A Socialist Response to the State of the Union

Obama Out of Touch with the American People

by Billy Wharton, co-chair, Socialist Party USA

Tonight’s State of the Union speech revealed just how far out of touch President Barack Obama is from the reality of working people in America. What a distance from the White House to the unemployment line. From the Rose Garden to the food pantry.

Tonight’s State of the Union sent the message one final time that the Obama presidency was and is designed to protect the privileges accrued by the richest 5% in society. Obama lived up to the characterization of him as a “hedge-fund Democrat,” a politician assigned the task of deflecting the real demands of the American people for a society and economy based on solidarity, peace and justice.

A Call for More Corporate Globalization

The President’s focus on “out competing” other countries, such as China and India, is a thinly veiled attempt to appeal to national patriotism made in order to disguise his desire to continue policies of corporate globalization. China and India are not the problem.

The problem is that people in the US are forced to live inside of an economy where the richest 5% of the population control 85% of the wealth. As a result, Obama’s claim to be creating a “more competitive America” doesn’t mean creating good living wage jobs for working people. Instead, it means continuing the same policies that are tailored to protect the wealth accumulated by the rich.



http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150126137625218&id=1161406786

Pretty Please?

"China and India are not the problem. "

Oh yes they are, they have become the last bastion that companies running from organized labor can run to, which is odd, considering one of them is supposedly marxist.

Are we suppose to engage in a competitive war with workers of other lands?

Are the Chinese and Indian workers suppose to be at war with us?

I hope not.

I'm not buying that corporate globalization bull shit.

We need international solidarity and organization among the working people of all lands!

When their workers lap up getting paid 5 dollars per hour, they are competing with us, and winning. How the Hell do you make solidarity when they are happily taking jobs?

When their workers lap up getting paid 5 dollars per hour, they are competing with us, and winning. How the Hell do you make solidarity when they are happily taking jobs?

The fact of the matter is, people want jobs, and if someone wants it worse than someone else, they will do the job for less and do it with a smile on their face. That is what the rest of the world is doing to us right now. The workers in India and China are not going to happily join in some kind of kumbaya solidarity with American workers so that they don't get any jobs. They are going to continue to undercut us because their standard of living is so much lower compared to ours that the new jobs and wages they are getting seem phenomenal to them.

There might be global solidarity some day - when communications and speed of transit make location irrelevant. But that day is a hundred years or more in the future.

of strong Labor Unions there was a period called the shape up. Workers would gather at plant gates, craft foremen would hand pick those he wanted and the rest sent packing. Those workers "lucky" enough to get work for the day were payed with scrip for a free meal at the local diner. That scrip was the day's wages. Nothing for lunch or supper, nothing for the family and nothing for tomorrow.



Edit: correct spelling, sorry.

takeover by Wall Street and corporations -- !!

Like the Wizard of Oz -- how can that fact be missed?

Have you actually looked at who Obama has appointed to his administration and

government? ALL WALL STREET, ALL THE TIME!!

Same with every decision Obama has made --

Pray tell, even admitting Obama could do far more, how the Hell are we supposed to compete with virtual slave labor, especially since both the Indians and Chinese are happy with it?

and with tariffs --

Where do you think we were before this when we did have jobs?

Obama could do far more in the next two years to completely destroy the

Democratic Party and what's left of our safety nets and the economy!

Let's get someone new for 2012 -- someone like Bernie Sanders who could

run on a Dem ticket -- someone like Tom Hayden -- someone like Olbermann --

anyone but Obama -- and stop selling our country to the Chinese and Indians.

Simply restore the New Deal -- re-regulate capitalism -- unregulated capitalism

is merely organized crime!

They're the next threat to US global dominance ya know...I can see them now invading the shores of California and Massachusetts! :sarcasm:

You can be sure that while the right wing elites SOLD us to the Chinese --

you do remember Daddy Bush had been Ambassador there -- they also will actually

feel intimidated re any interest China may take in our ability to repay them!

One way or another, when it becomes necessary they will suddenly be our enemies

again!

We need to find some way to overturn this organized crime running our government!!

They abandoned their socialist principles when they transitioned into a capitalist society. About the only thing left of their Communist past is the authoritarian side. I'd go with Stalinist or Leninist, but not Marxist. There is a BIG difference.

owned and managed cooperatives is MY personal pet issue.

http://www.mcc.es/ENG.aspx

http://www.iisd.org/50comm/commdb/desc/d13.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mondragon_Corporation

their finance bank

https://www.cajalaboral.com/clweb/

We have *got* to stop meeting like this. :D

:rofl:

:rofl:

I read Egypt is preparing for mass demonstrations. Let's make a date.

