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Obama Is a Two-Faced Liar. Aw-RIGHT!

Friday 30 January 2009

by: Greg Palast, t r u t h o u t | Perspective

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(Photo: Reuters)

    Republicans are right. President Barack Obama treated them like dirt, didn't give a damn what they thought about his stimulus package, loaded it with a bunch of programs that will last for years and will never leave the budget, is giving away money disguised as "tax refunds," and is sneaking in huge changes in policy, from schools to health care, using the pretext of an economic emergency.

    Way to go, Mr. O! Mr. Down-and-Dirty Chicago pol. Street-fightin' man. Covering over his break-your-face power play with a "we're all post-partisan friends" BS.

    And it's about time.

    Frankly, I was worried about this guy. Obama's appointing Clinton-droids to the Cabinet, bloated incompetents like Larry Summers as "Economics Czar," made me fear for my country, that we'd gotten another Democrat who wished he were a Republican.

    Then came Obama's money bomb. The House bill included $125 billion for schools (TRIPLING federal spending on education), expanding insurance coverage to the unemployed, making the most progressive change in the tax code in four decades by creating a $500 credit against social security payroll deductions, and so on.

    It's as if Obama dug up Ronald Reagan's carcass and put a stake through The Gipper's anti-government heart. Aw-RIGHT!

    About the only concession Obama threw to the right-wing trogs was to remove the subsidy for condoms, leaving hooker-happy GOP Senators, like David Vitter, to pay for their own protection. S'OK with me.

    And here's the proof that Bam is The Man: Not one single Republican congressman voted for the bill. And that means that Obama didn't compromise, the way Clinton and Carter would have, to win the love of these condom-less jerks.

    And we didn't need'm. Nyah! Nyah! Nyah!

    Now I understand Obama's weird moves: dinner with those creepy conservative columnists, earnest meetings at the White House with the Republican leaders, a dramatic begging foray into Senate offices. Just as the Republicans say, it was all a fraud. Obama was pure Chicago, Boss Daley in a slim skin, putting his arms around his enemies, pretending to listen and care and compromise, then slowly, quietly, slipping in the knife. All while the media praises Obama's "post-partisanship." Heh heh heh.

    Love it. Now we know why Obama picked that vindictive little viper Rahm Emanuel as staff chief: everyone visiting the Oval office will be greeted by the Windy City hit man who would hack up your grandma if you mess with the Godfather-in-Chief.

    I don't know about you, but THIS is the change I've been waiting for.

    Will it last? We'll see if Obama caves in to more tax cuts to investment bankers. We'll see if he stops the sub-prime scum-bags from foreclosing on frightened families. We'll see if he stands up to the whining, gormless generals who don't know how to get our troops out of Iraq. (In SHIPS, you doofuses!)

    Look, don't get your hopes up. But it may turn out the new president's ... a Democrat!

    -------

    Greg Palast's investigative reports for BBC and Rolling Stone can be seen at www.GregPalast.com. Palast is the author of New York Times bestsellers "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" and "Armed Madhouse."

  

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Comments

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That last line hurt...a

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 22:32 — NYCartist (not verified)
That last line hurt...a zinger. It's so long since we've had one...a Democrat. Yes, Bill Clinton was "officially" a Democrat, but he really was a Republican "passing" (his welfare "reform" was in the wrong direction, for one example). Hmmm:a real Democrat....a President would exclude members of Congress of the last 8 years...but, wait, wait, President Obama was a US Senator and some of his votes near the end were...He's a centrist...It's just "wait and see" and "push"...His missiles into Pakistan on Jan.23,2009 are not looking like a move toward peace.....

Great post, Greg, except for

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 22:59 — Anonymous (not verified)
Great post, Greg, except for the part about David Vitter paying for his own condoms. I don't care about him but I do care about the teenagers and single mothers and others for whom that contraception program would have been a big help!

Brava to Obama. These

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 22:59 — Blue (not verified)
Brava to Obama. These back-stabbing Republican liars who tried their best to destroy the Clintons had absolutely no intention of 'playiong nice' with the new Democratic President. The horrific right-wing talk-show nuts have been doing their best to incite the right with their nasty 'hope he fails' agenda. Obviously..these people will do everything in their considerable power to destroy Obama...just as they tried to destroy the Clintons. Backwards..wrapped inthe American flag and so-called Chrisitan morality..these creeps have made being Republican shameful..and I am thrilled that Obama has learned this lesson early. All one has to do is look at how disgusting the Republican campaign launched by the McCain Palin ticket was, to see the writing on the wall. These leopards are not going to change their spots. These are the same people who supported the illegal, un-American regime of G.W. Bush..and did nothing to check the destruction of America's values and international reputation by the most corrupt and evil administration in American history. Bush should have been impeached. The fact that he was not is a black mark that all Americans have to bear. It was too much to hope that these people would be gracious in defeat and accept the olive branch offered by Obama...so..done and refussed... and lets move on. Again...Brava to Obama and his administration. So...screw 'em.

