Obama's mixed message

Obama’s mixed message

BARACK OBAMA took office January 20 riding on the high hopes of millions who looked to his election as a signal of the change they so desperately want. The scene of nearly two million people turning out on the National Mall to witness Obama’s history making inauguration as the first African American president of the United States illustrated this better than any political opinion poll could.

Many commentators (including this publication) have noted that Obama’s election crystallized the growing anger among the majority of Americans at the reactionary policies of the Bush presidency. Indeed, the 2008 presidential election demonstrated the degree to which mass consciousness has shifted leftward just as decisively as Ronald Reagan’s election nearly three decades ago signaled an ideological lurch to the right.

For the millions who are losing their jobs, their homes, their retirement savings, and more, the crisis of the economic system has already undermined the mantra of deregulation, tax cuts, free trade, and privatization that accompanied the conservative dogma of the last generation. Millions who have heard the bipartisan warnings that national health care is just too expensive, ask themselves why is national health care too expensive when at the drop of a hat the U.S. government can come up with trillions for bankers and Wall Street, with no strings attached?

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International Socialist Review