Krugman: Obama Has Become "The Anti-Change Candidate"

New York Times:

Broadly speaking, the serious contenders for the Democratic nomination are offering similar policy proposals -- the dispute over health care mandates notwithstanding. But there are large differences among the candidates in their beliefs about what it will take to turn a progressive agenda into reality.

At one extreme, Barack Obama insists that the problem with America is that our politics are so "bitter and partisan," and insists that he can get things done by ushering in a "different kind of politics."

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[EyeWantOneNation]

We are persuaded that none of the so-called front-runners in the
current Democratic primary process may yet represent the true choice
of the people, and suspect they are being foisted on us by a
disproportionate share of media attention, and even speaking time in
the debates.

There is a totally independent primary poll being conducted at

Independent Primary Poll: http://independentprimary.com/

We are encouraging all our participants to make your voice heard for
the candidate you really like before this poll closes at the end of
the day, this coming Tuesday, Dec. 18. This major on-line poll is
being conducted by a consortium of Independent voters around the
county, and is sure to have a significant impact on the real
primaries just about to start.

The groups running this poll do not favor one party or the other,
they vote on issues, and character of the candidate. And they are a
large constituency. Independents make up more than 40 percent of the
electorate, and it is expected there will be several hundred thousand
votes in this poll by the time it closes Dec. 18, so the media is
paying attention.

Just to give you an example, in the recent poll run by Democracy for
America, founded by current DNC chairman Howard Dean, these were the
results out of 154,000 votes cast:

Kucinich 32.97%, Gore 24.77%, Edwards 15.6%, Obama 13.86%, Clinton
4.21%, Richardson 4.09%, Other 2.05%, Dodd 1.56%, Biden 1.12%, Gravel
0.77%

Maybe we should stop letting the corporate talking heads pick our
candidates for us. Especially if you feel that the current tilt of
the coverage of the candidates does not match your first preference,
please make your voice heard now where it will really count.

Independent Primary Poll: http://independentprimary.com/

The poll closes on Tuesday, Dec. 18. So please vote now, and spread
the word to all your lists

[arcaneirishholm]

I definitely agree with Mr. Krugmans analysis. No disrespect to those in the Obama campaign, but I really think Edwards policies and ideas are more ambitious, more realistic and better overall.

[EyeWantOneNation]

When are we going to stop letting corporate run media tell us who we should and should not be voting for???

"Hillary is ahead in the polls here"
"Obama is ahead in the polls there"

Hillary is endorsed by this one; Obama is endorsed by that one"

The media wants you to believe if you don't vote for a "front-runner" you are throwing your votes away...vote for a "winner" or your vote won't count!!

BULL !!!!!!!

I received an email from The PEN (Peoples Email Network) who are also VERY active in the move to impeach Cheney. The email is as follows:

[Giordano Bruno]

In most Jesuit colleges, undergraduates are introduced to the concept of "situation ethics." This is a concept which allows one to deviate from ethical standards based on an exceptional situation. For instance, the concept of just war is based on this. However it can be overused.

I would say that sitting down with insurance and pharmacy companies and inviting them to help author health care reform is like negotiating with terrorists. I grant that it might be hyperbolic to say so, but making fundamental change while maintaining the status quo is a tough act.

Hillary was the darling of the establishment before. Now that Obama has emerged as the "front runner" or the "Candidate du jour", it appears that he want's to move into the "centerist mode". What happened to the guy that wanted to change business as usual in Washington. He is worried about Edwards for good reason. Citizens of Iowa see through those who pay rhetorical lip service to change while accepting big contributions from vested interests. That is the game Hillary plays, and it is beginning to look as though so too will Mr. Obama. God I hope Edwards wins and build momentum for future primaries.

We need real health care reform. We need real tax reform. We need real change. Not just rhetoric.

Giordy

[Plowboy]

The Devil always wins with compromisers. First he demands twice what he thinks he might get. The compromiser gives him half of that, or what he originally thought to get. He then demands more and gets another piece of what was left. This goes on and on.
The devil never sleeps, nor dies, nor grows weary, nor stops laughing at compromising fools.
Too bad for those who want so much to avoid conflict.

[Irish1139]

Obama has been richly rewarded for playing "the fool" on issues like tort law, Social Security, and national health insurance. According to the Center for Responsive Politics (CRP), the 2008 Obama presidential campaign has received nearly $5 million dollars from securities and investment firms and $866,000 from commercial banks through October of 2007. Obama's top contributor is Goldman Sachs (provider of $369,078 to Obama '08), identified by CRP investigators as "a major proponent of privatizing Social Security as well as legislation that would essentially deregulate the investment banking/securities industry." Of his top twenty election investors, fully eight are securities and investment firms: Goldman Sachs, Lehman Bros. (number 2 at $229,090), J.P. Morgan Chase and Co. (# 4 at $216,759), Citadel Investment Group (#7 at 4166,608), UBS AG ($146,150), UBS-America ($106,680), Morgan Stanley ($104,421), and Credit Suisse Group ($92,300). The last two firms are also known to be leading privatization advocates (Center for Responsive Politics, "Presidential Candidate Barack Obama," at
www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.asp?id=N00009638&cycle=2008).

