Think anyone is ever going to ask President Obama this pressing, hard question?

[HughBeaumont]

"Why is Corporate America apparently dictating all of our vital policies and what will this Administration, which billed itself as that of "Change" and a reversal of the disastrous Bush Administration, do to let working and unemployed Americans know that's not the case? I want you to be one hundred percent HONEST when you answer this, by the way."

I think the brave soul who asks that question of President Obama deserves flowers. I'd sure love to hear the answer.

[grytpype]

1. Well it's because he's a corporatist meanie, right?

[t0dd]

3. You add such substance to discussions here.

If you disagree that he is a corporatist, at least provide some insight as to why you think that way instead of mocking posters.

[HughBeaumont]

8. Is he?

If you haven't yet noticed, this country is fast crumbling. The fact that there's far too much wealth concentrated at the top of the food chain and zero net job growth in ten years . . . why are we not at all dealing with this while STILL fighting two unbelievably wasteful Bewsh occupations? Why is our health insurance company giveaway disguised as a plan only amounting to extraction of blood from a stone? Why is the failed Friedmanite financial system still having the insurmountable power it's allowed to have and not being regulated and overhauled? Why have the disastrous Bewsh tax cuts for the rich not been rolled back? Where are the green jobs, the infrastructure jobs, the rail jobs?

What's being done to help main street America?

[Don Caballero]

2. Because it isn't true.

The President Obama is a corporate puppet meme is so silly and ignores how politics work and work well.

[t0dd]

7. It is not silly at all.

To cite one example (and there are many): there is significant evidence that President Obama had secretive meetings with the pharmaceutical industry. The deal they struck lead to drug reimportation not being included in the final health care package. That amendment would have saved Americans millions of dollars, and it is a prime example of the WH putting corporate interests ahead of the people of this country.

[Juche]

16. billions

Medicare negotiations and prescription re-importations would save $30-50 billion a year.

Possibly more by driving down prices in the domestic market the same way unions raise wages. If an employer gets a union, competitors have to raise wages to prevent their own employees from unionizing.

Reimportation would force drug companies to lower prices to ensure people bought domestically.

All in all, who knows how much money we lost in that corporate welfare giveaway.

Either way, I'd still reimport drugs no matter what the law says.

[laughingliberal]

36. The deal with Billy Tauzin also led to keeping it illegal for Medicare to negotiate rates

with the drug companies. For this consideration, they put $80 billion on the table over 10 years. This was an 8% savings. Many companies have raised their prices 10%since the deal was struck. Way to go!

[HughBeaumont]

9. It ain't working. And I never said he was a puppet.

All I want asked is why corporations have to get THEIRS first, foremost, and in some cases, ONLY?

[Wilms]

11. If politics work so well, why the concern expressed in your sig line?

And yes, your oligarchic apologistic posts continue to creep me out.

[girl gone mad]

13. I think it's beyond absurd..

that anyone would protest the description of this administration as corporatists. They've just handed Trillions of dollars, with no strings attached, to the corrupt big banks. They gave hundreds of billions more to auto manufacturers who continue to ship jobs out of the country. They made secret deals with insurers and drug companies to screw consumers out of money. They continue to expand wars of choice. They support a health bill that amounts to another massive FIRE sector bailout. They talk about annuitizing 401Ks, raising taxes on Medicare and reigning in the deficits on the backs of the working class. They are nothing if not corporatists.

[FLAprogressive]

18. I thought our president wasn't "playing the game" and was going to change how "politics work"

[tbyg52]

26. >>how politics work and work well.

Oh yeah? "Work" for *whom*? Looks like it works great for the corporations and fat cats.

[Forkboy]

30. Oh Don, you silly goose.

[Marr]

32. That is astounding to me.

You're being sold out at a faster pace, and in more brazen and profound ways than ever before. Since Bush Jr., it's like they've abandoned all pretense, but we've still got faithful political boosters. Seriously-- they used to dress this stuff up a little, make it look convincing.

[whistler162]

33. Of course he is. Because he hasn't bowed and grovelled

to the people who think he is a corporate puppet he there for is a corporate puppet!

[whistler162]

34. Of course he is. Because he hasn't bowed and grovelled

to the people who think he is a corporate puppet he there for is a corporate puppet!

[underpants]

4. You had it at the beginning

the banks are more important than the government
banks won

for now, he is working on it

[flvegan]

5. Doubtful ever. Of course, he could easily answer that with

"why don't you ask your bought-and-paid-for Congress that question first?"

