The Plight of the Wishful Thinkers

by Stephen Fleischman

The Pentagon is preparing to deploy 20,000 federal troops within the United States, presumably to respond to a terrorist attack, but also preparing for the repression of domestic demonstrations, civil disobedience and riots which may result from the predicted economic collapse.

This flies in the face of the Posse Comitatus Act, in force for 130 years. The Act was passed in 1878 at the end of the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. It was designed to prevent federal troops from rampaging through southern states after Reconstruction and has persisted ever since to guarantee states rights. Posse Comitatus prohibits the federal military from acting in a law enforcement capacity. Domestic problems must be handled by local or state police. The Act specifically makes the use of the military by the federal government, within the borders of the United States, unlawful. But that doesn’t seem to mean much to the Bush Administration. They are opening the door for federal troops to engage in law enforcement. You can expect many more to come through.

Does this portend a police state for America?

Will Barack Obama become an outlaw, like his predecessor, if he allows the violation of Posse Comitatus to stand after he takes office?

Will Barack Obama become a war criminal, like his predecessor, if he allows the war in Iraq and Afghanistan to continue, under his Administration, by his selection of the Bushian secretary of “defense”, Robert Gates?

And what about Hawk Hillary as the new Obamaian Secretary of State? Iran, beware!

And the new National Security team led by hard-nose General Jim Jones?

And the new Economic team, Citigroup’s Robert Rubin, Treasury Secretary’s Tim Geithner and Larry Summers, the very ones who participated in bringing the Wall Street debacle down upon us?

Barack Obama is a very creative man. He has formulated an original concept—and he calls it the “team of rivals” offense. If you want to put through a bunch of liberal programs, surround yourself with a bunch of reactionaries. You are the boss-man so they will carry out your orders. This is a reverse logical I have never seen in politics before.

The Obama crowd has put out a set of talking points hyping this “rival team” concept and I have heard some of his gullible left-leaning liberal supporters mouthing them.

It’s ironic that the corporate oligarchy chose Barack Obama to lead America into corporatism.

Corporatism? Sounds ominous…

That’s how Benito Mussolini, the pre-World War II dictator of Italy, defined fascism. When the corporate oligarchy surrounds and controls the government, the resulting state of governance is called fascism. Mussolini should know. He coined the word.

Fascism? In the USA? Heaven forbid!

When just about every Congressman and Senator is in some corporate pocket, and our new President-elect has been custom made and whipped into place by ubiquitous propaganda including the subservient mainstream media—and when a little scrappy Middle East state wags the big floppy dog, you know that our historical democracy has taken a powder.

Our President-elect Obama, apostle of change, has gone back to the future, bringing the past with him into our future.

Many Americans, who voted for him, did not get what they thought they were getting.

And whose fault was that? Well, the benighted wishful thinkers, of course, the left-leaning liberals and progressives who failed to see what was before their eyes because of their wishful thinkedness.

When will the scales fall from their eyes? Perhaps never—if they haven’t yet.

How did this happen?

Well, Senator Barack Obama (D) of Illinois wanted to become president. The oligarchy was casting around for a candidate. After eight years of George W. Bushwhacking, the Democrats were a shoo-in. Their first choice, early on in the 2008 campaign, was Hillary Rodham Clinton, a sure shot. Then this charming, charismatic young man came along with all the qualifications. He was taken up by the oligarchy and his captivating liberal rhetoric enamored the left. His chances to talk Hillary down, during the primary fight, were good; which was exactly what happened.

McCain? No contest.

The selection of Joe Biden as running mate—and the choice of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff, told the whole story.

Joe Biden, establishment hack from Delaware, the state of easy corporate charters, Senator from MasterCard, compulsive plagiarist, even distinguished himself as a warmonger from the Balkan to the Afghan to the Iraq wars.

Rahm Emanuel, Democrat from Illinois’s 5th congressional district, scrappy street fighter, noted for his combative style and his political fundraising abilities, is also a personal friend of Obama.

The mainstream media has jumped on the bandwagon. The New York Times, in its lead editorial (12/2/08) says, “There is no underestimating the challenges facing Mr. Obama, and he will need a strong team to help him. The choices announced on Monday are a strong start.”

Can you believe that?

“Change we can believe in,” was Obama’s mantra during the campaign. Mr. Obama’s idea of change is no change at all.

It should have been obvious to everyone—but, apparently, not to the wishful thinkers. Their “rival team” talking points don’t seem to be doing the job.

What’s a left-leaning liberal to do?

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