According to the CRP, Obama's presidential run was assisted by more than $2 million from the health care sector and nearly $400,000 from the insurance industry through October of 2007 (Center for Responsive Politics, "Obama's Leading Contributors by Industry," available online at www.opensecrets.org/ politicians/allindus.asp?CID=N00009638 ).Obama received $708,000 from medical and insurance interests between 2001 and 2006 (Center for Responsive Politics, " Barack Obama Career Profile," http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/ allindus.asp?CID=N00009638 ).

His wife Michelle, a fellow Harvard Law graduate, was until a recently a "Vice President for Community and External Affairs" at the University of Chicago Hospitals, a position that paid her $273,618 in 2006

[amberglow]

very relevant article from Fortune Magazine--they're fine with both Hillary and Obama because neither will rock the boat--

http://money.cnn.com/2007/12/14/magazines/fortune/easton_democrats.fortune/?postversion=2007121411

[ystasino]

The righteousness and narcissism of the armchair liberals is on full display:

Excuse us Obama fans for being populist, but isn't it ironic that all those who want a mandate already have health insurance?

[LisainNYC]

So according to Krugman, Obama is too nice and his supporters are uninformed.

Krugman's theory that voters don't really want a candidate who makes them feel good is demonstrably false. Obama supporters say time and time again that they like his desire and ability to work with the opposition and point to his record of accomplishment in Illinois. No mention of the fact that when Edwards attacked Clinton for being in the pocket of corporate America, his poll numbers tanked.

Krugman finishes with another swipe at Obama, saying he doesn't appreciate the battle he faces. Well when Clinton faced that battle, she lost. Yet Obama was the chief sponsor of a bill which provided uniform care for all Illinois residents. Should voters go with a known loser over someone with a fresh approach and a positive record?

Krugman should let go his obsession with taking Obama down, look at Obama's record, and listen to what voters are saying.

[ConcernAmerican]

Obama is ALL talk but LACKS substance. He is WORSE than Bush and MORE dangerous than Bush. A LAZY US Senator, with no qualms crisscrossing USA at TAXPAYER EXPENSE to sell his books instead of casting his vote for resolutions that needed his support, do NOT deserve a single vote from any registered voters who use COMMON SENSE.

[amberglow]

People need to look at other examples--the Toy industry for instance--sitting down with them will not do a thing to make toys safer--you have to impose laws and rules and oversight upon them, no matter what they want (which is more profit always).

You have to use the power of the govt to inspect things our children use and fine those who don't meet the legal standards--not listen to the toymakers themselves as they assure you they have perfectly fine safety standards in all their sweatshops and can take care of it themselves. What the industry wants and what they sell us is completely bad for America--and toxic too, so why let them have a say?

[OhPlease2007]

For anybody that has taken the time to honestly assess Michael Moore's movie,'SiCKO', in all probability, viewers of Mr. Moore's film --when it comes to the health care & pharmaceutical industry-- will come to realize that the health care industry has no real intention to sit down and negotiate with politicians for better and more affordable health care & prescription drugs for our nation.

John Edwards is right on this issue and I have to agree with Krugman on this one; Obama IS, "naïve."

I don't see Obama as being the candidate for change. I see John Edwards as being the real -&- true candidate for change. I am voting for John Edwards.

[snruB]

Hillary is the Anti-Answering-the-Question candidate

On "rolling the dice"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOnkDekFe80

[amberglow]

Obama's actually stealing Edwards' stuff about trashing entrenched interests and lobbyists and big corps when it comes to Farm bills-- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071217/ap_po/obama_rural&printer=1;_ylt=AvujK_5jLmHkEViXL28NTtJB5494

but when it comes to Health Care, he sings a different tune--why is that?

[julianne]

Obama seems to have good instincts and priorities but, otherwise, appears naive. I sent my check to Edwards because there is nothing "inclusive" that's been going on here unless it is the growing number of millions of us who go to bed in pain, broke, hungry, and afraid. The oligarchs at the high end of the financial system, medical industry, and a good part of our "fire sale" of an industrial base that Obama wishes to include in his elaborations are stone cold corporatists. Just look at the grotesque disparity of income they've created. They don't care about a family in Indiana or Texas any more than they care about a family in Nicaragua. You are nothing to them but disposable units of labor, cannon fodder, and consumers. You are a citizen of nothing. At the high end of the financial-banking system, many are fascists that would kill your children in their sleep for what they want. To a significant extent our nation is already colonized, particularly the Fed and the banking industry, with law enforcement dangerously federalized including the National Guard. That is not being done to protect us from another Katrina. Every betrayal, lie, murder, torture, and foreign policy hubris has been promulgated and supported by major private interests and their private political foundations. Even the treacherous hillbillies in the Republican controlled Congress were just along for the ride. We need a revolutionary President. Edwards, with Dodd to advise and guide him, would make a great President and Vice-President. Edwards has tremendous intellectual energy and focus. He understands and is unafraid to acknowledge the underlying problem. He can close a deal and his life experience has provided him the necessary courage and humility the next President will need in spades..