I suspect chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and regulatory czar Cass Sunstein have become the advisers that Obama follows most closely. For Emanuel, look at the New York Times story today on his almost completed agreement with S.C. Senator Lindsey Graham: closing Guantanamo in exchange for making military tribunals the norm, and the invention of permanent-detained status for prisoners whom they couldn’t possibly convict–because of insufficient or tainted evidence. This is step 2, after the ousting of Greg Craig.
On Sunstein: his 2004 statement in Dissent, when he was at the University of Chicago, now seems an impressive clue to the first year of Obama’s presidency. Very limited objections to the Bush policy on civil liberties, surveillance, the rights of prisoners. The key–according to CS–was to change the subject to domestic policy. Take up the burden of the wars abroad, pursue the state prosecutions at home, and expand the base of social democracy.
For a lot of people, Obama choosing/accepting Emanuel as his chief of staff was the definite sign that the first black president is not fulfilling a people’s assignment. He fulfills whatever the usual power groups tell him to. The blowback will get stronger and stronger as long Emanuel sits there and “advises” the president.
Back when Jews were much less a force in the U.S. ruling elite, Dissent magazine provided a forum for liberal/radical Jews to dissent from Gentile policies. Now that Jews are a major part of the U.S. ruling elite, Dissent magazine provides a forum for Establishment Jews to advocate the quashing of dissent. Cass Sunstein’s opening remarks on Bush’s “moderation” in trashing civil liberties is beyond ridicule.
IS EVERYBODY IN?
Obama’s strategy, just like Bill Clinton and Bush, in the Middle East and the rest of the Muslim world will remain hijacked by the Israel Lobby – no matter how many changes Obama makes inside his administration.
New war strategy in the Middle East
link to rehmat1.wordpress.com
permanent-detained status
This should be fun. Forget North Korea and the Soviet Union, or even Israel, this is the new United States.
Methinks the emperor hath no clothes.
It would be good to think we have a Supreme Court who would uphold the Bill of Rights against such fascism, but the fascists are on the bench as well as Congress and the White House.
Decent BDS debate for Omar Bargouti: [15 mins]
link to democracynow.org
Any chance you know the name of the chant and performer at the end of the segment?
Wish I did. A cab driver was playing it one early morning on the way to the airport. It is deep… let me know if you’ve any luck finding it.