Progressives Need A Lobbyist. Forget the DNC, Let’s Use the A.I.P.A.C. Strategy

Abusive Spouse-The Dems

The White House is the abusive spouse of its own progressive base.  Democrats are a bunch of constituencies: women, minorities, LGBT, various labor groups, environmentalists, health care advocates, etc.  None of these groups have gotten squat from the White House after two years of donating and campaigning and a year and a half of dickering and petitioning.  Obama has coldly turned his back  while serial abuser, White House Chief-of-Staff Rahm Emmanuel  taunts supporters as “f*cking retards” and Cheeto eating basement dwellers.

What went wrong?  Why do these Washington power players hold progressives in contempt and treat us with scorn?

Obamrahm discuss next progressive abuse

Democrats are constituencies, not  lobbyists.  Lobbyists for the health, pharmaceutical and oil industries pack a huge punch on Capitol Hill, while, despite Obama’s promises, voters and constituent groups are ants at a picnic.  Constituent groups raised money and walked the precincts to elect Democrats, mostly incumbents, expecting those efforts to translate into advocacy.  Quelle imbeciles!  The Dems took the money and Obama decided which candidates the Party would support: the ones he wanted not the one’s progressives wanted.

Lobbyist groups take no such chances.

I think everyone can agree that AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is an inordinately successful lobby group.  Let’s see how they work.

It has been described as one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Washington, DC, and its critics have stated it acts as an agent of the Israeli government with a “stranglehold” on the US Congress.

No one says no to Israel.

House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi,… stated that “America and Israel share an unbreakable bond: in peace and war; and in prosperity and in hardship”

I would love to hear her swear fealty to any Democratic constituency that has shown unswerving loyalty.

First, AIPAC lobbies for itself and its own interests, not for parties or candidates.  From a critic, Wikipedia:

AIPAC’s success is due to its ability to reward legislators and congressional candidates who support its agenda, and to punish those who challenge it. … AIPAC makes sure that its friends get strong financial support from the myriad pro-Israel PACs. Those seen as hostile to Israel, on the other hand, can be sure that AIPAC will direct campaign contributions to their political opponents. … The bottom line is that AIPAC, which is a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on the U.S. Congress. Open debate about U.S. policy towards Israel does not occur there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world.

This agenda comes straight from the AIPAC website, describing its specific goals and interests:

issues

• Gaza
• Iran
• Palestine negotiations
• U.S. aid to Israel

• legislation
  • U.S.-Israel energy cooperation
  • condemn Iran
  • 10 exercises that the U.S. and Israeli air forces conduct together annually
  • U.S. non-engagement with Hizballah

AIPAC uses at least as much “stick” as “carrot” to get what it wants.  It will target an unwilling politician, run candidates against him/her, perhaps embroil them in scandal,  use the press for attacks.

Progressives can’t get single payer, an end to wars, main street bailouts, unemployment extensions or aid to the states, an end to DOMA, environmental protection; nothing, diddly, zilch.  Do we have specific, non-negotiable goals?  Will we take down the power players with scandal and arm twisting when they treat us with contempt?

It’s time to forget giving money to nincompoop leftist organizations that don’t get the time of day from anyone in power, who are willing to get kicked in the teeth just to sit at the master’s table.

Kick the door in with demands.  Run progressive candidates funded by progressives. Punish the Dems when they betray. If you want action from the power players, play with power.

Obama Wants to Sell Your X-Rays

Obama’s new stimulus plan provides $20 billion for the electronic updating of medical records. The electronic medical update was Tom  Daschle’s plan. Although Obama insisted during the campaign that he would rid Washington of lobbyist influence, it was Daschle’s schemes with and for the insurance and pharmaceutical conglomerates that got him Obama’s nod for Health and  Human Services Secretary. Tom has been benched.  But Obama has already taken the hand-off.  Not only is it a vast financial boon for marketers , it will allow insurance companies to get around privacy requirements and perhaps charge more for drugs, or decline coverage for pre-existing conditions.

No worries for company’s over privacy violation lawsuits.  No one can find out if their privacy has been breached.

This huge attack on privacy was shoved through in an “emergency” bill because otherwise the public wouldn’t have swallowed it.

And what’s Obama going to do with this data base?

Do you trust this administration to have everything bit of information about you available to them at the touch of a button?  Have you taken illegal drugs? What legal drugs do you take?  What’s your preferred form of birth control? Any abortions? How about a rare blood type,or  psychiatric problem?  Anything else you can think of that you don’t want Google to put on the internet, upload to your employer or send around the world?

What of the obvious national security implications around this vast network of data collection?

Just a few years ago hackers and identity thieves repeatedly accessed credit data and social security numbers.  Hundreds of thousands of military veteran’s and university records were lifted.  No firewalls to protect data were put in place after the first thefts and the public was not notified.  Who has that stolen data now?  The Russian Mafia?

Maybe I just don’t trust this administration.  But with good reason.

Make no mistake.  The rush to update medical records is not for the benefit of American citizens. Globalizing information is about globalization. It will allow the globalizers, hedge fund operators, military strategists and world bankers to plan and build for the future, for their future, without your knowledge. It’s a money-making or money saving enterprise for the big transnational industrial, pharmaceutical, insurance and information companies that sit at the plutocrat’s table.

But it’s part of a larger picture.  Obama wants a complete record of every American.

Obama is the creator of the most far reaching surveillance and secrecy schemes in American history.  Not only did he back FISA after insisting he would filibuster it, he has appointed former CIA deputy Michael Hayden as head of the NSA.  Remember Micheal Hayden, the former CIA official who insists “probable cause” does not apply to the “search” or “seizure” clauses of the 4th amendment to the Constitution, only to the issuance of warrants?  The Director of National Intelligence will also have vast and probably unlimited powers to collect information from all forms of communications intercepted within the U.S, including emails and blogs. The surveillance possibilities have yet to be tapped.

Obama also wants every American to be signed up as a volunteer, like it or not.  Young people will be required to volunteer for the public good, college age students will volunteer as community workers or civil defense agents in order to receive college loans.  The elderly will be enlisted to serve as mentors to the students. All of this “volunteering” will require every person to be tracked for grant aid or employment purposes.

So call me crazy but…

The electronic updating and storing of medical records by this administration may be something we live to regret.