It looks like Obama won't

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 23:42 — radline9 (not verified)
It looks like Obama won't let the right wing meglomaniacs finish their "contract on America". They are all leaving for Mars soon, anyway. If you type "free condoms" into google, there are almost 1 million sites giving away free condoms. Where there is a will there is a way.

Now the kicker. Each nay

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 23:50 — Kashilinus (not verified)
Now the kicker. Each nay voting Republican in the house is obligated o tell his or her constituents that no way will they go along with Stimulant bill awards in their respective territories. Wow! what a magnificent opportunity to demonstrate to their supporters what stalwart upholders of principle they are.

A Democrat who's a

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 23:53 — Quinty (not verified)
A Democrat who's a Democrat? Isn't that, well, "Socialism?" Okay. The Republicans who appear appalled by a large stimulus package apparently never heard of John Maynard Keynes. They think it's all mere "tax and spend liberalism." The same old same old. Socialism. They're so dumb and ignorant they don't even know Socialism is not about progressive taxation. But it serves as a good pejorative for them. Don't like expanding healthcare to more children? Just say: "Socialism." You don't even have to shout it from the rooftops. Just whisper it and everyone will smile. Because wa all know how evil Socialism is. Why, that's that stuff Joe Stalin and his thuggish gang tried to push once on the whole world. Democrats never understood the free market. And they hate being tarred. So if you are a good Republican remember you don’t really need to know much about anything except if you don’t like it, just call it “Socialism.” And the rest will happen naturally, falling into line. The Democrats have been well trained, like Pavlov’s dogs. Can Obama actually break through the gilded gossamer haze of Reaganism?

OK. They've done their

 Fri, 01/30/2009 - 23:58 — don (not verified)
OK. They've done their thing. Lets take out the tax cuts except for low wage earners, put back the family planning, and see how many senators want to get re-elected in 2010.

What a rollicking good time

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:07 — LuckyMama (not verified)
What a rollicking good time I had reading this essay!!! And what fun it is to see what Obama's gonna do next!!! (FYI, Blue: "brava" is a compliment given to a woman; the correct form for Obama would be "bravo.")

Greg--this is friggin

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:10 — leslie griffith (not verified)
Greg--this is friggin brilliant. It's Tina Fey/Palin skit quality satire in an Op-ed. this humor makes us all stronger. it's empowering as long as it never gets cruel or mean. the tone is perfection. I'm now a fan for life. bravissimo!!!!!

Thanks! We need a bit of

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:19 — Anonymous (not verified)
Thanks! We need a bit of humor... and we certainly need Obama. Keep it up, both of you!

We can thank the atrocities

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:34 — Anonymous (not verified)
We can thank the atrocities of the Bush administration for Obama. There seems to be a natural law at play here somewhere. The system had to die before it could be reborn.

I am laughing SO hard at

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:34 — ctuck622 (not verified)
I am laughing SO hard at this article--STILL--and forwarding it to my posse. I don't which lovely phrase I like better...referring to Obama as "Godfather-in-Chief" or referring to Rahm Emmanuel as "vindictive little viper...Windy City hit man who would hack up your grandma." DAMN, that's good! I've always wanted a Godfather who would kick the livin' crap out of a long list of bastards committing dastardly deeds...but best of all, I think, is referring to GOP Senators as "hooker-happy," "condom-less jerks" LMAO Cyber-smooches for that one, Greg Palast! BraVO!

Obama must have read the

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:36 — Anonymous (not verified)
Obama must have read the "The Godfather": "Keep your friends close and your enemies even closer".

I applaud President Obama:

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:49 — Anonymous (not verified)
I applaud President Obama: Time to step up to the plate and hit the ball out of the park. That has been the trouble with the Republicans for the past eight years, inactivity. We have the majority, we have 2/3 of the votes in the United States and the world so let's do it, lets get the ball rolling. The sooner we start fixing this country and stop the bleeding to countries that need to stand on their own two feet, the sooner we will have a strong America and a strong dollar. All that crap from Senator Mc Cain about his reaching across the isles, hooey, that was what it was just a bunch of hooey! As the republican house of cards crumbles even further there will be those republicans/conservatives/moralists that will stand tried and true even though their ship is on fire with napalm and the boat is sinking fast. America cant wait, families and working people cant wait, we are bleeding out here as the right sits on their hands saying la la la la la out loud to mask the cries from the people whom businesses are going down the crapper and governments not wanting to trust the dollar as the preferred currency. This needs to end now and this is the leadership that we, that elected Barrack H. Obama, to the highest post in the USA expect to see. Leadership is something that is not learned it something that comes natural. Barrack, show the world what your made, were behind you all the way. Yes we can and yes we did and now, you impeding right, sit back and watch us get the job done right, always cleaning up behind you, as usual!