I've got 'em all queued up in my favorites. :evilgrin:

Oof da, Egypt. That was ugly to watch today; not the protesters, what the police did.

I was able to keep updated between doing other things and I was rooting and watching and now I wait to see what happens "tomorrow" (local time).

I just read this and am catching up: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x268111

I spent all day yesterday and all day today working around the house, baking bread, making cheese, entertaining a friend, cleaning. I totally MISSED it and am catching up now. First stop, Angry Arab

and many videos there.

http://www.facebook.com/elshaheeed.co.uk

The Guardian link in the OP you linked was a good one for me to watch as well.

I didn't spend as much time tracking as I did with 'baby doc' but I did make a point of keeping up.

Did you see former congress critter bob barr (r-impeach Clinton asswipe) is representing baby doc? I almost puked when I read that; literally. :(

I'm following twitters I trust now too and finding great pictures.



No I didn't. Asswipes indeed. I hate them. He and Baby Doc should just elope to Saudi Arabia.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4707300

Sorry, but misery loves company and you and I share...you and I share...music appreciation. :D

Great picture, btw. :)

"Duvalier “is very interested in trying to get those funds freed up, not for himself, but so they can be used to help the situation in Haiti,” Barr said by phone from Port-au-Prince yesterday."

Aristide needs to return now.

Talking about Music Appr http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUvQFNntpEw

It's always fun to see you on the board!

class systems. It also helps if one understand various philosophies and the perversions created through authoritarianism.

Reading Orwell, Huxley, Lakoff, and Penelope also help to understand the use of words to mis/dis-inform.

Congress is owned by the Ruling Class.

Congress IS the "Ruling Class." Actually, I'd argue they are the first line of defense for the ruling class. They are the gatekeepers. But, I read Zinn.

You know this. I'm preaching to the choir.

"First some warm-ups."

"Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do. No-na-no-na-no-na-no-na. Me-me-me-me-mau-ma-mo-moo."

"OK, one-two..."

"Arise ye prisoners of starvation..." ;-)

Exactly who is out of touch?

I found the speech to be too feel good with no real solutions offered.

discuss it as if it were really important, yes, they are easily distracted from what is really important and too intellectually lazy to move beyond just accepting what they are told.

;)

Great points!

without belonging to FaCIAbook.

I agree so far with the socialist response.

However, we are facing some major crises that lead to a perfect perfect storm that is not being addressed. Instead, we are seeing most responses cater to a way of life that will be dead and gone in a generation or so, should our species continue and if the planet remains habitable.

While full employment initiatives would be great, they will not solve, but rather, will exacerbate, the intrinsic problems with the energy gluttony that comprises the modern, Western way of life model we are being seduced into believing is sustainable.

How can the President talk of any meaningful energy policy while simultaneously supporting global competitiveness? The amount of energy used to transport what can and should be produced locally will, in that case, increase as population and demand increases. Our problem is not dependence on foreign oil so much as our dependence on oil itself. It is, as many know, the life-blood of this modern lifestyle and its peak of production has been reached. The future holds a continual decrease in oil supply as the modern lifestyle, combined with growing populations that desire that lifestyle increase demand. Though that is a major resource problem there are many others in progress for many, important resources. Yet, what do we hear about the impending catastrophe in progress, in the mainstream?

In that case, the SOTU and the responses are more of a sort of magic spell and comforting PR that suggest that, no matter how tough you have it, or how tough things are, you must believe that this blip in history will go on and on on -- it can get better. The problem is that, believing that means that we will do little or nothing, collectively to begin a vital and impending transition that could be far more humane and practical in mitigating a head-first crash into critical thresholds concerning our individual and collective survival.

It's not about the gloom and doom, it is about the ignorance and apathy and deletions that will create real gloom and doom down the road.

I did want to read the rest of that one.

sadly, I fear the state of general enlightenment is such that the vast majority of human political endeavors still amount to re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic

But I don't see how we get there from here. Too many people idolize the rich they have no real chance of joining, have their senses of empathy and community stunted, and are ensnared in the distractions of the "issues" the 'liberal' media echoes loud and long.

He does a good job of telling us how lovely it is there, but we DESPERATELY NEED a map to get us there from our present desolation. At the very least, we need directions to the nearest oasis.

