Obama’s ‘Supreme’ Outrage

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama launched an extraordinary attack on the Supreme Court on Saturday, saying a ruling on corporate donations to political campaigns this week “strikes at democracy itself.”

I will often tell people that Obama is no better than Bush, that their policies are the same.  However, there is one significant difference.  Obama is much better in the public eye.  Obama says what the people want to hear.  He is well aware (or rather, his administration is well aware) of what the people want to hear and he is charismatic enough to deliver these hopes with carefully planned speeches.

I mentioned several months ago that Obama’s inaugural address to the nation was the greatest evidence of this.  Obama spoke out on rebuilding a nation using the greatest of Our technological and scientific achievements to create improved, eco-friendly energy sources, strengthen the economy, increase the level of health care, reduce poverty and separation by social distinction, oust the corruption of congress and bring peace to the world by removing troops from Afghanistan and lend a helping hand to every impoverished nation in need.  A few months later he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and many wondered why.  It was because of his inaugural speech.

His actions are not as important; not if We listen to his words and keep him to his promises.  It only stands to make Us more aware of the problems in the world.  It is when We forget what he has promised to do that his words lose their value.  As Obama speaks out on his outrage of the Supreme Court’s decision to allow corporations to sponsor political parties, he is creating awareness.  Obama is letting the world know how money corrupts Us while simultaneously telling the people he is powerless to do anything about it.  What is to stop Us from assuming the judge was not purchased in advance of the ruling?  How many corporations stand to profit from this and to what extent?

This is a calling to Our conscience.  Surely We are all aware that corporations will offer millions of dollars to a campaign platform that stands to let them profit billions in international trade agreements and contracts, even if they are not in the best interest of the nation’s people or the global environment.  How are We to expect that politicians are acting in Our best interest when they are subject to million dollar bribes in the way of campaign support?

What Obama’s campaign is really doing, is seeking to make Us aware of the powers that be, the men behind the curtains, the corporate billionaires who are pulling at political marionette strings.  Obama’s campaign is similar to the situation in Haiti, allowing Us to know that We want good things, but something is standing in the way of letting Us have them.  And even the president of the United States is powerless to remove it.  That thing is money.

Obama’s outrage with the Supreme Court comes in the wake of the Haiti crisis where money is the only thing standing between the will of the people to deliver help to Haiti.  Now Obama is letting the world know that corruption is once again a part of presidential policy, despite his determination to change it.  We could criticize Obama for being unable to free his congress from corruption but this kind of dubious political practice exists everywhere and has since the inception of government itself.

Despite the fact that Obama has not made good on many of his campaign promises, I like him, I like him a lot.  His words have power if We choose to listen.  That is the real question – is the world listening, is the world ready to wake up?  Obama can change the world, but We must realize the job is not his, it is Ours.  We must choose to know better and realize We have the power to make change, not Our government.