How refreshing! I have been

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 00:50 — Nancye (not verified)
How refreshing! I have been disheartened by all the voices clamoring, "Why hasn't Obama done such and so? Hey, he's been in office almost eleven days now and things are still pretty bad." During that time the Repugs have lined up solidly against his his every move, sent lying lies about his stimulus plan to the media who have lapped it up, and continued their breakneck race to use up all the world's resources before they get stopped. Help our president! He needs it and he's our best hope, truly our only hope.

Republicans made this same

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:07 — Joe the Outlaw (not verified)
Republicans made this same mistake. When they had both houses of Congress and the White House they got arrogant and talked a lot of smack. In time, this turned a lot of people off and the pendulum swung your way. But remember that nothing is permanent. You might be better served discussing the flawed "Buy American" part of the stimulus plan and how protectionism of this type isn't what our economy needs right now. Other countries are already threatening trade wars and protectionist measures of their own as retaliation. It will only make the economy worse. This type of diatribe is why I don't trust partisan's of either party. Be careful with this kind of talk.

Greg: I have been reading

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:08 — Komodo (not verified)
Greg: I have been reading your stuff and listening to you on the radio for ages but this piece is an absolute dilly! Love it! I am so glad OUR President is giving as good as he is getting. For a while there, I thought we had another capitulator. It does my soul good to see him stand up to the non-sense and Git-R-Done!!! Good on ya, Mr. President. You get my fist bump!

"Ronald Reagan's carcass and

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:26 — Bruce (not verified)
"Ronald Reagan's carcass and put a stake through The Gipper's anti-government heart" - actually through Reagan's stage heart as in reality Reagan presided over and was instrumental in the greatest increase in the size of the federal government since FDR. Just for some reason when the increase is in the military and bombs and star wars boondoggle's that benefit a few and destroy the lives of millions it is considered the American Way by the Republicans - who support only democracy when it means tax cuts for the rich, federal subsidies for the biggest corporations in the country, and bailouts for the banks and financial swindlers when their crimes backfire.

I voted for Obama, and I'm a

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:26 — Anonymous (not verified)
I voted for Obama, and I'm a Dem. I have to say, the Dems have had no balls, until now. Good to see. Though, Obama is not a superman, and thanks to all those who came before him, who have screwed this country up big time Of course that includes the American public as well. Obama knows there's a Depression coming, and he knows we're going to have to ride it out. It's going to get ugly when the public realize he can't fix it. Duh, no one can. But, he'll be blamed, for not being able to fix the right wing mess, unfortunately. The problem is bigger, than the media is willing to admit, likewise Congress. There's no money left, people are broke. Consumerism isn't the way, and it's not sustainable. That's why all the money in the world won't fix this mess. It's going to very interesting in the months to come. BTW, those fools on CNBC, are just that, fools, better yet, lairs!

Meanwhile, clever Chinese

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:31 — Jade Queen (not verified)
Meanwhile, clever Chinese manufacturers are buying up raw materials with some of those excess dollars they have accumulated. They are also Googling and fishing for free information to help them make more beautiful and efficient solar cells. They are spending more of those excess dollars to improve their manufacturing processes. Some U.S. manufacturers may be doing these things too. A race is on. My concern about the U.S. is the crony thing. It's looking to me as if we have just changed the crony-fier-in-chief. I am especially upset about Hillary and Tom Vilsack and the crony set that comes with them. Will the EPA continue to say things are OK when they are not? Will the federal government work as hard to hurt small family farms? Will truthout help us to know about little people? At least little people confused about taxes can call on the Geithner defense. If they are prosecuted anyway, maybe they can figure out how to sue for selective and discriminatory enforcement. Allocating money for that would be an interesting statement about the already-advantaged vs. ordinary people.

Obama is leading by putting

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:34 — JE (not verified)
Obama is leading by putting through important and necessary legislation, but it needs to be successful and create efficient and effective government. It conceived ideas that weren't well thought out or didn't take criticism in careful consideration resulted in messes from HUD to Iraq. Arrogance has been the downfall of many governments so careful Greg we want to spend this political capital slowly and effectively.

Aww-Right, Greg..! As ever,

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 01:37 — carpe lumina (not verified)
Aww-Right, Greg..! As ever, straight to the heart of the story. I hope you're right. Except on the "condom" issue. I'm as happy as the next long-simmering Democrat to dig on Vitter and his frat brothers, but the true victims of the remark - and the reprehensible cut from the bill - are many thousands - maybe millions - of American women. Access to sound health and family planning information and care has for years, been systematically attacked (literally) and increasingly denied to low-income women and girls, mainly in rural areas of the country. Now th at the Gag Rule has been rescinded globally, we need to extend the courtesy and sound judgment to our own citizens. Women's health, reproductive and otherwise, is not a "pork" issue. Nor is it an abstract discussion of esoteric economic theory. Ask the women and girls with no insurance, little or no income, jobs gone, homes going or gone, just how un-theoretical it is to be able to protect themselves and their families from the financially devastating effects of unplanned pregnancies or preventable illness. That said, Stephen Colbert got it dead right: Those districts whose Republican Reps voted against the stimulus package should be exempt from"having to" accept ANY of the dirty money or worthless programs. They'll be able to then thank their Reps for protecting them against the avalanche of Democrat's pork come next election in 2010. Aww-RIGHT!