This man is designing water parks for hydrophobes who don't know they're thirsty. How can we make them drink?

Because I thought this was a Democratic and not a Socialist Party USA site . . .

Is that 'democratic' with a big D or a little d? It is an adjective. Define the difference between noun and adjective and big D versus little d.

Skinner, et. al., have yet to define. Should they do so, it will solve many issues on this site.

Side note: were you a hall monitor?

Though I do seem to remember this site being dedicated to advancing the agenda of the Democratic Party . . . with a big 'D'. And no I wasn't a hall monitor -- I was more into pretentious pretend-rebellion back then -- though I don't think any school I went to had official hall monitors anyway.

Though I'm not very familiar with the SPUSA, I imagine they style themselves more as traditional Western Social Democrats and reject most American Democrats as too centrist. That's all well and good, but it doesn't seem to be a good match with a site purporting to 'support Democratic candidates for office,' as it were. Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if serious changes are in the offing here in the not-so-distant future.

"Constructive criticism of Democrats or the Democratic Party is permitted."

There's no arguing that. But the full piece is an advertisement for another political party.

certainly it only speaks for itself and, if we find it admirable, the

that recommendation is found within ourselves --

Certainly this is the kind of information we're missing in our MSM and

in general in society -- we should be grateful it's being presented here --

and rather than looking at it as a threat to democracy, it should be looked

at as broadening our view of democracy, its rights, privileges -- and the

importance of labor, without which there are no profits for elites.

And, let's remind ourselves, those elite profits come by exploitation of

the worker and labor, in general. And via exploittion of nature and natural

resources and animal-life which has now led to Global Warming.

As many have observed, had we never had an Industrial Revolution -- never

had this bus-i-ness, corporations and companies -- we'd have profited far

more by preserving our natural gifts -- air, water, oceans, animal-life --

and our planet.

sentence structure for US children.

Though you may have been a "pretentious pretend-rebellion" some on this site actually didn't pretend and were hard pressed to be pretentious while using every ounce of commitment to just survive. Congratulations on having the luxury of pretension.

"That's all well and good, but it doesn't seem to be a good match with a site purporting to 'support Democratic candidates for office,' as it were. Like I said, I wouldn't be surprised if serious changes are in the offing here in the not-so-distant future."

Did the "and other liberals disappear from the site "about us" page? I'm being a slacker and can't be bothered to look.

If there are "serious changes in the offing here," I predict Alexis will report a further downfall of traffic to this site; "in the not-so-distant future."

Too bad. I had high hopes.

So sue me for having the luxury of being a pretentious adolescent. I doubt I'm the only one here who can claim that. We'll see with the traffic. I think that the brass know which side their bread is buttered on -- and we both know it's not mine.

I'm pretty sure "the brass know which side their bread is buttered on -- and we both know it's not mine." you've got some nice, non-color-added butter/margarine. Not a problem; if you acknowledge it; and they acknowledge it. Does that mean "they" know it and participate accordingly?

I'd never "sue {you} for having the luxury of being a pretentious adolescent," Congratulations for being born in the "lucky sperm club." That's great. Do you get that you did nothing...nothing to be born there?

Are you the "only one"? Doubtful. What did you do to *deserve* it? About the same as the the others who can "claim that." Congratulations. Quite a feat. Being born "correctly."

Pretension isn't the sole purview of the middle and upper classes. I've known plenty of disadvantaged pretentious people . . . I'm willing to bet you have as well. I'm well aware that I didn't earn my genes . . . such is life.

As for the bread, all I'm saying is that the DU brass probably know that this is no longer a 'Democratic' site. Anti-Obama posts are a lot more popular than pro-Obama posts and we all know this. This is a site for the progressive left and many such people now choose to reject the Democratic party. I don't blame them for it . . . If I were a Social Democrat at heart I wouldn't like the Democratic party much either. But I'm not, and DU still purports to be a 'Democratic' site. That's all I pointed out. Like I said, I imagine Skinner's stance on that will change in the near future.

--imm

Question now ... "Is the Democratic Party working for liberals?"

or for elites? Wall Street -- Banksters -- Private Health Care Industry?

The differences between the parties are FADING ....

Maybe I should, but I think that defeats the purpose of using a web forum like this. I'm here to expose myself to ideas, even those I disagree with. Likewise, I don't think people here should shy from making unwanted comments either. To me that's the whole point.

"even those I disagree with" :shrug:

Did I not expose myself to those ideas? I was exposed and then reacted. Just because I didn't like their expression doesn't mean there wasn't value in the exposure.

