[Marxism] Obama Fisa

[abu hartal <abuhartal@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

The most troubling aspect of Obama's FISA capitulation is that he has damaged 
his 
reputation of a straight talker. Until now he could claim that  instead of 
getting a team of researchers 
to tell him what Americans want, he is shaping his electoral policy entirely 
from within 
himself and using his researchers to sound out the reactions. The FISA 
capitulation was not 
a concession to the telecom companies but to reactionary American public 
opinion. As in the UK
where civil liberties have been under intense attack with popular 
approval--millions of blacks 
have been put under government surveillance just because they have been 
arrested-- the American public
puts  security over and above constitutional rights, and Obama and the DNC 
figured that they
could not appear soft on national security without losing the American public. 
Given that he is already
being  baited in a remorseless internet campaign as Hamas' choice, he could not 
afford to appear soft
on terrorism. Or at least the DNC would not allow the leader of the party to 
appear that way before
the election. At the same time he is trying the best he can to convince 
Americans not to want to sacrifice
their constitutional liberties. But it's not a popular cause. He is ahead of 
the public, but he is not 
willing to get too far in front of it. At least that's how it appears to me. 
Can't contribute much
given new responsibilities. 
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