Obama - Stiffen your Spine

Linda McQuaig - again - writes a great opinion piece ~ President needs to stiffen spine ~ in the Torstar. McQuaig throws in some "words of wisdom" for Obama to contemplate and for progressives to cultivate.

POPULIST MESSAGE

He's talked of "spreading the wealth," about reviving worker and labour rights and about a "common good."

OFFERED CHANGE

[scrap] "virulent form of capitalism, in which powerful corporate and financial interests have shaped public policy to their own advantage."

SIGN OF HOPE FOR THE MANY & NOT JUST THE FEW

Support for deeper Canada-U.S. integration – [IS] the agenda of the our financial elite. ... Obama's message is the first sign of a possible breakthrough in dealing with the world's two foremost crises, the global economic meltdown and climate change, both products of the unregulated capitalism of recent years.

IT'S NOT ABOUT NAFTA

No matter how much MSM corporate media or Canadian neoliberal and neoconservative politicos (and yes, I'm talking about Harper & crew, and Iggy & crew) try to whip up fears Obama wants to reopen the deal, suggesting this could damage Canada-U.S. trade, it's a "cover up."

But NAFTA isn't just about trade. It's about enhancing corporate rights, often at the expense of workers and communities, which is why it's always been more precious to corporate interests than to the public.
Obama has talked about strengthening labour and environmental protections in NAFTA and even ending the right of foreign companies to sue governments for taking regulatory actions that protect citizens but interfere with corporate profits in the process. (That's the section of NAFTA that has allowed Dow Chemical to challenge a Quebec law banning the pesticide 2-4D.) Why wouldn't we want to revisit all this?

ALL IT TAKES IS COURAGE (my friend)

But can Obama deliver?

Certainly he's got to shed some of his illusions about the possibility of winning over enemies -

He can't satisfy the masses who love him and also satisfy the people responsible for the disastrous agenda of the last 25 years.

NEOLIBERALISM IS A BUST DON'T YOU KNOW

*Side note - just ask former proud & progressive ONDP PREMIER Bob Rae - learn from history and not repeat it - Bob too, tried to curry favour and love from bankers & the corporate sector.
*Get over it - they are not into "sharing the wealth", there is no "third way" - it's"no way", it's a "deadend"! Just ask Tony Blair, Tony who????

LISTEN UP & STAND UP

*Channeling Franklin Roosevelt

"the old enemies of peace – business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking ... Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me – and I welcome their hatred."

*Channeling Tommy Douglas

Courage, my friends; 'tis not too late to build a better world.

It only takes political will and the courage to do it. Yes we can!