He is a liar. Kucinich was

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:01 — Eli Dumitru (not verified)
He is a liar. Kucinich was the only one with the guts to reveal that it was Obama back in October who gutted all the oversight of the bail-out money, and the help for homeowners, and told the Democrats to pass it the way Bush wanted it. He talks loud about ending the war, but in the fine print says he will leave troops in Iraq and increase troops in Afghanistan. He supported the fallacy that it was Russia that attacked Georgia first. Giving a tax break to folks on Social Security and increasing money for schools is nice, but, so far, he seems to be just another face playing up his party's buz issues while continuing to move ahead the agenda of the bankers and war machine.

Gawd. I had to have Palast

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:02 — Anonymous (not verified)
Gawd. I had to have Palast explain it to me. Thank YOU! Geeze, I was worried. Thanks Greg and WRP too. I'm gettin' glad with the spirit!

I think you may be onto

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:04 — Anonymous (not verified)
I think you may be onto something here. The repugs are sure popping their clotted arteries lately. Check this out: http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/thread.cfm?catid=1&subcatid=4&threadid=1975685 . It's a link to a politico article from a few days ago complaining that Obama may actually be ready for a fight and the repugs would rather just whine and hope their nightmare stops. Please make a few comments (interestingly enough, at least one commentator has alread resorted to the quintessential “but it’s socialism” catchall.) I just hope 2008 will go down in history as having the same impact on the repug party as 1968 had for Democrats. If we could put strong Democrats in the White House for 28 of the next 40 years and the other 12 were occupied by relatively week repugs I would say that poetic justice had finally been served. Unfortunately, a lot of the damage done to our country and our planet for the past 40 years may take a lot more than 40 years to undo. It’s already, for instance, too late to stop climate change. Now all we can do is try to limit the damage to proportions that the majority of humans can actually survive. We’ll see if we ever get back all of our pre-2001 rights or just win a few symbolic battles to feel good about ourselves. Anyway, the new lack of pandering in the name of “bipartisanship” is a promising sign. I hope it continues. I didn’t vote for President Obama to be a so called “moderate” (whatever that is). I voted for someone to anger the right as much as I feel angry about the whole nixon-reagan-bush legacy.

"About the only concession

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:07 — BK (not verified)
"About the only concession Obama threw to the right-wing trogs was to remove the subsidy for condoms, leaving hooker-happy GOP Senators, like David Vitter, to pay for their own protection. S'OK with me." Really? While I applaud the rest of the perspective piece, to reduce the lack of funding for contraception to simply making Republicans officials pay more for safe (extramarital) sex is a slap in the face to the sexually active teenagers, especially the girls, here in the US. This was, in fact, an unreasonable capitulation to the extreme religious right.

Reagan's grand strategy was

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:12 — Anonymous (not verified)
Reagan's grand strategy was to create such huge deficits, with his program of tax cuts and increased military spending, that Dems would have to cave in to social spending cuts to cut the deficit. I hope Obama's strategy is to spend so much on increased social spending under the guise of "stimulus" that Republicans have to agree to military spending cuts to cut the deficit. We need to at least halve the military/CIA/black ops budget and transform it from a Department of Offense into a true Depertmant of Defense!

I met Greg in Cbus OH. while

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:20 — Kurt (not verified)
I met Greg in Cbus OH. while at a fundraiser for a local independent press org. He's quite engaging and very approachable. Greg's comments here are refreshing.....I too was wondering if this first test would result in another mediocre half-hearted administration. Particularly vexing are the luncheons and drinks with jerks who'll never budge. Well at least the public will see him "trying"!!!

America will never be free

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:35 — Anonymous (not verified)
America will never be free until we find out what really hit the Pentagon on 9/11. Let's see those videos. lLet's ask Bush to testify again (this time without Cheney and this time under oath).

While so many progressive

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 02:37 — Staggo Lee (not verified)
While so many progressive journalists were whining about Obama going conservative, his deft tactics have been apparent. I am so amazed the Republicans have thus far so easily played into his shtick. God, how I love looking at the panicked faces of Boner and Bitchell. And the way Obama is misdirecting them with his slap-stick Limbaugh routine. I mean, Obama vs. Limbaugh? I thrill to the way the GOP now licks Limbaugh's boots, because Obama is making them think he plays to Americans. Our President is bent upon being one of the great Presidents. The only way to do this is to achieve. In just a little over one week since the inauguration, I'm loving Washington politics.

