Random Thoughts on Obama

Two thoughts. First, all this business over Hillary Clinton's remarks about the passage of the Civil Rights Act are just overheated nonsense. The Obama camp has played it for all its worth in a well timed racial mau mau right before two primaries heavy on African American participation. It is clear that Barak has got more game than I thought. I am just not sure I like it.

Second, the Obama camp put out their economic stimulus package over the weekend. It is well to the right of anything put out by Edwards or HRC. By that I mean it relies on all sorts of tax cutting Laffer Curve hijinks instead of direct aid to states or individuals. Sen. Obama seems to believe that we can repair our economy simply by fattening corporate balance sheets. Trouble is, corporate America tends to keep a lot of that fat for themselves. This, combined with Obama's healthcare reform proposal leads to the conclusion that Obama is not as progressive as many like to think. I fear that if elected, we would see another administration given over to the type of compromise and triangulation that the Clinton presidency loved. While that strategy stopped the bleeding, it did not repair the wound inflicted by twelve years of policies that favored the wealthy over the rest of us.

I am making no comment on Charles Johnson's stupid remarks about Obama. Mr. Johnson has always been enamored with himself, and he sounded quite righteous for a man who has made a vast fortune peddling the worst stereotypes of his own race. The Clinton people should have known better than to put him on the dais. They also should have known better than to put such a ridiculous spin on the story.