Obama: Lot's of Noise, Little Change

As the wave of discontent with the Bush Regime reached tsunami proportions, Obama surfed into the White House on a platform of change. Obama is still in the White House, but all that has changed is the sense that something good will come of his presidency. Hundreds of prisoners are still held in clandestine prisons. Not as single member of the Bush Administration has been charged for their crimes against humanity. Worse yet, there is not even the slightest indication that any of the fascist murderers that have soiled our reputation will face trial. Indeed, George Bush seems to have reached an agreement with Obama to avoid prosecution, the primary signs of which are Bush's publicly announced silence and Obama's complete refusal to fulfill his duties and prosecute the war criminal.

On the economic front, the only thing Obama has accomplished is the destruction of any chance we have to recover the current downturn without a complete collapse. Rather than implementing massive public works projects or financing the repatriation of productive capacity to the United States, Obama has ordered the creation of more debt in a bid to prop up the very same criminals who put us in our current peril. The alleged “socialist” Obama has transferred the meager wealth of the working class upward into the hands of the ruling class, all the while pretending to be an agent of change.

As for the wars, Obama is increasing the number of troops. Apparently, the carnage and depravity of the previous administration has not been enough. Obama either has lied to us about his intentions of ending the wars or has made the conscious decision to transform his image into that of John Wayne. Has he decided to trade the lives of more Americans, Iraqis, and Afghans for the illusion of toughness? It certainly appears that way. His rhetoric has grown in bellicosity. According to Obama, “...and to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: we will defeat you.” Like Bush, Obama has taken up the flag of fear mongering, tell us that Afghanistan is “increasingly perilous” and that "the safety of people around the world is at stake." I don't know about you, but to me this sounds like more of the same.

Indeed, Obama's actions confirm that this is just more of the same. He is now sending 4,000 new troops to Afghanistan. By 2011, he hopes to increase our commitment of blood to 134,000 souls. It is as if he has decided that the best way to handle a gang rape is to send in more rapists. How much longer will we sit back and satisfy ourselves that a change in the president's skin color is all the change we need? I think we were all expecting much more than this.

Ominous signs are increasing. Obama is offering military aid to Mexico. Talk of militarizing the border between the United States and Mexico is increasing. Obama is even threatening to send troops into Pakistan. I think it is clear that despite his words, Obama has no intention of ending the wars, changing the economic order, or rectifying Bush's injustices.

We've been sold a a fraudulent bag of goods. Let us join our comrades in Europe and not take this economic collapse sitting down. Obama has had his chance. He failed.