Greg this is GREAT! I'm with

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 03:03 — Anonymous (not verified)
Greg this is GREAT! I'm with you all the way on your take. GO-BAMA! HELLO CHANGE! At last we have a president worth his salt.

Eli, I share your concern

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 03:22 — jerry (not verified)
Eli, I share your concern about Afghanistan and Iraq, 911 too. But politics is concessions after all. The war machine is lubed and rolling. Breaking it down will be a chore. He also may not want to deplete the aces in his hand. There is a lot of negotiation to be done in the holy lands.

Go Greg! You got it

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 04:01 — Huntington Pontoon (not verified)
Go Greg! You got it right..the O man is doing quite a dance; he's moving so fast that the Repubs. don't know how to hit him. It's Ali-shuffle-Liston, 2009. Fun to watch and marvelous to behold. Even my five year old gets it. He runs around the house shouting 'Obama' 'Obama'! Our dog has already eaten the small rubber Bush figure we used to squeeze out our frustrations. . Good riddance.

Re: the "equal pay for equal

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 04:23 — Anonymous (not verified)
Re: the "equal pay for equal work" bill Obama signed today. A woman on Chris Matthews show was saying that the bill will "do nothing for women" because employers would only react to it by cutting jobs. This is the bloodless revolutionary tipping-point we're at, people. Is the US voting public ready to look at the corporate threat to punish us all for daring to claim a say in the economy they have so far kept us from affecting? This is what the Wall Street "fat cats" are so arrogant about. They sit in their NYC "clubs" and sip bourbon and think that "the people" are stupid because they don't know how much power the "ruling class" has. But THEY don't realize that the biggest economy in the world can run without them. THEY are the parasites on the body politic which is now exposed because "the emperor has no clothes."

No republican has told me

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 04:34 — Anonymous (not verified)
No republican has told me yet, why we can have socialized military we can have socialized banking we can have socialized car manufacturers & we can't have socialized medicine!!! Just why is that?

I'm not there yet! This

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 05:43 — Anonymous (not verified)
I'm not there yet! This stimulus was a slam dunk. This is easy day before the game stuff. Geithner is poison and so is Summers. The bad bank idea floated this week is pure Wall Street Bailout. Gates at Defense is the fox ruling the chicken coop. Everyone wants to hope. Everyone. I just watched Schumer on Charlie Rose, read between the lines, insolvent Wall Street banks will get trillions more. They own the Dem party. The millions of activists and small donors will get the scraps. We can only spend so many trillions of dollars until our dollars aren't any good any more. Greg, I know you gotta sell books and I admire you taking on Bush but homeowners still haven't gotten a dollar while the thieves at Wall Street continue their deceptions. I gladly take over the mantle of truth. PS, I advised the Obama team early in July 07 when no one thought they would win. Helped develop the caucus strategy that helped win the nomination. Until we clean up the banks the economy won't recover and the wealthy continue to steal from the needy. You can't cut the baby in half. Either the Am people win or Wall Street wins. I know what is right!

...for Obama to order A

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 06:08 — I'M WAITING.... (not verified)
...for Obama to order A REDUCTION IN OUR TAX DOLLARS TO ISRAEL...AND TO ORDER Israel to free Palestinians from the world's largest open air prison...guarded by former victims of what the, THEMSELVES, are now perpetrating on the Palestinians... AND FOR THE 9/11 INVESTIGATION TO BE RE-OPENED... AND FOR BUSH AND CHENEY, ET AL, TO BE HANDCUFFED AND FROG MARCHED TO PRISON... I'M WAITING....

Greg, There's nothing like a

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 06:54 — Davian (not verified)
Greg, There's nothing like a good laugh til you can't see for the tears. Thank you. All thinking feeling, hoping, caring humans needed that.

Greg Palast was one of the

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 07:05 — Anonymous (not verified)
Greg Palast was one of the reporters that kept me sane during Bush the Terrible's years. Great article and so much fun and clarity. Molto, molto bene and bravissimo Signore Palast. Maybe God did bless America and each one of us. I feel saner now, our president isn't an idiot, our vice president is not controlling the president and both really wants to help the working class. Heaven on earth after all.

I echo Anonymous 22:59. It's

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 07:15 — Leslie Bary (not verified)
I echo Anonymous 22:59. It's not about condoms for Vitter, who can buy them, it's about contraception in general, for teenagers, poor women, etc.

