head of the National Security Agency’s global digital data gathering program – William Binney – says that he pervasiveness of spying under Obama has only “gotten worse”)
(4) Bush destroyed much of the separation of powers which made our country great. Under Obama, it’s gotten worse. For example, the agency which decides who should be killed by drone is the same agency which spies on all Americans
(5) Otherwise shredding the Bill of Rights
Starting Military Conflicts In New Countries
Liberals rightfully lambast Bush for getting us into the disastrous Iraq war.
But Obama has in fact launched wars in Libya, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan … and up to 35 African nations (and see this).
Obama – citing a Nixon administration official’s justification for invading Cambodia – has claimed his power extends into every country in the world … well beyond those where we are engaged in hostilities.
Obama has dramatically escalated the use of drone assassinations, which are creating many more terrorists than they are killing. The former chief military prosecutor at Guantanamo says that Obama’s drone surge is as damaging to our country as Bush’s torture program. I think he’s actually underestimating damage from the program, as drones have become the number 1 recruiting tool for Al Qaeda (especially since children are now being targeted for drone assassination … Oh, and torture is still happening on Obama’s watch; background).
And the Obama administration has probably supported even more terrorists – in Libya, Syria and elsewhere – than Bush. See this, this, this, this and this.
Just read that our small business will have to pay $63.00 "fee" per insured on our health insurance. For our small company, of 150 employees and dependents will come to another $18,000.00 haircut to our profits in 2014. This Obummer Care tax is to pay for those with pre existing conditions. It's not enough that we provide full insurance for our employees, but have to pay this outrageous penalty. Big unions and corporations are screaming for an exemption. Since their noses are so far up the gubbberment's ass they will probably get one, while small business takes a hit. Who is John Galt?
################
##### SHRUG #####
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Shut down your business.
Stop feeding the beast.
But isn't this exactly what you have asked for? Were you not not running around for decades decrying "Universal" health care that every other advanced nation employs? Yes, those countries spend half to two-thirds less per person on health care with equal or better outcomes but hey, it's our God given right to pay more for less.
Stop complaining! Obama gave you exactly what you asked for. He simply codified into law our bloated, inefficient, for profit, private insurance system. Crony capitalism at its finest.
No, what we wanted was Not for Profit health care. Which he actually promised during the campaign... He said we needed a Dem House and Senate too. He got all that, then he turned on us- surprise.
During a town hall meeting someone asked about this, and he said something like, "What we have now is a legacy health care system, and that's hard to change." So then he gives us mandatory insurance- what a fraud, asswipe, traitor - take your pick... it will be a great day in America when he meets with locals at some PR event, and one of them punches him in the face.
"Not For Profit" Health Care???
What incentive is there for someone to extend a large amount of Capital, to build Infrastructure, to hire employees, and to hassle with all of the edicts of Regulatory Agencies if it is not being done for a Profit???
Just why do I expect you to tell me that the Government will do this?
But just how can they pay for it without raising taxes?
No!!! We are not paying for your Health Care. You are not going to coerce me to do so. I will expatriate all oof my capital if it comes down to that. I am certain that every other Business Owner and Investor will do the same thing. The people with the Capital will close their Businesses, shut their doors nd expatriate the funds to better climates.
We are not buying into your SOCIALISM. It is NOT going to happen. If you want Socialism then move to Europe. Try Greece and see how well things are working out for them. Maybe Spain. And if you want a semi stable Government you can try Germany.
But Europe is in collapse. It is over. Socialism just does not work.
I wish I could feel sorry for you, but you drug me down with you.
Don't be impatient, he is giving us single payer government healthcare. Unassailable politically, totally horrible at providing healthcare, absolutely unaffordable. Now we can be has health-free as the rest of the third world that we are now joining.
"But isn't this exactly what you have asked for? Were you not not running around for decades decrying "Universal" health care that every other advanced nation employs? Yes, those countries spend half to two-thirds less per person on health care with equal or better outcomes but hey, it's our God given right to pay more for less."
