[Pen-l] Two Kinds of Seats at Obama's Table

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/andrews060109.html
Two Kinds of Seats at Obama's Table
by Charles Andrews

There are two kinds of seats at President-elect Obama's table: one for 
the rich, another for the common people.

First, the rich.  As of Jan. 6, 2009, Obama's Presidential Inaugural 
Committee had solicited and received more than $27 million, not even 
counting contributions of less than $200.  Nearly $18 million comes from 
fewer than 400 persons donating the maximum of $50,000.

Bill and Melinda Gates, the head of Bill's Microsoft corporation and his 
wife, all gave the maximum.  That should give them access to the Obama 
administration, a nice seat at the table.  Others who tossed in $50,000 
are executives of ExxonMobil, Sony BMG Music, military contractor mogul 
Henry Crown, Fletcher Asset Management, Stephen Spielberg's DreamWorks, 
Coca Cola, the Royal Bank of Canada, and a bunch of corporate law firms.

There's a different message for the common people, who obviously cannot 
afford huge donations for the inaugural party.

"No Need to March, Says Obama Advisor, 'There's Room for Everyone at the 
Table'."   That's the headline on a report by Hazel Trice Edney, editor 
in chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association press 
syndicate.  She begins:

    Valerie Jarrett, who will likely become a household name [as number 
three or so in the Obama White House] . . . says the landscape of 
activism may drastically change under the Obama administration as those 
who have traditionally fought to be heard will likely have seats at the 
table.

    "You do not need to have demonstrations in front of the White House 
to convince this president that there is a disparate impact in the 
African-American community around issues such as health care and 
education.  He's got that," says Jarrrett in a telephone interview. . . .

PhotobucketThe California Voice, which bills itself as "The Oldest Black 
Newspaper West of the Rockies," gave the story top billing on the front 
page of its Dec. 28, 2008 issue.  You voted, sisters and brothers, now 
let your leaders wait for their White House invitations!

Jarrett continues, "And his [Obama's] strategy is, 'Look if we all come 
to the table and have a common goal of trying to solve a problem, 
there's no end to what ordinary people can do.'"  When it comes to 
guaranteeing universal health care, ordinary people want equal care for 
all, for example through expansion of Medicare to everyone.  That's not 
in Obama's sights, especially while his administration talks to the 
un-ordinary inauguration donors from UnitedHealth insurance (over 
$75,000), WellPoint private health plans, Cedars Sinai, Kindred 
Healthcare, and so on.

Since the November election "progressives for Obama" have paid formal 
courtesy to the need to organize grassroots action that will oppose 
sending more troops to Afghanistan, demand economic relief for the 
common people not the rich, and oppose Israeli oppression of 
Palestinians.  Now the task is complicated.  These progressives have a 
choice.  They can go along with Obama's request not to pressure him 
while he grants access to those who paid big bucks.  Or they can support 
action on the ground without cultivating further illusions in a loyal 
servant of capitalism.

Charles Andrews is the author of From Capitalism to Equality. Comment
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