Could Obama Be Overthrown?

AS OBAMA'S SUPPORT ERODES, THE RIGHT IS RESURGENT
Will Progressives Respond To The Attempt to Overthrow The President?

The tide of public opinion may be turning against the President. Pollsters report growing skepticism about health care reform, and more active hostility on racial matters, thanks to that "uncalibrated" expression of opinion on the arrest of Professor Gates in his own home. That remark turned him, in the eyes of some, from a small b black President into a militant Black Panther, or at least someone who can stereotyped as such.

These are the new controversial issues with no one right answer, and a noisy debate everywhere, but something else is also going on.

With Democrats fussing among themselves, with Obamacrats forced to rely on corporate media, the right-wing TV and radio stations close ranks behind the most self-righteously-correct ranters having a filed day poking , prodding, pummeling, and peeing into cups of their own resentment, hate and venom.

There is no smear that is beneath them, no inference or insult out of bounds. Lou Dobbs blesses the birthers while that Elmer Gantry of demagoguery, Glenn Beck, meditates on his mountain and pronounces Obama a racist. An Israeli settler refers to our President as "that Arab," and worse.

These are the nattering nabobs of negativity of our times, to resurrect an old canard once aimed at the left. The Yes We Can advocates seem to be taking refuge in the No We Won't center. The next thing you know, the type of removal of a democratically elected President that worked in Honduras might be attempted here at home. Don't say it can't happen here. Tell that to the family of that slain guard at the Holocaust Museum!

Some of us are still humming "We Shall Overcome" when our adversaries are chanting "We Shall Overthrow."

If questions about Barack's legitimacy as a citizen won't bring him down, his actions---moderate if not reactionary as they are -- will continue to unite the crazies against him and drive them even more beserk. The contentious Congressman who vowed to "break him," should be taken seriously. His followers do, and many of them are armed.

This relentless riposte is having an effect on a demoralized and economically challenged population that is not well informed in the first place -- except perhaps about Michael Jackson's dubious doctor who may have done the dirty deed.

Sensing possible victory--whatever that means --- the Angeroid microfactions that lost the election are now seeking to polarize the public to topple the Administration with an electronic coup d'media or worse. It is all that serious.

Only Jon Stewart seems to be calling them on their game, while at the same time despairing about the obvious missteps and mistakes that the White House is making.

There may be a garden outside the Oval Office but there is a minefield inside it.

At the same time, another more powerful enemy is mounting a counterattack, perhaps in a more stealth manner, not with what it says, but by what it does. The banks are deploying regiments of lobbyists and PR firms to defeat proposed new financial rules and an agency to protect consumers.

They are escalating the gouging of the public.

Emboldened by billions in bailout monies, and funds from the Treasury and Federal Reserve, the Bankster are in full loot mode. New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo reports that extravagant bonuses at some banks now outstrip revenues. The financial elite takes our money =- and tells us to shove it. 500 people got a million bucks apiece from the bailout money in just nine banks.

As a new wave of foreclosures threatens, the banks are not willing to modify most mortgages--even those sold fraudulently, because they make more money forcing families out and reselling their homes.

The pace of regulatory reform, meanwhile is a slow-go, with few calls for more radical measures like a moratorium on foreclosures of the kind declared by FDR during the last Depression.

Are you aware that outside of the government, a not for profit called NACA (The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America) is touring the country mobilizing homeowners to demand financial relief. I was at their original "Save The Deam" event in Washington last summer where members of Congress and officials like FDIC chairman Sheila Bair pledged support, but little happened.

Government help as only reached 200,000 of the more than 12 million families in need. If you are not familiar with this issue or the role of devious mortgage servicers like Litton, owned by Goldman Sachs, see these You Tube videos on the PACFILM Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVyahxDc5OU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mov0AVLsvQg

According to FEED News, NACA is doing better -- even though they are not getting the national publicity they deserve, perhaps because media outlets don't want to send the few staffers they have to the heartland.

"About 50,000 people attended the second Save the Dream event in Chicago. This is a dramatic increase over the 25,000 people who attended NACA's first two Save the Dream events last year in Columbia, SC, and Washington, DC.

"One of the reasons why turnout has increased this year is NACA's use of optimized press releases, blog outreach, and YouTube videos to let people know that the national non-profit community advocacy and homeownership organization offers unprecedented solutions for homeowners caught up in the current mortgage and economic crisis. During the Save the Dream events, borrowers can get mortgages restructured the same day."

