Malditah Musings

Reflections on the Obama generation

It is little over a year since Obama won in 2008 Presidential Elections; the fact that it is when his presidency began. The day after his victory that he called his team moving together for a morning of brainstorming and planning. From November 4 in his debut with January 20 he played an unprecedented role in the affairs of the country and carefully laid the basis for his presidency term. Nevertheless we know how to evaluate the first year and the movement that brought him to power? A very difficult question to answer is not possible but here are some observations, the four important issues, made during my time here which may interest some.

Health Care

Obama's first major domestic move is health concern. Sadly, the bill passed the House of Representatives 10 days ago is a pale reflection of what Obama promised (or out of commitment), a long way short of other first countries in the world (and even some third world countries) and significantly lower than the American public needs. Seems to be more like reform of the insurance industry than a real live opportunity to offer universal and / or affordable health care for all. The health care industry for accounts 16% of total GDP, the highest in the first world and yet there are currently 50million uninsured Americans, and many benefits do not allow for adequate treatment. As the recession deepens the number is growing.

In his major bill to create a federal regulated market where consumers will be in the shop around for the best insurance plan. These include state subsidies to some private plans for specific customers, and most controversially, a plan state run insurance.

The good news: The bill extends coverage to an estimated 34million people, require more employer offer decent benefits health care, reduces the cost of health insurance in general, expanding Medicaid coverage, offering subsidies to small businesses and individuals, increases taxes to high income earners (over $ 1million) and prevents insurance companies from denying coverage and / or charging higher premiums for pre-existing medical conditions.

The not-so-good news: In a "compromise" transfer of state any subsidized or run plan excludes abortion coverage except in cases of incest, rape or where the mother's life is at risk. Undocumented immigrants not be eligible for any plan involving state subsidy, tax credits or for Medicare or Medicaid (state insurance program for poor, elderly and disabled). They are, however, may be to purchase private insurance through the market area in the price some and can access emergency care not required high cost state. There is no "public" health care in the sense that Canada, mostly in Europe and even South Africa offers, ie free public health care services. Rather subsidized or state run insurance program will pay private doctors medical aid rates of private insurance companies I (and not significantly reduced amount as some expected). The privatization of health care continues. Most damming, however, that most funding can only have affect 2013 despite the growing number of no insurance. And even this modest reform bill will most likely not work this by more conservative Senate in its current form. Most say it is too quiet the opposition (and even passive acceptance?) By industry health care plan.

The Long War

Obama seems to making a positive moving to a gradual withdrawal from Iraq despite none of the purpose (Securing foreign oil, stabilizing a client-regime and "countering terrorism") having achieved again. Some energy can be obtained by the progressive (albeit agonizingly slow) attempts to close Guantanamo Bay (enter that Obama is not meet the promised deadline) and the decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his co-accused (allegedly implicated in September 11-attacks) in a civil court in New York. Similarly, Obama's reaching the Muslim world and his great deal with Iran is a sharp departure from previous policy and cruel necessary.

However, Afghanistan remains a weight around Obama's neck and a quagmire he appears to be sinking deeper into. In the heart of the problem is the long-term American military strategy. Official policy in the following the idea of "The Long War"; a 50 or 100 years cold counter insurgency war against Al Queda and Co. with the "arc of crisis" mainly oil rich, Muslim country like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Horn of Africa, the Philippines and beyond, with various "hot-wars", as we saw, along the way.

The term "Long War" was invented by Gen. John Abizaid in the 1990s and promulgated by experts counterinsurgency around the Pentagon and think tanks led by the Center for New American Security. Its most enthusiastic advocates, who popularized the idea in 2005, is Dr. David Kilcullen, A top military advisor and current signal sa Gen. Stanley McChrystal, and the case is made for this in his recent book The Accidental guerillas. Beyond the failure of global counterinsurgency tactic approach is derived from military dominance circle.

This is the quagmire that Obama faces; Afghanistan (and surrounding conflict, in Pakistan for example) is not a fight that some can only be "won". Rather it is a fight in a larger plan, one of the dubious military and political gains, clear moral inconsistencies and major impact on financial undermine all domestic policy.

Environment

Positive talk abounds. Obama's address to the United Nations in September 22 the first progressive thing to come from an American President to the environment in a long time. He was identified last American failure and the weight of the threat and said that he is determined to act for the sake of future generations. A host of public meetings high level officials and other key role players took place. Despite being watered down the incentive plan provides: $ 24.4 billon sa real money for energy efficiency, $ 25.3 billion for renewables, and $ 23 billon for improving transit ... According to Clinton and Obama adviser John Podesta, the package means of $ 150 billion in clean energy investment year for 10 years, creating 1.7 million net new jobs "6. Obama's meetings with foreign leaders are has also managed to generate positive statement on the need to tackle green house gas emissions.