Greg- Sent an email to an

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 07:18 — beowulf Anonymous (not verified)
Greg- Sent an email to an old friend about censorship and how everything is context. He responded that "...you're saying you have and want the right to believe and say whatever you want. No censorship, no restrictions what so ever, but I don't have that right and either [sic] does anyone else have a right to disagree with you...That's censorship. All Christians and conservatives need to be done away with. Is that what you really want? That's what Hitler did." He then slammed Obama for the pictures taken of him and his perfect family. Next Palin: "they make her look like like she's some crazed maniac..." "I simply can't deal with this anger and hatred of the far left." Greg, I guess all us, "want to give up control of everything to the government." Yep, Bush and the GOP ran an excellent crony-filled ship and wrecked the USA, but it's your fault! Betcha hated Nixon too! Truth hurts don't it. When do we send Addington, Yoo, Cheney, Rove and Bush to Gitmo?

Let's globalize the

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 07:57 — Anonymous (not verified)
Let's globalize the republicans. Send them to a faraway place.

They should have left the

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 09:28 — JoshuasGrandma (not verified)
They should have left the money for contraception in and called it abortion prevention (which it is) and a money saving investment (which it is) Every $ in family planning saves $5.39 in subsequent medical costs) My main criticism is that the Dems have not yet figured out how to frame the issue so the GOP has no where to go. I mean how many Repugs can vote against abortion prevention?

The interesting issue to me

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 10:46 — Neal J. King (not verified)
The interesting issue to me is whether Rush Limbaugh will really try to turn the off-hand comments on him by Obama into a "war". I do not think it was accidental on Obama's part to toss him into the mix, and it was entirely predictable that RL would take the bait. I find it conceivable that RL will go so over-the-top on fighting Obama that he will isolate himself more and more firmly from all but a shrinking minority. There is risk in such a program, because RL has a well-known soapbox. However, it is possible that it really is RL that has swallowed the hook, and will be hauled onto the deck. In a similar light, think of the responses to Obama's interview by the President of Iran: very harsh, very combative. He's afraid to respond to the openness Obama is offering. Is it possible, is it too much to hope that the ordinary Iranians (who actually have a lot of good will towards ordinary Americans) will see beyond the official commentary of their newscasters and perceive that Obama's way offers more hope than President A.'s way? A. has an election coming up soon; if the Iranian people dump him, it could change the Iranian/American interaction significantly.

Sorry, but if you compromise

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 10:49 — Anonymous (not verified)
Sorry, but if you compromise everything at the start you don't get to claim that you didn't compromise when the other side simply demands the entire store.

Yes, I was disappointed by

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 13:25 — The Die Hard (not verified)
Yes, I was disappointed by some of President Obama's (GAWD, it feels good to write PRESIDENT again!) picks and moves, but all the names of all the stars, people, he's only been in office for ONE WEEK! Even a cloned admix of Kal-El and Christ couldn't BEGIN to touch the disaster the cabal of traitors created over the past eight years in a WEEK!

For another good laugh, check out the cartoons at http://www.towncalleddobson.com/?paged=7

Obama does have street

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 14:17 — L.D. Freitas (not verified)
Obama does have street smarts, and not just from living in Chicago. Honolulu has lots of gangs and street crime, and ethnic groups fighting each other: Asians vs. Pacific Islanders vs. Haoles etc. That's the climate Obama grew up in, and he didn't exactly fit in with any one group. I believe he's learned all his life to deal with people who were on the other side, out to get him, if you will. I trust he will handle the Repugnantcans quite effectively and with cool, even cold calculation, and they will be made famous for being the obstructionists that they are! Basically Obama has called them out, posing the question asked in Hawaii when one gets in a scrap: "Want Beef?"

Sorry, I'm a little bit

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 15:58 — efk (not verified)
Sorry, I'm a little bit autistic (really). I thought Greg was being sarcastic in this column. I thought the 40% for tax cuts in the bill and only 18% for infrastructure was disgusting. Greg? Say it isn't so!

Yes, all the applause and

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 16:28 — GRANNY (not verified)
Yes, all the applause and optimism is great. But it remains to be seen whether Obama and the Senate and House democrats will stand with the country against the special interest Repugs. And whether the President and his party will do the right thing, see the wisdom, repeal the un-patriotic ACT, get out of Iraq AND Afghanistan, and then take the criminals who started the whole mess to court. Than we can applaud. For now, eternal vigilance as the price we must pay to regain our freedoms.

Dear Mr Palast, It is

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 16:29 — keatsshelley (not verified)
Dear Mr Palast, It is evident form the essay that the international sphere is not relevant: Gaza, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan; as well as respect for all the international conventions: human Rights 1949, Geneva Conventions. Moreover, is it not important to begin to truly have an objective peace plan for the Middle East? Eliminate SERE? Is this the change that you are lauding...??? Really... It seems it is a BUSH 43 light foreign policy...

it would almost be funny if

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 16:34 — You've got it, efk! (not verified)
it would almost be funny if it weren't so sad that Greg's SATIRE is lost on some of these readers! Gotta wonder what it says about THEM if they couldn't figure that out (and more so, compared to you, efk, with some degree of autism?!?) BOY, have we got some work to do!!!