That is partly because you are subsidizing countries that pay less, as you pay the full cost of research and developement for things like new drugs. Those contries are not paying their fair share.
that is the sick part of this health care system. It is a corrupt fascist system unlike most of the other "first world's" that has nothing to do with public health or saving money. Insurance and Drug had many "secret" cheney/oil like meetings that are not public record and what do you know, they make no sacrifices, there is no competition, we do not shop the world drug market and it cost us more for less. Just what we need when we're broke
But but but...Obama said everything would be awesomely awesome and completely freeeeeee!!! He's like the economic/religious/constitutional/engineering/military/science-idiot savant Dear Leader of our time...nay...OF ALL TIME!!!
He knows everything and is expert at it!!!
Have a little Hope baby ;-)
With Obamacare I, and the entire American political class, declare the healthcare crisis over. And now we can greatly reduce those ruinous Medicare projections.
Let a 1,000 flowers bloom!!
Its all frrrreeeeee now!!!!...weeeeee!!!...its wonderful!!!
Lalalalalala...lol.
Even Democratic Party Loyalists Starting to Wake Up to the Fact that Obama Is As Bad As Bush … Or Worse
lol...they seem quite shocked and dismayed that while voting for someone who openly said he would infringe on the rights and freedoms of others (through the inherent power of the Executive branch) that he would, at some point in time, turn his attention to theirs.
He would have to "necssarily" make energy prices rise in order to make "green energy" competitive in the market place...through regulation...which falls under the executive branch. Its what you wanted, high gas prices...right?
He declared health care "a right" did he not? It was lapped up by the uninformed press & voter because it sounded good didn't it? Some kingly prince declaring what is a right and what is not.
Lovely, just lovely.
The Constitution stipulates only one instance where there is a right to anothers labor. That being when the state has put one in peril of life or liberty and they cannot afford to defend themselves by its own rules. But he was a constitutional professor, surely he knows what he's doing...right?
The list of lies, deceptions, half truths and outright provable bullshit is too long for me to cover because others and myself already have but I guess the final straw for "democrats" was...the TSA & drones.
Here was the spectacle of groping and irradiating US granny & her grand-daughter for "their protection" before boarding an aircraft while at the same time using and defending aircraft to kill another US citizen (al-Aulaqi) and then his sixteen year old son (born in Denver) two weeks later while doing the un-American act of eating dinner...in a public restaurant.
Everyone forgets the son, who had no connection to the dad's activities, don't they?
He liked his Dad?
Crime enough for CIC O-BLAM-a.
He's lucky his dog didn't get it too.
The dog was flown to the White Mosque for dinner.
He would have to "necessarily" make energy prices rise in order to make "green energy" competitive in the market place...through regulation...which falls under the executive branch. Its what you wanted, high gas prices...right?
LOL. No way, man. The "energy" market is totally free and totally transparent. Always has been!!
Not surprised. Dems are so desperate for total control they have gone beyond the envelope to secure it before ussa can do anything about it. God help us
SCOTUS cleared that up which means of course that it is now not their right but our right to be taxed
that said, each president, no matter what's after their name, will get exponentially worse until the innevitable
I wonder how much Roberts got paid for contorting himself into his pretzel logic on that one...because clearly, the IRS needed 16,000 more tax agents in order for Americans to have "affordable health insurance" and everyone implanted with micro-chips (removed from the bill, yes, one version really did) and the absolute bribery and corruption (Ben Nelson-Cornhusker Kick Back) involved for final passage. Nelson got his kickback, eventually (Scalia was right) and the People got kicked in the teeth.
Again.
I'm done with "the law" Davey, it has no bearing on justice or fairness anymore.
Yeah, 16k more do nothing gov't jobs. Great.....
We wish that bunch would do nothing.
We wish they do anything other than fucking up everything they get their hands on. Well, almost. Many of the uber-liberal variety want to destroy America and they're doing a damned good job of that, I'd say. Not to mention the neo-cons. Jeeeesh
As it was written before you responded...we wish that they'd do nothing.
yes, Roberts move itself was a confession that it was unconsititutional. Redefinition is the quickest way around principle. I'm expecting you to fix all of this nmewn
It won't be me Davey.
We either have the rule of law as first contractually accepted by both parties of said contract (the People & the state) or we don't. You and I both know any law can be modified over time to the point where it only benefits the few at the expense of the many. Its what we have now.
Tyrants and dictators have passed many many laws throughout history, it doesn't make them right or just or fair, merely their interpretation of what law is.