If the Obama Administration is to survive the ongoing assault still building steam, it needs a grass roots action-oriented army like the one NACA is forming, We can't just rely on the Netroots activists who prefer emails to organizing. It can't rely on that co-opted in-house DNC arm, Organizing for America either. That is there only to rally support for the White House.

A new movement has to develop outside the Democratic party in the same way that the right acts outside the GOP, and has built a capacity for independent action with echo chambers, message points and personalities. Their ideas may be backward but their dedication can't be denied.

We can defend Obama's ideals, and also press for more action. As Jeff Cohen reminds us, we have a "president whose instinct is toward conciliation and splitting the difference with big business and the right wing. Sure, Obama was a community organizer once. That was decades ago when Russia was still our mortal enemy, Nelson Mandela was still an official State Department terrorist threat and the White House was still funding Islamist fanatics in Afghanistan. For the last dozen years Obama has been a politician -- and a consummate compromiser at that. Have we failed to notice?"

Can progressives fight the three front war that is needed --- against the vicious right, against the slippery center, and for a more comprehensive and empowering agenda? Can they finally realize that all politics does not occur inside the beltway, and that being tethered to the denizens on the Hill can become a liability at a time when those political chameleons enjoy so little respect.

Will they ever realize that they have to get into the economic trenches and fight the power of the banks with groups like A New Way Forward? It is time to stop living inside our private worlds and on the internet, and start living in America,

Why is economic justice a priority for so few activists when these issues impact so many?

Knock, knock, anyone home?

News Dissector Danny Schechter blogs for Mediachannel.org. His new film and book on the financial crisis, THE CRIME OF OUR TIME, will be out soon. (NewsDissector.com/plunder) Comments to [e-mail]

Comments

[srpatterso]

Well, I actually was interested in reading this article until I got poked in the eye in the very first paragraph with continued disinforma­tion..."..­.the arrest of Professor Gates in his own home."

Sorry, the man had followed the cop out into the front yard, continuing to berate the cop in public, where the attempt was made to warn Prof. Gates several times, and THEN he was arrested for disorderly conduct, in public. He WAS NOT arrested in his own home, where he certainly could have continued to behave like a racist kindergarten child in peace. Had he stayed in his home, there would have been no issue. Had he behaved like an adult, there would have been no issue.

So I stopped reading. Next.

[Suzanne525]

I now believe that the reason Rush and so many others "want this President to fail" is to validate their belief that white people are superior to people of color. It has nothing to do with his "socialist agenda" or "liberal extremist policies".

These are the kind of people who wanted to keep major sports teams white. When that failed, they saw many athletes of color rise to the top of their field. Having Tiger Woods and the Williams sisters dominate sports that were slow to accept AAs provides more salt in their wounded egos.

I believe these bigots can rationalize the sports superiority by claiming it is because of physical strength and prowess. They want to cling to intellectual superiority. If Obama suceeds (I hope and pray and believe he will), then that notion is gone.

They will be left with nothing.

[twofish]

No, what they'll be left with is what they've had all along, which gives them the cold sweats:

If we don't keep these people down, with our foot on their necks, we'll wake up some day on the floor with their foot on our necks. We must do anything it takes to keep that from happening.

They don't believe in race-blind citizenship, equality and opportunity for all. They believe in inequality, and that if they're not on top, they'll be on the bottom.

History gives their argument lots of examples, mainly when the formerly oppressed go for revenge. An egalitarian society is not a default state, it takes a lot of damn hard work. Their way just requires lots of blood.

Which will it be?

[BLUEBIRD1234]

It is desirable for all American citizens not to join politically motivated slogan fomenting racial hatred directed towards the President of America. It is reliably reported that the movement has been planned and stage by a foreign intelligent cum political agency having root within the country. This movement is enginered to retaliate US Government's policy in regard to Israel-Palestinian dispute. As a matter of fact the movement is aimed to achieve in destroying the existing congenial and excellent relationship between the Whites and Blacks to avert certain conditions placed by the US government on MID_EAST issue for a permanent solution to the long standing problem.

It is to be noted that any attempt by any individual including the congressional representative if found indulging in activities to over throw an elected government at the instance of a foreign country’s conspiracy form within the country with some citizens then it will be viewed as treachery with the nation and dealt with severely under the law of the land.
Therefore, all citizens must shun such horrendous slogan “We shall overthrow” and avoid joining such movements.

[take10]

Oh, how easily we plant the seeds for disorder and mayhem!