However, very little of the American plan was implemented in date, although in fairness these programs take some time. More important though is that eloquent speeches are not included concrete target, it is true for the UN Obama and address (for example) his statement after meeting China's President Hu Jintao. Even more disappointing to climate change activists are coming Copenhagen conference seems dead in the water with a non-binding political agreement on the likely outcome which, optimistically, is a stepping stone to an existing agreement the real target and, realistically, a face saving move.

Why lay this at Obama's feet? It / it not be just to do everything, but we need to accept that progress on this front is not possible without American leadership and the times twisting arms of other countries, clear commitments to specific targets and actual restrictions of its own local economy.

Economics

Those who expect a radical change in economic policy with the consent of the Obama's White House was cruelly disappointed. The hope is, of course, completely unrealistic. Obama's economic policies are not greatly differ from those before him, If the Democrat or Republican. To choose but three examples ...

Bailouts: The astronomical chunks of money given to banks and other institutions in and financial terms (or lack thereof) in which the money was provided to both Bush administrations bailout (which the team Obama tacitly approved) and Obama's stimulus package does not indicate any shift from winning neoliberal economic policies. Despite strong talk very little is done to regulate the financial sector in the wake of the 2008 crisis. Obama's enthusiasm for the "jobless recovery" of the stock market (meaning investors making profit while workers continue to lose work) is another indication of its main market-economy approach (the system is fine, it only needs repair, intervention and control). To his credit we need to recognize the expanded public sector spending in areas important to attempt to create jobs. Again, the flipside, it is bound up with boosting consumer spending (such as banks are encouraged to start lending) which is part problems in the first place.

Foreign Trade: Obama's speeches to trade is perhaps most telling. Whether his speech in Ghana, his discussions sa APEC summit or his press conference with Chinese President, the message is clear: free trade, market competition and transnational business is the key to global success. Contentious issues such as American agricultural subsidies are not even near the table. Of course there are nuances, talk of regulation and some positive policy reformers, but the basic policy remains.

Advisors and appointees: Perhaps most telling is that along that Obama surrounds himself. Economic advisors and appointees pre and post elections is a mix of economists Clinton era (the period of greatest international market deregulation) Bush era functionaries, academic economists, big entrepreneurs and some reformists. Member of Economic Transition Advisory Board include: Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, TIAA-cref and Xerox (Warren Buffett, Roger Ferguson and Anne Mulcahy respectively); Chairman of the Board of Time Warner (Richard Parsons) and Chairman and Director of the Executive Committee of Citigroup (Robert Rubin) - Citigroup received of approximately $ 45billion in bailout money 8.

Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary is a stint in the IMF and Lawrence Summers, the head of the Economic Council (NEC), A former top World Bank official, who was forced resign from the presidency of Harvard University in 2006 after he suggested that women lack the natural man ability to excel in mathematics and science9. He's on record saying that no one can do about the same large AIG executive bonuses (post bailout) and unemployment10 insurgency.

What you learned?

Readers of this post may be surprised to know that I am an Obama fan. He is charismatic, fresh, eloquent, intelligent, progressive, has good value, an awareness of the dynamics of discrimination (class, race, gender and sexual orientation), are supportive of union activity, offering an inclusive international system and the policy is prioritized the rights issue of health care, employment, education and the environment. And he's African American. He is pretty much the best you are going to get inside the American political system. But that is not the crux of it: "within the American system", and it is not just the American system but the global neoliberal capitalist economic order. Obama's hands (and mind?) Is bound in many ways.

It all came down to economics, money, power and profit at the end. It is no secret that various Lobbies and big business use the extra-ordinary influence over members of Congress and the Executive. Campaign funds by lobby groups totaled $ 3.3billion sa 2008 U.S. Chamber of Commerce (representing big business) coming in first place with approximately $ 527million and various health insurers and pharmaceutical groups coming in 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th place with a huge combined $ 712million. Not surprisingly, the military-industrial complex is represented by Northrop Grumman, Lockhead Martin and Boeing Co. in the top 20 spenders. Also making 20 is a top energy giant General Electric (3rd), Exxon Mobil and Edison Electric Institute. Mass telecommunication companies (AT & T Inc. and Verizon Communications) Financial Giant (Freddie Mac and the Securities Industry & Financial Market Association) and General Motors round off the top 20 list11.