And I've never been a fan of tyrants or the compliant little serfs entreating me with personal sob stories within so-called "democracies" begging me to submit or demanding the state force me to submit to their elected imbeciles. People wholly unqualified to be a fucking dog catcher in most cities & towns.
We didn't start the fire but I'm comfortable stepping back and just watch it burn.
As usual, I'm kidding and I'm not.
It will be you and me and anyone else interested in truth and their children.
As you say, fundamental laws are absolute principles and with that, their abstraction. They're only good when they're enforced. The only "court" in play is the one where we're standing, where the ball has been served.
Yes my friend, I know you were joking...I do it myself all the time but it occurs to me, there are what I call "kiddies" out there that may never pick up on it.
For them, its perfectly acceptable for the state to marry with industry, for some reason. I think we both know why and where this notion comes from. And any industry too, health, energy, media, makes no matter. They have no sense of history and the inequality that inevitably flows back to them that that action brings with it.
Well, they're getting a good dose of it now.
Yes, the court of public opinion is the only one left standing in good stead, as always.
The Fourth Estate having been willingly subverted like so many petty barons to the king. To be granted an audience with him, to gain their fortune by his favor. And the judiciary becoming no more than another skewed opinion poll meant for mass consumption to fool the public into thinking that everything is under control and the trains will always run on time.
No concept of right & wrong...only precedent.
(My mocking of justice now)...you know, a precedent in law was set under FDR (and even further back) this must be held above all else or it shows the fallibility of our institutions of justice and all who came before us! And thus, ourselves, in our future learned opinions! So, no turning back now to review past bad law(s) or the bad precedent(s) in upholding them. We must move Forward with the bad precedent in place from those bad laws to show continuity and purpose to the People!
Why, if not, those-could-be-our-heads-in-a-basket ;-)
The Fourth Estate is no different than those whom employ them. They will sacrifice Principle for short term gain.
When Psychopaths run the large Corporations (according to a Psych Study, their population is 2000% more prevalent than that of the prevalence within the General Population); and; the Large Cororations have bought up the Media; then what type of people do you expect the Psychopaths to hire???
Like attracts like.
So as HR Departments became leaner and meaner the Reporters they hired were the ones that were easily paid off to promote the Psychopath's Lies and Propaganda.
Corporations are amoral. That is the place where a Psychopath thrives.
It reminds me of the joke about Accounting Graduates being Interviewed. One by one they were eliminated as they reported a Fictitious Company's Profits after being handed a set of Ledgers and a Ten Key. The Interviewees were rejected as they were interested in reporting the facts.
Of course the one who was ultimately hired was the one who asked the Interviewer what he wanted the Profit to be.
So a Psychopath, one who could not care less about the true facts, over all of those whom were interested in reporting the facts, was the one who ended up being hired.
You got to squeeze that Tax Man, right? Every dime of Profit counts. The morals of the Corporatist is the Bottom Line. The ends justify the means and you have done a superior job if you are in the Black instaed of bleeding Red Ink.
So do not expect Truth and Facts from the Fourth Column, Fourth Estate, or unofficial Fourth Branch of Government, the Press, the MSM, or whatever you want to label it. They are Psychopaths, Government and Corporate Hacks. It will lead to you failed expectations and disappointment when you do.
Close, but no cigar GW. You still don't want to tell the truth--- I know you have seen my posts here--- but you are still a coward. Obama is not an eligible natural born Citizen--- since he was born BRITISH, because his father was a Britizh subject (British Nationalization Act 1948). No matter if born on the Oval Office desk, Obama was born BRITISH--- and that makes him ineligible to be President, because the purpose of the natural born Citizen requirement is to assure allegiance and attachment, and to prevent foreign influence. It is not possible that the founders, in their abject fear of foreign influence into the chief magistrate (John Jay wrote 5 Federalist Papers on the subject, and G. Washington warned direly of it in his Farewaell speech), would have allowed one born of foreign allegiance to be President.