[HughBeaumont]

10. Especially bitch-ass philanderers like John Ensign.

After all his crap, he has the nerve to propose high "lifestyle" deductibles to this already rank bill.

[chimpymustgo]

28. That would be the pot asking questions about the kettle.

[Individualist]

6. The probable reason the question hasn't been asked is because the answer is so obvious.

Obama is following DLC's agenda.

[unkachuck]

21. and that's sad....

....when we elect a Democrat, we shouldn't get a Republican....

[whistler162]

35. Yes because he doesn't obey you in every way

he is a Republican!

[Arkana]

12. And then the questioner will pull out a guitar and slash out the opening riff

to "American Idiot", right? Is that how it happens in your fantasy?

[HughBeaumont]

19. Green Day? COME on . . .

I was thinking the questioner could morph into a giant spider to the tune of THIS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRewGkkzQ0c

[Juche]

14. Who cares, I want to know what is happening with his dog

And his wife's outfits

:sarcasm:


One truly good thing to come out of this last year is the nakedness of our plutocracy is easier for everyone to see.

[HughBeaumont]

15. "the nakedness of our plutocracy is easier for everyone to see."

Ouch. The answer is "None more nekkid". :)

[anAustralianobserver]

17. Yes, your president needs to countenance questions from the left like this

if he wants to reconnect with you, a crucial part of his base. (eg Bill Clinton at least answered Amy Goodman's questions about 90s Iraq sanctions in a live radio show in 2000.)

If Obama is a real fiscal centrist he'll welcome questions like this from both 'extremes' of the political spectrum in live forums. He showed every sign that he would govern responsively like this in his campaign, He thrived in live forums.

I think it will be obvious when he really takes charge and begins to govern in the full capacity of his office as your head public representative. Sadly his first year seemed quite reactive and safe-playing from what I saw. (On the other hand he has handled the overwhelm very impressively in some ways.)

[BeFree]

20. Welcome to DU, mate

Good observations.

We must remember that American power and prestige is her corporations. So anybody who presides over America is first and foremost going to take care of her corporations.

Maybe later he does something for the working man? At least with Obama there is that chance. Our next best chance is to change the congress and put more people like Bernie Sanders in place.

[anAustralianobserver]

24. Thanks, I suppose America will always be biased to the right

economically among the large nations; yeah it's an American archetype. But corporate interests and public interests can't become 2 dissociated things! That situation can't even benefit corporations ultimately. Yeah Bernie Sanders seems like a good guy.

[HughBeaumont]

25. Live forums is where he's best.

At least there are no hand picked crowds, unlike the last clownish caesar.

The difference between me and much of the "left", though, is that I'm willing to see how this all plays out and see if he becomes the candidate he said he would be. I want to see if he'll succumb to the plutocracy . . . just like every other leader in the past 46 years has done.

[Marr]

38. I think it's fairly likely that this one year will turn out to be his only time for moving

legislation.

He's gone out of his way to sell out the middle class and the poor, and the party is going to take it on the chin next year as a result. He'll be dealing with a much less friendly Congress until his next election roles around, and he may very well lose as a result. This economy is going to make him a fat target.

On the other hand, he's managed to transfer about 8 years worth of wealth to his big money bosses in a single year, so I'm sure the DLC will count him a success anyway.

[bajamary]

22. We should have a Progressive democrat run against Obama in 2012

As for me, I am seriously hoping that a Progressive Democrat runs in the Democratic Presidential primary.

How about Senator Feingold and Elizabeth Warren?

[dionysus]

31. cause this went so well the last time you posted it...

:rofl:

[shadesofgray]

23. Obama will claim he never mentioned the word "change" during the campaign.

[butterfly77]

27. I have been watching him answer the hard question ..

all along...

[truedelphi]

29. I have already heard his answer. you have too.

Remember, it went like this (from maybe seven or eight days ago?)

"Now look, we have just seen this Congress enact a Historic Piece of Legislation that will allow every American citizen to receive health insurance from the insurer of their choice. This landmark legislation will enable the nation's citizens to be healthier and better provided for. It was a struggle and an uphill climb, but we made it, and now the benefits will begin." (I am somewhat paraphrasing, I admit. But I am sure he will have similar talking points during his State of the Union address.)

[HughBeaumont]

37. "Health insurance. . . insurer of their choice".

"They'll be getting a disease . . . from the petri dish or vial of their choice." Damn it, a health plan that amounts to the same old ineffective insurance that people have to PAY THROUGH THE NOSE for when they already have wages that aren't keeping up with the cost of living is NOT REFORM. Absolutely no provisos that insurers won't just substantially jack up co-pays or deductibles to get around the "pre-existing condition" thing is NOT REFORM. No public option is NOT REFORM.

