I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend my reelection to the Congress of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the biggest multi-national corporations of the United States and World; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the US Constitution and make a mockery of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.

Glenn, I contributed to this effort last night, because it's really the thing only I can do. But I gotta tell you dude, I have never been more fucking disgusted with my government, and especially the Democratic Party, than I am at this moment.

I was so optimistic on Nov 8, 2006. I don't know if you remember the congressional election maps from the New York Times election coverage of the election, but my district, represented by a light blue square, signifying the incumbent Dem had won, was surrounded, on all four sides, by dark blue squares, signifying the Dem challenger had defeated the republican incumbent. I was so optimistic.

A year and a half later, well, not so much now.

And Obama's deafening silence on this issue, when he is probably the only single person who could stop this train at this point, just convinces me he is just another hypocritical, scumbag politician. Yeah, he'll bring the gun to the knife fight when it comes to getting himself elected (or so he says), but when it comes to protecting the US Constitution and the rights of the American people under that constitution, well, that's just not as important apparently.

Keep up the fight Glenn, I wish I was as strong as you, but lately I find myself wondering if the 99.9% percent of Americans who couldn't tell you what FISA stands for, or even who their particular congressional scumbags are, I find myself wondering if they haven't had the right idea all along.

Cheers, I guess....

I've long supported Obama and one of the primary reasons why is that he has had several positions (re: energy, and economics mostly) where he was wrong, but was eventually convinced to switch his opinion based on feedback from both the populace and experts. At least I hope he switched his opinion, if he was just lying we'll find out, but once there is no trust then the whole exercise is moot.

I always anticipated that as Obama got more power but before he got elected, he would be more beholden to the system and perhaps even is feeling that the ends justifies the means...and he'll change once he's in power. But I truly hope that he is genuine in his appeals for a new politics, and if so, then it is up to us to demonstrate enough power and strength that he can move away from the old apparatus.

He is no saint and power corrupts all, but with any luck Obama recognizes this and with enough effort from us he will be able to tone himself down.

The FISA bill is the Dem's (and Obama's) litmus test for me...the line in the sand. I've been cautiously supportive of Obama, but I've also been a realistic (read: cynical) Progressive activist since the 60's who never ceases to be amazed and disgusted by the conceits of Power. So what's it gonna be this time around?? Yet another calculated capitulation by the so-called Party of the People? Is this the year of a populist revolt (per David Sirota), the one I've been working for since 1965? (Sorry, David...lookin' iffy). The FISA vote will speak volumes about the Democratic Party. Can these people who work for us resist the trappings and temptations of power and corporate money or will they be, yet again, only the lesser of two evils?

...but what, exactly, ARE you advocating? I mean, if you have actual ideas, I'd like to here them. More specific than [paraphrasing] "take a bodily stand". No snark, I just have no idea what you're suggesting.

in my world

Wow, who'd a thunk it?

I see that Obama has to walk a tightrope. He can't afford to appear too anti-corporate otherwise that whole powerful sector would mobilize in earnest against him. One can look at Edwards whose stance ensured that he was frozen out of the corporate media's presidential scenario.

I would like it if the American political/corporate establishment would fall to the Capraesque hero a la "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" but it won't. I have hope (there's that word again) that Obama will be able to effect enough change to improve our situation. I know that McCain will not.

Glenn,

I may be mistaken, but I read dataguyx's post not as a defense of Obama but as sarcasm intended to convey the point that it has been obvious all along that Obama is just another member of the power elite club, that he is a self-serving politician through and through whose words and actions do not correlate.

I think it's undeniable that Obama is already compromised--as is, to varying degrees--anyone who makes it this far in a quest for the Presidency, but one can make distinctions between candidates, even those plugged into the same corrupt system of quid pro quo favor-granting and cronyism. Those who expect Obama to be a messiah who will effect radical changes in our political system or in ongoing governmental policies are sure to be bitterly disappointed, but he is clearly a better choice than McCain, and voters should make their choice based on a sober appraisal of the real differences between these (or any) candidates, rather than with a starry-eyed hope for political miracles. If for no other reason, I will vote for Obama simply to cast a vote against McCain, and as a vote intended to block any McCain-nominated jurists from filling the Supreme Court, as we can be sure there will be vacancies to fill there in the next four to eight years.