[JohnnyHifi]

The absolute nut jobs would love a re-run of Dallas. Not the TV show.

[1will]

Suprise. Not everyone supports the President or his policies. Oh the horror!!! When has this ever happened before?
I seem to recall Cindy Sheehan and her followers trailing Bush around the country and the glee that the media had in reporting it. He delt with it and Obama can deal with dissent as well.
It's great that you guys love your President but you need to realize that peaceful dissent is as American as apple pie. Get over it. We'll see you at the polls in 2010 and we'll see you and Obama at the polls in 2012. He'll have to run on an actual record of helping people this time instead of cutesy slogans and clever soundbites. Even a fawning media will not help if unemployment is still high or we have high inflation. It should be an interesting couple of years.

[zanzig]

It's telling that you say "you guys love YOUR President". A completely fractured country based entirely on racist ideals.

[Glocksf21]

why is everybody a racist in your book?

[Suzanne525]

Cindy Sheehan was not advocating armed insurrection. Your rightwingnut talk radio people are promoting it. Don't count on it going as well as you think it will. You don't get to "take back your country" from the voters of 2008.

[Beegood]

I guess I am not worried about those nuts. If we couldn't impeach Bush/Cheney, how on earth could they overthrow Obama?

But I can see that it does no good to ignore the extremists and their wildfire freakouts, they might actually physically harm someone (and actually already have), What to do? I don't have a good answer.

[moxieme]

of all the unflattering coverage of former President G.W. Bush I read and saw, I don't recall ever having seen the term "overthrow" used. Why with this President? Because he is a PERSON OF COLOR! He's been in office just over 6 months and this is the rhetoric? This only gives validation to those who are whining about discrimination toward "average white males"; like that's a reality. If President Obama was jumping through their hoops, adhering to their agenda; being Mr. Bojangles or Steppin' Fetchin'; this discussion would not be taking place. We are a nation of frauds and hypocrites! It appears this country is on track for a full-fledged race war. That would be tragic! We hold ourselves out as a model of democracy and diversity. We are worse than any nation in the middle east because we mask our bigotry and hate. God help us all!

[KarateKid]

.....and these cowards hide their bigotry by accusing people of "playing the race card".

[madmilker]

well, maybe tis...

enough said...

http://dailybail.com/home/the-national-debt-road-trip-video-warning-not-for-the-faint.html?

[mistygypsyrain]

The Life of the Nation is secure ONLY while the Nation is HONEST, TRUTHFUL and VIRTUOUS!!!! And I haven't seen ANY of that in a VERY LONG time. This wasn't just created by Obama, it's been going on for a VERY LONG TIME!!! We are in such trouble, that I belive we will never get out of UNLESS we start DOING ALL of the above-Being HONEST, TRUTHFUL and being VIRTUOUS!!!

[BLUEBIRD1234]

From what I could gather after going through the article and then analyzing it I am now definite why the Israeli government is so resilient to compromise with the demand of the world view on Israel-Palestinian dispute.
It will be seen that most of these people are using the propaganda machines to mobilize public under one banner " We shall overthrow" belong to the strongest supporters of the cause of Israel. Any activities directed against an elected Government with the intent to cause a military or civil coup is a criminal offense person or person’s helping in any manner to such cause are guilty of the same offense as abettor/abettors.
In fact Israel's ex- Prime Minister publicly announced that Israel controls America. Why did he say so? He said so; because he warned the OBAMA administration not to fiddle with Israel. Netanyahu snubbed Secretary of State, to prove their might. The recent political activities are gradually taking a turn towards a serious national racial catastrophe.

[Chicagofan1]

What does this article had to do with Israel?

[Inaru]

If everyone who's worried dedicates a minimum of 4 hrs/wk on pushing through implementation of policies already passed, like NACA has, that's what makes a difference. 4 hrs/wk ain't jack. You can spend 2 hrs making phone calls to gather support for health reform, 2 hrs w/friends gathering signatures at a local spot or going door-to-door on a block in your city/town.

Legislators need to be pushed by a vision of losing or gaining your and your neighbor's vote. Each one of us has to show we will work for those votes, for or against them, with the names, addresses, phone and emails we gather.

The DNC has to be made to answer to the people who work with it. People who don't do any work w/it naturally will be ignored. That's not a great practice or policy, but it's how organizations work. They have to focus on what their own goals are, not on every opinion by every group outside them. Right now, the DNC's goal is to promote and push to implement our Prez's policies, health care first.