This is just one of MANY things that made me type this question. I want it ASKED. I want to hear from him what he plans on doing to rid America of this fucking wealth/corporate CANCER. Corporations are screwing everything the hell up, they're ruining people's lives, they're causing the most massive inequality in wealth in 50 years and I'm goddamned SICK of it. I want this question asked and I want a straight answer!

[truedelphi]

39. Hugh, if you want to really understand this President rent the movie (it's a romantic drama)

"M. Butterfly"

Award winning script and brilliant acting.

And when the movie is over, ask yourself which of the characters in the film is Obama?

Is he the Jeremey Irons character? Or is he (as I believe he is) the M. Butterfly
character?

Cannot say more as I do not wanna spoil a good movie for you.

And as far as you asking him a question - he only really cares about answering the Tea Baggers questions. And also he likes to answer those from people who are paying 30K to sit around at his reform lunches.

If you were to ask him anything that links you to being a progresive, he will just look annoyed and look away.

[HughBeaumont]

40. I just refuse to believe that. Unlike most, I'm willing to give him a chance.

Obama isn't Bewsh. He talks to real people, not filtered crowds.

The thing is, Obama the candidate won on the heartstrings of those who desperately believed like I did - that corporate power would need to at least be reigned in if we ever had any hope of survival. I need to speak to that guy, not one whose term is being sabotaged by Corporate America because they cannot kill him and they cannot have a fascist state like the one they tried to have in 1933.

I refuse to believe he's a co-conspirator and a liar.

[truedelphi]

41. I don't know what in the world you are talking about.

Obama would not even talk to average people unless they had 30,000 bucks to come to the "Health Care Reform lunches." He would not even meet with his own personal physician from a few years earlier.


Rent the movie "M Butterfly"

People who are seductive are stuck on themselves quite often.

They are used to getting their way, but they are USED by others. Yet they expect to still be liked by their lover(s) in this case We the Common Persons, although more and more of us are starting to realize that our life in Corproate Controlled Amerika is just as portrayed in (to give you something else to watch) "Catch 22"

The Presidents are merely the spokesperson. So many RW really believed that George W was an absolute wonderful guy - someone that they could have a beer and clear some brush with. But did he run the USA? No, his buddies Cheney and Rumsfeld and Ashcroft did.

Now you have Obama up there - but he is just a figure head. The government is being run by Rahm and those in Rahm's inner circle. Or maybe Obama is in on it.

His gestures and his way of tilting his head and talking have become positivily Nixonian. He uses "Look" the way Nixon used "Now let me make on thing perfectly clear."

And he really really really wants to be liked. Why shouldn't he be? He is a charmer and very seductive and so far that has given him, without very many real reasons to asnwer for the "why" of it, the office of the Senator from Illinois and now the Presidency. (Nobel Peace Prize as well.)

[truedelphi]

42. I don't know what in the world you are talking about.

Obama would not even talk to average people unless they had 30,000 bucks to come to the "Health Care Reform lunches." He would not even meet with his own personal physician from a few years earlier.


Rent the movie "M Butterfly"

People who are seductive are stuck on themselves quite often.

They are used to getting their way, but they are USED by others. Yet they expect to still be liked by their lover(s) in this case We the Common Persons, although more and more of us are starting to realize that our life in Corporate Controlled Amerika is just as portrayed in (to give you something else to watch) "Catch 22"

The Presidents are merely the spokesperson. So many RW really believed that George W was an absolute wonderful guy - someone that they could have a beer and clear some brush with. But did he run the USA? No, his buddies Cheney and Rumsfeld and Ashcroft did.

Now you have Obama up there - but he is just a figure head. The government is being run by Rahm and those in Rahm's inner circle. Or maybe Obama is in on it.

His gestures and his way of tilting his head and talking have become positivily Nixonian. He uses "Look" the way Nixon used "Now let me make on thing perfectly clear."

And he really really really wants to be liked. Why shouldn't he be? He is a charmer and very seductive and so far that has given him, without very many real reasons to asnwer for the "why" of it, the office of the Senator from Illinois and now the Presidency. (Nobel Peace Prize as well.)

[TheKentuckian]

43. If they do, he'll just give the usual line about the balance between interests,

that we need free trade, the value of business, and the usual neoliberal talking points.

He'll never take on money and power, just bully liberals that speak out of turn.