All I can say is that if

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 17:58 — Anonymous (not verified)
All I can say is that if what Obama's doing is making Greg Palast happy, then I'm absolutely sure I made the right choice in the voting for "The Big O".

I'm glad we have a president

 Sat, 01/31/2009 - 23:04 — Anonymous (not verified)
I'm glad we have a president that has the guts to stand up to entrenched interests and really wants to DO something. I'll be in hog heaven if he takes on the banking cartel and gets some serious bank reform going. God knows we need it. I'm with "I'm not there yet's" comments--unless the banking system --which is a scam through and through-- is fixed, it's all just bandaids over a gushing wound. A good ref on how the banking scam actually works, go to www.webofdebt.com. If Prez O can change that, he will move up to sainthood in my book.

Irreconcilable

 Sun, 02/01/2009 - 01:05 — DH (not verified)
Irreconcilable differences? I tend to think that ideology plays a stronger part, and that partisanship is not so important as Palast makes out, but I understand partisan sentiment. The last time this country actually turned to the left politically was under Johnson's (Democratic) Great Society (and he left a lot to be desired as a president!). Both Carter (who has turned into the best ex-president in my lifetime) and Clinton staunched the bleeding, but didn't move us back the other way. This seems to be the way the elite like it: two steps right to the landing, then rest for a term or two while the country acclimates (and capitalism stabilizes), then two more steps right. It is a testament to the strength of the MSM propaganda machine that so many people (though less than they claim) have been duped into thinking that the "landing' is a leftish regression. This country has steadily lost the progressive initiative in its mainstream institutions since I was a child. Fortunately, most progressive progress is made at the grass roots level anyway. It is better for the majority of the public if overall economic growth is slower as long as it stays nearer the bottom rungs. Try getting the MSM to run with that one! NPR-- the most wayward left of the mainstream-- is still running shows on the questionability of Keynesian policies. Hah! It remains to be seen if Obama will actually move us to the left or simply bring us to a resting place. Perhaps the left needs to adopt a page from the reactionary right and create structures so firmly in place that it doesn't matter who is in charge. Trickle-up!

I agree with DH's statement

 Sun, 02/01/2009 - 04:40 — Anonymous (not verified)
I agree with DH's statement about moving two steps to the right then resting. I voted for President Obama specifically because I thought he offered the best hope of breaking this cycle. I thought Clinton would be just like her husband. I'm still hopefull. I don't think President Clinton was nearly this ready for a scrap when he took office. Still, President Obama and the new congress will have to move our country about a light year to the left before I think we're actually taking a step left of center (even though the m.s.m. keeps trying to redefine the center further to the right).

My grandson of 4 summed it

 Sun, 02/01/2009 - 12:14 — Stuck in Lodi (not verified)
My grandson of 4 summed it up pretty well.. Obama is superman.. faster than a peeing bullet! Greg you are wonderful, hanging in there all these many years with people of logic and vision. But I am even more pleased that there are so many out here as excited to say PRESIDENT again. Obama is a man of his word, and he is proving this hour by hour, day by day. We have hope again, and that hope is survival for our kids and grandkids. Is the price of this enormous debt too much? Not when looking at the alternative of no chance for work, and nothing to base a payment of taxes on. You Go Barack! We baby-boomers will roll our sleeves up once again, and put our backs into it!

Hooray for Greg Palast!

 Sun, 02/01/2009 - 16:27 — Gemstone (not verified)
Hooray for Greg Palast! Keep up the good work. Your column made my day.

To all the whining

 Sun, 02/01/2009 - 23:15 — Anonymous (not verified)
To all the whining Repugnicans out there --- too bad! You sow what you reap! Remember that arrogant little amoral jerk, Gingrich who put out a contract on America....? or the sneering arrogance of Dick C. , or the obscene atrocities that W. aided and abetted? Well, America hasn't forgotten and it is about time ! Kudos to Obama for having the guts to do this.... and more!

In the bleechers, trying to

 Mon, 02/02/2009 - 01:00 — Anonymous (not verified)
In the bleechers, trying to figure out this game: Program! Program! get your programs here! You can't tell the line up without a program. Dogs, get your dogs! Get your dogs here! With mustard, no mayo! get your dogs here! Peanuts? We got no peanuts today!

What a hoot! I love it! For

 Mon, 02/02/2009 - 07:38 — Anonymous (not verified)
What a hoot! I love it! For so long, Democrats have seemed like such polite little wimps to me. It seemed like they had this "bake sale" approach to just about everything. I have been wondering what President Obama's "master plan" as I called it , would be. Now I am seeing at least part of it, and I'm thrilled! He appointed Rahm Emanuel for a reason. Emanuel is a barracuda. It's so nice to see the Repugs crying in their soup while "The Godfather" does his thing. It's about damned time!