I trust the beltway only so far. When it comes to regulating Wall St/banks, that's all on us. Unions won't do it, they want EFCA. Beltway's dependent on just those Wall St/banks' donations. After health reform, regulations should be key. Media conglomerates must be tackled simultaneously. Pick one after health: financial or media conglomerates - then go, full speed ahead.

[Inaru]

I thought of an overthrow, realized it's media focus that made me worry. I know better.

Overthrow is simply bad for the economy and Wall St/bankers - they can't control revolution, we are the most militarily armed country in the world, and we provide a safe haven for them to profit around the world. That is also why our Prez works w/the bankers/Wall St - because he, and every country's leader, has to.

Bankers/Wall St are, ironically, the real power-wielders and keep the country politically stable because they benefit the most. Our Prez is most def politically-savvy. You can't run a country on rhetoric, negotiations with the ones w/the purse strings is absolutely essential.

Agree we must be more activist, less screen-fixated, absolutely. We must form/join orgs like NACA to push to implement many good, even great policies our Prez has pushed through.

[nachtengel]

I don't think he will "overthrown" but I am almost positive he will be a one term president, unfortunately.

As anyone who has every managed any sort of team or large group of people will tell you, time is always of the essence, and it's absolutely critical that the person running the show needs to always let everyone know the plan. everyday.

Obama doesn't have a plan, at least a clear transparent plan, and he is clearly not cognizant of time. There is just no time for nice any longer, and he really needs to switch to "Military mode" if he is going to get things done.

7 months are an eternity in today's world, and Obama and Co are still not IMHO even working with the real facts of the Mortgage crisis, the real values of toxic assets and the banks, and the realizatio­n/recognit­ion that we are still being fleeced by big banking/wall st.

You can *not* make a plan of attack until you deal with the real facts and the real situation at hand, and Obama and team are still playing dumb on all of this. And in less than 18 months there will be a new congress. Time is ticking... fast.

How will deal with massive unemployment, massive move of boomers who are getting laid off to start hitting social security, and full years of unemployment, and massive moves to medicare by the same. The system will collapse. It just will.

[bradyd]

There is always more than 1 way to do something. Just because you don't like it, doesn't mean it's wrong. I wish more people would understand that..

[nachtengel]

No I understand, and am immensely pragmatic to the situation at hand. There are always many ways to deal with this. But a plan must be made, whats the old adage in war... A plan has never won a war, but no war was ever been won without one.

There is simply no plan. And there is simply no one forcing the banks to value their toxic assets. Anything that is being done now, is simply being done on quicksand.

And like you say there is more then one way to build a plan, but building any plan on quicksand is never a good idea.

[Carmichael]

You know what this reminds me of? According to the scriptures or as the story has been told; look what Moses has done. He parted the sea for the Israelis to cross, so that they could escape the wrath of Pharaoh, he turned his rod into a snake and turned the water into blood, and with all of that, many still defied God...So, these white haters and racists in the United States are the same ones who proclaim to be Christians, yet still there hearts are like venom, compounded with hate and every unspeakable think known to mankind.

This country the USA perhaps has the largest population of different races, more so than any other country in the world, yet still, hate, bigotry and maliciousness is very prevalent, and we are the one that is going around the world encouraging countries to fight communism, equal rights, love for all...Who are we fooling? We are still a very sick nation.

[ncmom54]

Very well said!

[tnlcallen]

Perhaps there is an element of that in this country, but let's not forget that America elected the first African American President, and he couldn't have done it without a lot of votes from White folks. I think he is just going through what most Presidents go through. When the hype of a new presidency dies down, and realities of the job sets in, so does their popularity.

By the way, it was White folks who ended slavery, and it was white folks who helped in the fight for civil rights. Not all White people are racists.

[Carmichael]

Your point is well taken...I agree with what you said about the abolition of slavery, though it was a collective effort of of both black and white, regardless of who was in the majority.

I however, have to make one correction to your reply...I did not say all white people are haters or racists. Without the support of many white people, Obama would not be where he's today. What I did say, was "these white haters", the ones that are in pockets throughout the United States, depicting him in some of the worse ways. The ones that claiming that he's not an American, the ones that recently depicted him as some type of African wizard, the ones that recently sent out an email of all the presidents in passport size pictures of their true image, but depicted Obama with a black background and two white dots to represent his eyes, and the list goes on, which I am pretty sure that you're aware of...These are the ones in which I speak of.