If you really think that one born of foreign citizenship can be President (if born since the ratification of the Constitution), then you are just dumb. As a matter of fact the British Common Law of Perpetual Allegiance says that Obama 2 is STILL a British subject--- especially since he has likely travelled on a British Passport at the age of maturity-- to Pakistan in 1982 (payoff to John Brennen, who found this factoid out when McCain, HRC, and Obama's Passport records were broken into--- can you say bribery?--- why do you think Lt. Quarels Harris was killed?)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2232588/posts?page=66
There is a reason that a non natural born, not eligible Brit was muscelled in, and that reason is to void the US Constitution. When there is no legal President then there is no Constitution, since the President is the executor of the laws. It is not that hard to understand. The mass realization of Obama's ineligibilty is a game changer--- and VOIDS his whole presidency. So if GW TRULY wanted to help get rid of this domestic enemy of the US he would trumpet this fact. But alas, he is merely a steam vent, cowed by the "Birther" insults of the Alinsyan MSM--- GW is a coward.
"Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue, and corruption. These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from more than one querter, but chiefly from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistracy of the Union?"== FEDERALIST 68
Federalist 68 tells you everything you need to know GW! A "creature of their own" is a natural born Citizen, and "an improper ascendant" is an "improper ancestor". The pupose is to prevent foreign influence. Foreign Powers have now infiltrated the WH and positioned a domestic enemy of the US there. The TREASON is widespread. How could a "creature of our own" be the son of a Communist Kenyan non US Citizen? Have some common sense. The word "ascendant" was used puposefully, as it means influence and ancestor-- as in the improper foreign influence of a foreign ancestor---- DUH--- get a clue.
As for the poster below who says that Obama's "real" father is FMD. That is not the story out of Obama's own mouth--- and there is a 47 year old divorce decree in Hi. along with INS records that say that Ann Dunham was married to Obama Sr. on 8/4/61. Obama looks more like Ann's father than FMD.
US LAW:
"The Constitution does not in words say who shall be natural-born citizens. Resort must be had elsewhere to ascertain that. At common law, with the nomenclature of which the framers of the Constitution were familiar, it was never doubted that all children born in a country of parents who were its citizens became themselves, upon their birth, citizens also. These were natives or natural-born citizens, as distinguished from aliens or foreigners." Minor v. Happersett, 88 US 162, 167 (1874)
Natural born Citizens are born in the US of US Citizen parents. You think it's a coincidence that so many that are not eligible are being touted for the office, i.e Jindal, Rubio, Santorum, Cruz and McCain---- all running protection for the domestic enemy Usurper from the R side of the aisle? It is massive treason GW.
It's really not that hard to understand GW. Speak the truth and it shall set you free
I agree with most of what you wrote, except your interpretation of "creature of their own"; that creature seems to me to be a foreign power creature, who also has an improper ancestor, two descriptions of the same thing.
Unfortunately it seems that the Treasonous Supreme Court will do nothing to defend the Constitution.
Two SCOTUS Justices appointed by an Unconstitutional fraud Obama, and the others probably afraid of being assassinated.
Oblahma would never ever lie...
right?
Maury Povich to BO Sr. - "You are not the baby daddy!"
Still, you don't get the point. I thought there was some "smart" people here. THERE IS NO UNITED STATES or "US CONSTITUTION", it has been Usurped by domestic enemies of the United States. Obama represents the end.
I won't argue with that...
In the end Oblahma is just a distractive and divisive puppet. Where he was born or who's his daddy aren't really that important. Bush II or Oblahma, it really makes no difference.
Some say that's been the case since around the time of the US Civil War.
"Some say"---
Who says, and why?
This is FACT TODAY since the ineligible Usurper was sworn in. THERE is no "Constitution" when the President, who is the execcutor of the laws is an illegal entity.
I will assert that the Constitution was destroyed by the Civil War. The following argument is the reason I make my assertion.
I will say that Abraham Lincoln destroyed Freedom by removing the States' Rights of Secession. Before that point it was a Union of Voluntary States. After that point it was a Union of Coercion.
Before that point we lived in a Land of the Freedom to choose our own Destiny. After that point we lived in a Land of Tyranny with a Centralization of Federal Power which the Framers had not intended.
Thank you TT.
So you just excuse the Usurpation of the Presidency because states' rights were violated 150 years ago? I would say that the right of succession is in the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution.