OK - I'll lay off Mr. O for

 Mon, 02/02/2009 - 08:34 — blogdog (not verified)
OK - I'll lay off Mr. O for awhile but my acid test is still this: 1. Shut down the Global War Of Terror and all clandestine operations 2. Nationalize the Federal Reserve 3. Regulate Wall Street into Perdition 4. Invest Federal Loans in human services, education, culture production-oriented R&D only - nothing for the banks - make them earn a living 5. Denounce the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, CFR, Trilateral Commission and the Bilderburg Group. 6. Finally, vis-Ă -vis the outgoing regime: INVESTIGATE, INDITE, PROSECUTE & EXECUTE!!!!!!!!!!

thanks, you made my day!

 Mon, 02/02/2009 - 10:28 — Anonymous (not verified)
thanks, you made my day!

Yes, so far, so good.

 Tue, 02/03/2009 - 02:37 — Jeremy Flannery (not verified)
Yes, so far, so good. Guantanamo Bay going down soon (the bloodstain upon the U.S. Constitution the 5th Amendment was supposed to protect against), tripling federal budget for education (still not enough, but a start), new ethics rules for White House staff and quite a few more. First time in my eight years as an adult that I actually feel some trust toward the White House.

You don't get to be

 Tue, 02/03/2009 - 04:23 — Anonymous (not verified)
You don't get to be president unless you toll the line! That's why Geithner who looks out for GoldmanSacs and Morgan/Chase is treasury and Gates is defense. I heard Dan Ellsburg say about Carter, his intellegence told him he would have trouble if the Shaw came into this country but David Rockefeller called Carter and said the Shaw is my friend, cost Carter the presidency! So wake up and understand where the power really lies. We can drive a stake into the heart of the beast because they are now bankrupt, but watch, congress and the Fed will bail them out for trillions while our dollar becomes worth less and less. We have a chance for real change, but it's not Obama, it's you who have the power to pressure Congress

Lets see if I have this

 Tue, 02/03/2009 - 17:53 — Anonymous (not verified)
Lets see if I have this right Greg... *150B for Carnegie Mellon Rockefeller schools( to indoctrinate the children for UNESCO. NCLB) *You didn't mention the billions for new FEMA Camps... HR 645 *Expanding Insurance coverage, which the insurance lobby has to love. * Tax rebates, when income tax is extortion, and Social security is theft. * YOU know good and well Greg that the IWOT will continue to make us enemies, and DHS will go along with Business as usual! Free speech will only be a memory. Oh happy day! And we will only destroy the dollar to float all of this. Sounds about right. Proud to have voted McKinney and TRUTH. (because Ron Paul and Kucinich were disappeared)

Boehner/f Republicans have

 Thu, 02/05/2009 - 18:23 — Anonarcmous (not verified)
Boehner/f Republicans have NO FLEXIBILITY, & cannnot bipartisan for the country.Continually repeating the same mantra: #1, -taxes & #2, deregulation, #3, 0 spend [like what pays their salary and benefits?]...THEIR deregulation OBVIOUSLY does not work[lend bubble, export jobs,madoff-sec, etc?] AND taxes are NOT a concern IF one has not much income. So the Boehner/Reps OBVIOUSLY talking to ONLY the WELL-MONEYED. I would offer that Boehner/Reps do not know that to be the most successful competitors to our antiquated-not-of-this-world-non-metric-measurements, the Chinese invented the Chinese Inch--which places 10 CI--instead or our 12--to the+/- 30cm an old foot comes close to on the ruler. So this way they can retain the advantage of rapid decimal advantages...This is to illustrate the type of flexibility the world accesses while our country exsanguinates--I would offer Boehner/Republicans are the same mental stuff that those who brought us our Civil War were made of...and their non-support will bring us more painful consequences. A country without regulations = house with no windows or doors, no structure in which to live a healthy and productive life.

News flash. There are no

 Fri, 05/15/2009 - 19:58 — JT (not verified)
News flash. There are no more Democrats or Republicans, it is only the Carlyle Group and Bilderberg Group deciding for us. When is THIS truth going to come out? We need a third political party to take back the country for the people. IMHO.

So you like dirty politics?

Wed, 07/08/2009 - 03:45 — Joseph Blough (not verified)
So you like dirty politics? Well, I can't say that surprises me one bit. Looks like your man Obama is everything you said you wanted to "change". Here you are boasting that he is every bit, if not more, corrupt as the guy he replaced. So it wasn't really that you wanted change so much as you wanted control of the corruption. Nice.

The South Carolina congress

 Fri, 09/11/2009 - 19:44 — Anonymous (not verified)
The South Carolina congress reps, Wilson and Grahram should be charged with felonies against the President. Tired of the Repuplican lies. Anonymous