Look, this isn't difficult here. The (full) OP advocates voting for non-Democrats on the left. Maybe I'm out of the loop or behind the times, but all I pointed out was that this seems to clash with DU's purpose. But I understand that DU's 2001 purpose is 10 years old in 2011 . . . and that makes all the difference.

Or whatever the cat might say :)

Given you sig, I though you might like this video, if you aren't familiar with the song already.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_NME1Iu79U

Do you support economic globalization (code for lower wages in the USofA)?

I'm neither a Marxist nor a Socialist. I'm fine with the rich paying more, but I'm not interested in supporting Socialist candidates for office, as the full facebook post advocates. I tend to support Democratic candidates, hence my participation here. I'm much more interested in foreign policy than domestic economic issues and I imagine I would clash with most of these folks there.

we need more social programs.

but there is something seriously wrong when Bernie Sanders seems to be the only member of Congress capable of standing up and telling the truth about what is happening to the American middle class.

It happens all of the time.

My guess is that your problem is with the Recs, not the posting.

Plenty of different types of things are posted here, but one would think an advertisement for another political party wouldn't shoot to near the top of the greatest either . . . and one would be wrong :)

:eyes:

How about the Constitution Party? The SPUSA may have sympathizers, but what about members?

Why are so many working poor happy with that?

You can blame a corporatized news media for failing to continuously repeat the fact.

one day they can have it all if they only work a little harder, or a little longer. If they give up the desire for days off and vacations, if they don't buy health insurance, if they trust in the Lord and go to church all those big houses with the nice lawns and three mercedes benz in the driveway
can be theirs.

They don't even read a newspaper, or news on the internet because it would shatter their view of the u.s. of a. being a benevolent country that takes care of its' own.

gaud, sometimes I just want to run headfirst into a wall when I see how the economy is doing.

Yeah, if they are at the 95th percentile, they are doing pretty damn well, but they have nothing on those who rank in the 99th percentile. They may be capitalists, but they aren't as successful as the capitalists, the robber barons, at the top are. Those are the people who regularly make 100,000,000 and far higher per year. Imagine hitting the Powerball jackpot every year for thirty years or longer, and that's the kind of money these rare few are making and using to buy things they want, like statehouses and congressmen.

RE: wealth disparity that showed that most of the people in this country thought that the wealth was distributed more like it is in Sweden rather than like it REALLY is in this country. That was a pretty telling point to me. It not only showed the ignorance of Americans, but the subtext was that those same people thought that Sweden's wealth gap WAS the way it should be. Why else would they GUESS the wealth gap was so much less than it was IF they didn't think that that was the way it should be?

Free trade = economic growth and interdependence among nations.

The RICH Corporate Owners made that shit up, and used smooth talking politicians to sell it to a gullible America.

Though it probably will never happen in my lifetime.

unions, good wages, and equality.

"used to believe in" --

but I finally realized that, politically, I am a democratic socialist.

I like what this guy has to say.

left wing voices that speak with passion. Passionate voices shake people out of their American Idol induced lethargy and allow the truth to seem in. And that truth would be WILDLY popular. Ergo, no Keith Olbermann with a show.

what's left is still an immense threat to them -- that's because all the

right wing propaganda and "wins" are based on lies -- every bit of truth

is like a pebble hitting a mirror -- it just shatters it.

Keep on tossin' those pebbles!

;)

:)

Working Americans need to be able to compete in Globalization. This means corporations. Sorry, but A radical shift to one of Norway is not possible.

I too am a Socialist. However, I believe in the Preamble to the Constitution where it says 'to promote the common good...' I interpret this to mean what's good for the common person is good for America. I do not mean handouts but a fair wage for a good day's work. I mean the ability to get ahead in life both for me and my children. I do not mean a corporation's lust for profits on the backs of it's employees. I remember the lines in 'It's a Wonderful Life,' which at the time was considered by Conservatives as a Communist threat for it's messages. The lines went something like 'And the people need a living wage in order to be able to buy a house and groceries. They need to be able to think they have a future and be able to have the opportunity to better themselves and not have to rent and have no hope.' Paraphrasing, but I believe this is the sentiment of many people then and now.

But corporations control the flow of information through it's major media outlets and all we hear now is that greed is great and that rich and powerful people are peachy and we need to kowtow to them in order to have our TVs, cell phones and be able to put that chicken in the pot.

