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‘Obama misinterpreted his mandate’

Published: 04 January, 2012, 11:20

Obey Giant's remake (right) of Shepard Fairey's poster (left)

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TAGS: Election, Obama, Protest, Politics, USA, Marina Portnaya


Having been elected on a wave of hope four years ago, Barack Obama now faces a significant drop in popularity among disillusioned Democrats.

­Back then, a historic campaign turned US politics into a pop culture phenomenon. The Democratic candidate achieved unprecedented support, international fame and a record-breaking US $650 million in donations. Thousands of New Yorkers celebrated the victory, clutching an enormous American flag hand-sewn by Obama supporters.

But the winds have changed – and the same very Democratic symbol waved in honor of the president-elect in 2008 has been donated to the movement that became a phenomenon in 2011.

David Mafouda, who fundraised for Obama in 2008, organized the flag project after being inspired by his rhetoric – a dream shattered by the subsequent years of “politics as usual”.

“Currently what’s inspiring me is OWS. That’s why I brought the flag to OWS,” he told RT. “And the thing that inspired me about it is the fact that it’s a grass roots movement that had a very clear and transparent process.”

Artist Shepard Fairey feels similarly disenchanted, releasing an updated version of his iconic “Hope Poster” in which Obama has been supplanted by Occupy Wall Street.

With an economy still in crisis, Wall Street largely unregulated, social programs slashed and over 45 million citizens on food stamps, Barack Obama still says that “it all starts with you, making a decision to get involved.” Now, it seems, his familiar rhetoric may not be enough to win back his old fan base.

“He didn’t produce what people wanted him to produce,” says Carl Watson, an associate editor at The Williamsburg Observer.

In 2008, Princeton professor and author Dr. Cornel West was one of Obama’s biggest supporters, saying that “he’s got the vision, he’s got the newness, he’s got the freshness.” West took part in more than 100 campaign events to support Obama’s election bid. But last April, the prominent intellectual told RT that Barack Obama had failed.

“He’s the friendly face of the American empire abroad. He’s in the process, very sadly, of becoming a pawn of big finance and a puppet of big business,” Cornel West explained.

And any American politician knows they are in trouble when the Hollywood A-listers start turning their backs.

Matt Damon, actor and former Obama volunteer says: “I really think he misinterpreted his mandate.”

Yet approval ratings show voters are even more turned off by the alternatives, leaving Obama seemingly the lesser of two evils.

It is clear that America's president is entering the 2012 race amid a growing band of disillusioned Democrats. Most will still get behind Barack Obama over his Republican rivals, but with a heavy heart. In 2008 he was the unassailable candidate of choice. This time, he is likely to stay in by default.

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Eliot Bernstein January 05, 2012, 16:43
+1

Our leaders, in our names, have committed FACTUAL WAR CRIMES, AIDED & ABETTED in ECONOMIC TERRORISM (a War Crime & Eugenics Crime) against US & Foreign nations & their citizens.  They have TORTURED PEOPLE WITHOUT TRIAL, DAMNED WHISTLEBLOWERS & PULLED A TRAITOROUS COUP.  Now that we are aware of it, what are we to do? Like a slow but methodical killer this Occupy movement grows, spreading to the core of corruption and will begin to consume the enemy, the 99% the enemy of the 1% and it is really only .01% of population that has committed these crimes and profited at the worlds expense leaving PEOPLE DYING, STARVING and HOMELESS from their crimes, the VICTIMS are very real and in the tens of millions. The .01%'s pants are down, their crimes exposed and with a MASS OF EVIDENCE against them, it will not be long until the hunter creeps up on the sly fox in the henhouse and before it hears the sounds of the bullets a cracklin, well you know how that ends.  The bullet however should be fired from the long arm of the law aka the HUNTER, with the fox out of the henhouse JUSTICE will be restored, the good ole American Way.  Ya know, TRIALS for the ACCUSED LEADERS with FAIR and IMPARTIAL TRIALS, unlike the ones our leaders have been giving to others while torturing and murdering them so let’s get the gallows up for our leaders and their Fascist Treasonous friends and grab some popcorn and the kids.  Once Justice is restored and the .01%, are tried and convicted for their WAR, ECONOMIC and TORTURE crimes against humanity and are hung after trial, for DEATH is still the penalty for TREASON, WAR CRIMES, etc., hell then the fun begins as we RECOVER their ILL GOTTEN GAINS.

Eliot Bernstein January 05, 2012, 16:40
+1

It takes time for a Grass Roots Revolution to grow and the overwhelming fact is that putting 99% of the People together is a monumental task. This unification of the PEOPLE found so many crimes being committed by our Government it was overwhelming with so many worldwide victims, there are just so many areas to Protest, it seemed we had to OCCUPY EVERYTHING ado with Government and perhaps that is the truth.  Perhaps a Reboot, no a Reformat of the 3 branches and the US Pravda Press. The People are just seeing that a Coup of the 3 branches has truly occurred with most Gov officials and Politicians being corrupt figures verses for the People and most involved in a plethora of Criminal Activity and a massive power grab via TREASON. As there was not a single item to focus on for the protestors, like Vietnam and the corruptions were so vast and broad, the movement has begun by exposing the tentacles to a wide variety of corruptions plaguing so much of our current system from War Crimes to Torture Crimes to Economic Crimes and ALWAYS NO JUSTICE for the GUILTY, NOT EVEN TRIALS and the INNOCENT VICTIMS are VICTIMIZED FURTHER by a failed system. Rampant crimes unpunished for a "privileged few", monies stolen (est 46 TRILLION) and as yet not recovered from the thieves, as the prosecutors are in on it too, along with the courts who have failed to uphold our rights and in fact are attempting to steal off with those too.   Where oh where is our military to Defend us from the Domestic Threat they have sworn OATH to DEFEND, why have they not surrounded the 3 Branches and Court Officials and Prosecutors, etc. and dragged them into CRIMINAL WAR TRIBUNALS for the Crimes.  If the Military fails to heed the call and has been couped too, well then folks, it will be up to you to TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY from these FASCIST NAZI FRY LOVIN SPOILED ROTTEN ELITIST NEW WORLD DISODOR SELLOUT UNAMERICAN UNPATRIOTIC PIGS. 

 

John Ellis January 05, 2012, 08:35
+1

EMPIRE BUILDER

Paul Cross
“Obama has done a lot for the US... considering
what he inherited and the political forces against
him its amazing what he has done.”

The Bush-Obama Administration, this is a creation of the corporate rich who rule the oil industry and High Finance, they being the ones who financed both the Bush and Obama election campaign. But then, were not telling Paul Cross anything he does not already know, for he is of the voting majority, the 51% most aggressive and wealthy that always vote for what will best plunder the world --- by imperialism most brutal.