"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
Are you still fighting the Civil War (war is not civil)? The Laws of Nature will assert themselves soon, and mother nature is a bitch.
It's not just the Usurpation of the Presidency, but the whole kit and kaboodle. The Legislative, the Judicial, and the Executive branches have been usurped, and that happened long before Oblahma came on the scene. The Declaration and the Constitution have been being routinely ignored for a long time now(or 'reinterpreted'). What ever happened to the Articles of Confederation? That preceded the Constitution.
By the way I'd like to rephrase what I quoted you on above:
More accurately it would be:
it has been Usurped by the domestic agents/frontmen of foreign enemies of the United States.
Speaking of the Articles of Confederation...
I'd say it was those domestic agents working towards creating the perception of "became apparent" that a stronger Federal(Central) gov't was needed. I think this usurpation(or it's initial attempts) we speak of began almost immediately after the Revolutionary War, and not later than 1812. Lincoln and his Civil War shenanigans sealed the deal.
Did anyone else read Glenn Greenwald as Clark Griswold?
The CIA took Obama aside during the vetting process and showed him a very short film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU83R7rpXQY
They then asked him if he had any questions.
He said... "No".
The Bush Crime Family replied ... "Fine. The job is yours."
ameriKlan's DARK LEGACY !
http://vimeo.com/20001264
The CIA took Obama aside during the vetting process and showed him a very short film.
No, no, no. It was the Danny Devito scene in Johnny Dangerously, "Play Ball".
And then the second shot .....
Yes, Obama is - indeed explicitly - part of a sick criminal cabal
Here is a great 1-page photo history of Barack Obama's secret hidden family background
Emotional roots of how Obama became a sociopath drone-plane murderer of people everywhere, from Americans to Pakistani children
Page has strong rhetoric, but significant photos and well-grounded facts in the long history of documenting the 'real' Obama
Generations of emotional trauma on Obama's maternal side
- great-grandmother suicide
- grandfather abandoned
- mother Ann Dunham repeatedly traumatised as a child
- Obama himself abandoned and traumatised, including by his mother
Obama's mother poses for nude porno photos by a black Communist, Frank Marshall Davis, almost certainly Obama's real father ... Davis authored a book, 'Sex Rebel Black' under name Bob Greene, describes threesome sex with Obama's mother
Comparing photos of Obama and Davis, and Obama's claimed father ... it was obviously Davis
Obama cared for by a transvestite nanny 'Evie', now an elderly impoverished gay prostitute, abandoned by Obama
Obama himself becomes a teen-age pot-smoking, drug-using homosexual, a boy trying to overcome his demons with egotistical narcissism
Obama's gay male lovers, Larry Sinclair, Donald Young, Reggie Love, Kal Penn
Barack Obama joins the 'community organising' political stream following Saul Alinsky, who dedicates his book to Lucifer ... Obama himself becomes a Luciferian, willing to spill innocent blood for the feeling of 'power'
Obama suddenly makes connections, he gets a lucrative book deal, Ivy League 'credentials', mysteriously and suddenly a political 'superstar'
Obama - not seen with women - gets hooked up to marry Michelle as a 'cover' by Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Well-done Obama history with the photos ... the background of the crimes of murdering children, the ultimate result of 'Barack Obama'
http://www.tomatobubble.com/presidentpsycho.html
Since Obama and his former Chief of Staff (Pun Intended) shared a lifetime membership in Men's Country, a Gay Chicago Bathhouse, you forgot to include Rahm Emmauel as one of "All of The President's Men" Yeah that phrase has taken on an entire new meaning.
Yes the District of Columbia has been transformed into the District of Cornholia. We are living in sick times.
Democrats and the muslim can go F themselves. Ditto Bushies and RINOs.
Listen "Bank Guy", let's cut this silly bullshit! There are enough things to condemn Obama for without going into this nonsense
I junked ya for being an obvious government worker.
GFY.
***I junked ya for being an obvious government worker.***
That's right bozo and I'm coming after you. Read the Patriot Act, NDAA, etc. Your ass is mine!
Ann Dunham activities at the East-West Center were linked to CIA/USAID
She and Geithner's father were Ford Foundation USAID CIA spooks. The Ford Foundation was always filled with lefty CIA operatives. The more conservative ones were long haul airline pilots.