Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion

[Capt Bringdown]

"Those who feel that like lemmings they are being led over a cliff would be well-advised not to read this book. They may discover that they are right."
-Noam Chomsky

Could it be that the American Left had gone extinct as any kind of potent political force and it took the election of Barack Obama to prove it?

And what of Obama's spellbound followers, those youthful crusaders who saw him illumined in the sacral glow of his ethereal rhetoric and cleaved to him during the hard slog of two campaigns with a near-religious devotion? What was running through their minds when the mists finally parted to reveal that Obama was implementing cunning tracings of Bush-era policies on everything from the indefinite detention of uncharged prisoners in the war on terror to raids on medical marijuana distributors in states where medical pot has been legalized? What, indeed.

Illusions die hard, especially when shattered by cruise missiles.

-- read the full intro-->>

[ElNono]

Might have to pick up a copy... introduction sounds promising and spot on...

[Winehole23]

there's no left wing in American poiltics, just two center right parties. Romney's recent turd in the British punchbowl only underscores it. the Tories like Obama better.

[Warlord23]

"While Obama sells pristine idealism to the masses, he is at heart a calculating pragmatist, especially when it comes to advancing his own ambitions. Obama doesn't want to be stained with defeat."

The presidency in a nuts IMO. About the only thing going for him at this point is that the compe ion is worse.

[boutons_deux]

"two center right parties"

besides the Dems, what other party is center right?

[jack sommerset]

Brother, it's the republican party. God bless

[boutons_deux]

Repugs haven't been center right for 25 years. Any Repug in the center or voting with the Dems has been targeted for marginalization and defeat. Repug politicians are EXTREME right.

centrist Repugs? GMAFB

[Capt Bringdown]

Repug politicians are EXTREME right.

Now, what does that make the weak-sauce democrats?

"With his sunny disposition and Prospero-like ap ude for mystification, Obama should have been able to convert them or, at least, to roll over them. Instead, they kicked his ass. How?"