Bill Van Auken writes for a site called Center for Research on Globalization, which has the sound of a pro-active, concerned organization sitting on the cutting edge of progressive initiatives. This site was established shortly after the 9/11 tragedy to track major events in world politics and is based in Canada.
In his article, "The Two Faces of Barack Obama,"Van Auken is also concerned about American politics and has focused attention on presidental contender, Barack Obama. The senator in question is receiving body blows from the right and left, from both Republican and Democratic foes, and taking some punches from his own fellow black citizens.
Van Auken, upon entering the arena, finds Senator Obama has some weight issues, or lack thereof. In February, the night he scored victories in the "Potomac Primaries," Obama delivered his usual rousing speech before a huge audience in an auditorium at the University of Wisconsin. Penning this statement in the article at his site on Obama, he more or less nailed down his impressions: "...the Illinois senator has the instincts of an agitator and seems to give crowds what he senses they want."
Noting that Obama promised, on the same night, to lend an ear not only to Wall Street but to Main street, as well, Van Auken wonders at the abrupt about face the senator takes in accepting payola from those same Wall Street interests his populist rhetoric disclaims. Those vested interests have rewarded Obama handsomely with tens of millions of dollars for his campaign war chest. There are two sides to the coin regard Obama's public persona.
At the Center for Responsive Politics, their research shows that 98% of his contributions come from individual donors; 01% from PACs, a little from his own money and 2% for "other." The PAC contributions breakdown to 54.5% from business; 23.3% from labor and 22.2% from single issue/ideological sources. click here
Van Auken surmises those figures can be misleading at first glance. His research has found that an Obama sponsor on Wall Street, Robert Wolf, is a major "bundler" for corporate donations to fund the Obama "movement," and that 80% of his contributions last year came from business affiliates. Van Auken notes that Obama stays in touch with billionaire, Warren Buffet. One of his economic gurus is Austan Goolsbee, of the Chicago school's "free trade" philosophy; also, he is endorsed by Paul Volker, whose policies, Van Auken reports, "...were inextricably linked to the offensive against the working class begun with the firing of air traffic controllers and of the breaking of the PATCO strike."
Every election is important. In American history, has there been another of more importance? Only, perhaps, if you are of an age to recall 1940, when the nation faced the possibility of another world war. Or if you lived in Lincoln's time as the country tore itself asunder. It is imperative that we as voters do our own research and vetting. We can't afford to let the media with its own hidden agenda choose our next leader.
Barack Obama, along with Hillary Clinton and Senator McCain, must be equally open to transparency tests crucial for informed decisions. We like to repeat the phrase that no one in America is above the law; neither are they above political scrutiny.