We remember the fundamental forces driving the market economy: profit and anything goes - exploitation, environmental degradation, war, etc. - on purpose. Not only is the shape our economic relations but also our social relations and the very fabric of our society.

Members of Congress also have their own agendas. A recent report by the Center for Politics fond tallies a total of 237 millionaires in Congress. And not all Republicans with Democrats making up 4 of the top 5, and the top 2 are from the liberal state of California. To make matters worse in the top 10 industries invested Congress by men and women include: real estate; entertainment (read media); securities, and investment bank, oil and gas; manufacturing and pharmaceuticals / health products12.

Playing a secondary but significant role, is the ideological groups, such as conservative Christian right and libertarian anti "big government" that manages to shape the debate in distorting and damaging way. The opposite of programs on health care in reform lies quite like "panel of Death" being actively advanced and the subsequent mobilization against health care, with ordinary people who stand to benefit the most, is frightening to see. Additionally there is a dangerous racist not-so-delicate Subtext for all anti-Obama-policy initiatives; state fell in the hands of the enemy. Anyone want to thank structural racism or the social significance of race, as former President Carter has recently only, policies or politics are immediately a racist brand of America's great "colourblind" country.

It is within the ballpark where the President should play.

What to do?

First, we should blame the President. It is nothing. For now we have someone to work with at least for some changes. More really (some would say naively) believe that the speech of making eloquent Obama, the Obama we've seen before the election, is the "real" Obama. That Obama is interested in real change. In his recent book on campaign Obama (The Audacity to win: The Inside Story and lessons of the historic Barack Obama Victory) David Plouffe said that every aspect of unorthodox campaign is rooted in the idea that "countries need deep, fundamental changes; Washington are not thinking long-term ... the special interests and lobbyists had too much power, and the American people need again to trust and engage in their democracy. "14 While he notes that real decisions that make the campaign headquarters in Chicago is not a Washington-ayaw sa decay and corruption of current American politics. The indigenous movement is not a plan by a self-serving politicians seeking power but an organic appearing in response to expression of his natural voice. This is the voice drowned in Washington's putrefied husband. And it is now the job of the 300 000 unique volunteers and millions of supporters and voters to communicate voice.

If you meet these (predominately young) people on the street, or in universities today, and ask them: do you support the war in Afghanistan? Many, most, the answer is no. And yet the people they brought to power more many sending troops. When you ask them if they want free or affordable public health care many answer yes. And yet this is not what they the government offers them.

There's a growing sense of disillusionment among this generation - the Obama Generation. But the success of Generation Obama - and Reality of Obama himself - are not measured in bringing Obama to power (and hopefully for two terms), it is a measure of the success of transforming the group indigenous campaigners to the next wave of political activists. Part of the magic is that, for the first time, the unseasoned ordinary people feel powerful; they believe they can make a change, and they did. Obama as an African American (and supported by African Americans) is extremely important here, it underscored that even that the most dispossessed can be strong, yes, some glass ceiling be broken and some conservative thresholds crossed. It is the spirit that must be captured and harnessed in the coming years if we are to see social change of any kind. Most likely it will come to a splintered form. Different groups appear in specific issues: health, the war, education etc. We have seen this power expressed in the protests in California around the cost and scope of study university. It is difficult (albeit possible) to assume that this range of collective action two years ago. More than likely it will take several years to appear en masse as individual disillusioned band together again. Naturally it was less people, but a critical mass is possible.

Critically movement should take place in economy to its core. Despite all the talk of Wall Street excess there has not been a demonstration on Wall Street, no live strong tackling social movements the economic system. Partially emerges from the absence of clear theoretical perspective. It is necessary in two parts. One is direct: a direct understanding the economic system in which we live and experimentation and thinking around viable alternatives. Others are integrative: We learn to see problems as connected, as part of a full clear, that economic exploitation, environmental degradation and war do not come from having the "bad man" but cancers inherent to the capitalist system in its drive for profits at all costs.

We see adding it begin exit late 1990s and early 2000s epitomized by what occurred in Seattle, but the September 11 attacks and subsequent war, fear and restriction of civil freedom fragmented and undermined this movement. Of equal importance is the insight that the system is not only creating "external" economic problems but will create a set of social relationships that displaces unity of people from the main by virtue of competition within and gluttony. It is only once social movements can attack their different reasons, within a larger economic prototype, we can progress toward real change so much, the whole world, called passionately for the year 2008.

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