Life for most Americans is considered OK and until it's a struggle for just enough of them to take notice there will be no real change. Corporations have the ability to promote the common good. The more the wage earner in America makes the more he can buy. Cheap goods from China and other producers will become more expensive or the wage earners in those countries will also begin to sit up and take notice. China is considered the sleeping tiger. Once it's populace realize they don't need their Totalitarian form of government it is they who will pounce upon their leaders. A billion and a quarter people suddenly wanting middle class wages will drive up the crap Walmart produces to the point that US produced goods will dominate here and maybe the world again.

I do not agree with your stated means of 'emergency measures.' A jobs program would produce few goods, foster a huge bureaucracy and enable huge potential for profiteering. I do not agree that it would be a Democratically operated system that enabled worker ownership and managed coops. That sounds like Communism. I do not think that would pass even in the most liberal part of the most liberal state in the Union much less be the death knoll of the Democratic Party if embraced nationally.

There is no real flow of money within this country. The large corporations, if US based, use their profits to expand their business in China and other foreign countries. Multinational companies do not even plow their profits in this country at all. The US infrastructure is crumbling. Without a major over hall I don't see even your solutions working. I do not have an ultimate working solution but the present course of our monetary and fiscal policies will drive the US into a 2nd rate power soon. We will develop a jingoistic attitude and become belligerent to the point of provoking wars we will lose badly. America would become divided, spoils of war and be no more as a country. A faded 'experiment.'

Just nationalize the oil.
We're pimping our natural resources out to these extremely greedy corporations.
Not only would we be able to provide more jobs by managing our resources ourselves, but we can also better control costs and reduce our dependency on foreign oil. And since it's won't be all about the money, we would take steps to ensure environmental and worker safety.

I know this is communism but while this is going on, private companies would be out there trying like mad to find alternative energy sources since they can no longer profit on oil. We really need this to happen.

Not to mention, oil is a very lucrative business and we would all stand to do very well from it.

has always been a "national security issue" -- evidently MIC uses 80%

of the oil -- though Air Froce has been talking about solar planes!

Nothing must STOP wars from going on -- perpetual war!!

When you decide to be concerned about the rest of us, also,, then maybe you will get somewhere.

And don't start with that shit about how "we are all working people". BULLLSHIT. I have explained over and over and over how this "working people" shit is hurting the rest of us, and you refuse to listen.

REfusing to listen to people you purport to represent is the same bullshit as the corporatists. Neglect is neglect.

K&R

is saying President Obama is the one who is out of touch with the American people?

:rofl:

Bernie Sanders
http://sanders.senate.gov/newsroom/news/?id=BA4D8F5A-FC87-49CA-8EE2-D30D57443AB6

Sid

If businesses want to reduce costs, I can think of nothing better than getting all their senior management replaced by overseas workers. I'm sure we can find lots of management superstars that would be willing to work for a lot less.

Why don't we ever hear this from the brainwashed teabaggers?

Matter-of-fact, I haven't heard that proposal from anyone before you. I try to stay informed but.....

I think it's a stellar idea, btw! It's like we also never hear about reducing medical or pharmaceutical costs. Instead, we worry about how to pay. imho

jobs. Obama is not ignoring those who are struggling right now, but there is no quick fix. Things are improving by working within the system of government we have.

You don't treat cancer by introducing more cancer.

unless the wealthy create jobs HERE in the U.S. If they do that, then they get a tax break. Instead he simply handed them another 750 billion dollars without any strings attached, and we know from experience what they will do with it.

That will increase the deficit, it will not create jobs since it has no in ten years. So, why did he do it?

Sorry, we are sick of the excuses. My third graders have better ideas on how to provide jobs in THIS country.

the man once in office...

has got to reassert our socialist roots. Social programs for health education and welfare and unionizing to enforce labor laws. I am not feeling well tonight but wish to support this post. I want my taxes to support our people and infrastructure---not wars!!!

Peace to everyone.

resources, but it isn't socialist for the privileged to take tax dollars for resources chosen by special interests?

I'll probably be a card-carrying socialist before it's over.

that he, and other socialist advocates (as well as other 3rd parties) would be represented in the MSM on CNN or MSNBC. (Let's be honest, any non-republican or occasional dem voices on Faux is like wishing for the Easter Bunny to solve the climate change problem).

If anything, he could get on the Last Word. :)

- Obama the Hedge-fund Democrat. Indeed!

That only will make a whole lot of us happy. Obama is centrist and boring.