Forcing Obama to Fight for Change

Obama spent $800 million to win the White House. Most of that money came from Wall Street, banks, hedge funds, and other financial elite.

Obama's economic advisors are consummate insiders.

Obama has already appointed as his chief of staff someone who is the opposite of change, Rahm Emmanuel. For example, Emmanuel "is the same man who, as the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, fought tooth and nail to exclude, marginalize, and demonize anti-war Democrats in the 2006 primary". He was also a director of Freddie Mac during its period of scandalous management.

The only way Obama will fight for change is if We The People force him to do it.

As one writer puts it:

"Any ... change that comes out of an Obama administration is going to happen because we organize and fight for it every step of the way. The effort to get real change enacted is going to need the same organization, the same energy, and the same stamina as the effort that put Obama in the White House. And this time, we’re going to have to do it without Obama’s national and local organizations, without the support of the Democratic party, and – crucially – without their hundreds of millions of dollars."

Note: Even if you believe that Obama really wants to change things, you should note that presidents need pressure from people to do the right thing. Why? Public pressure gives them the ammunition and the excuse to fight against politicians and financial interests trying to block change. In other words, if Obama wants change, he would actually welcome pressure from the American people demanding that he make huge changes.

A good starting place is with the youth organizations. The Obama campaign - thanks to the corporate fat-cat donors - organized large numbers of young people across the country, along with an email list with 10 million names on it.

Even though the bit Obama donors have pulled the plug on the youth organizing movement, the young people should stay fired up and keep using their email organizing network to pressure Obama to do the right thing.