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...However, not in stating that a politician is by definition one who responds to political pressure. In our system (supposedly a republican democracy) the one group that is supposed to count the most counts the least - the citizens! Our politicians respond exclusively to the members of a very small elite club: #1 Moneyed interests #2 other political office holders #3 elite media...EXCEPT during some periods in our history when the people get off their ass and organize!...
The Obama Team has allowed the re-entry of a fourth member to the club: mass media/mass people last seen somewhere, sometime in the 1970's surrounded by a bunch of hippies and a large ganja love cloud. This time it takes the form of a virtual constituency staging a blog-in, e-in, viral communication and becoming a real constituency going out and getting something done. So far that is just getting a guy elected, but who knows what will be accomplished if they keep it up!
The danger is that Obama will enter the bubble that is the u.s. presidency never to really be seen or heard from again. It is his supporters and, as Greenwald points out his critics, that have brought Obama to where he is. Obama himself constantly said if you actually really listened to the guy that basically he is going to do nothing; that we would have to do what needs to be done, but we/he can't do it if we allow the good 'ol boys to get back to business as usual...
