Despite Obama's progressive promises during his campaigning, it seems that Obama is completely content to be going with the corporate flow. He expressed his concern involving issues such as establishing socialized health care, ending military presence in the middle east, and reducing corporate power. So far it seems that Obama is not the progressive we had 'hoped' he would be. And the 'change' that followed his election was only in our opinion of him. Obama spent millions in order to use mass media as a tool of persuasion. As postman says, "Our politics, religion, news, athletics, education and commerce have been transformed into congenial adjuncts of show business, largely without protest or even much popular notice." It is because of this very fact that Obama, with his large budget, was able to capture our hopes through his media campaigning. With the words 'hope' and 'change', and a seemingly progressive plan of action, his show-business style attitude and campaigning truly amused many to death.Photo Credit
#2: The Obama Brand
Obama rose quickly through the political ranks making the jump from senator to president in a comparatively shorter time than most presidents of the past. A huge contributing factor of why this was able happen was because of his masterly crafted image. Not to take away an credit from the mans accomplishments, it seems that marketing and public relations experts were just if not more responsible for Obama's rise in popularity as did his rhetorical skills and natural charisma. Change and hope were the driving force behind Obama’s media showmanship. He was portrayed as a young progressive bent on doing things in a new way. The nature of Obama Brand’s campaigning and innovative use of the media would surely be unsettling to Postman.#3: Obama Reaches Out To The United States of The Internet
Our current ability to communicate is unparalleled by the past. In a quotation from Censored; "In the past only a wealthy few had the resources to spread messages by publishing books, magazines, and newspapers, or by broadcasting radio and television shows, or by creating and distributing films," (Censored 410). Today, however, the public is in near constant connection to each other through digital phones and computers. We have created and area of communication that is our own, where we have been able to have a revolution of ideology comparable to the renaissance.
Obama has taken advantage of this new online community and unification, utilizing its connective and collaborative power. "His presidential campaign was framed in terms of today's Renaissance - we, the group; not me, the individual...[his] message was decentralized and participatory, versus the top-down, comand-and-control style of his older adversaries," (Censored 411). Obama was all about 'us', and not about him. It was only Obama, with his unique message, who was able to connect with so many people and create this concept of everyone working together.
#4: Show Me The Money
One of the most outstanding aspects of Obama becoming president is the huge amount of money that he required in order to do it. As we know Obama spend his money hiring marketing and public relations experts, as well as on the actual advertisements themselves. This is just the money that was spent on the visible, marketing end of his campaign process. Puplished in The Sunday Times in October 2008, an article speaks of the huge price of Obama's overall campaign including its more strategic and clandestine political moves. "The money raised and spent to elect a new US president and members of Congress is likely to surpass a colossal $5.3 billion next week, shattering previous records, with Wall Street firms dominating the donor list of the most expensive White House race in history," (Times Online). Getting the right people (people that will help you become presdent) into congress and other positions of power is just as important to becoming president as marketing is, and it is damn expensive.#5: The Race Card
When Obama was campaigning for his presidency, sure we were all hooked on his participatory style and his advocate of hope and change, but his race was just as much a part of public chatter as were these. Obviously the thought that America would finally elect a president other than a white male was exciting to say the least. I can remember personally talking at parties and social events how exciting it would be to have a black president. This race aspect was a huge part of his campaign, one that they didn't even have to pay for.#6: Nobel Peace Prize???
Obama received the Noble Peace Prize in 2009, only twelve days after becoming president of the United States. The committee said it honored Obama for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." (CNN). It is interesting because since his becoming president, he has essentially started two wars in Libya and Afghanistan. Even Obama was said that he was surprised by the decision. He considers it a "call to action". I hope that there is a possibility that he actually will spring to action in regards to ending the military campaign (or is that not what peace means?) but as are as the way things are going, it seems doubtful.
#7: Possibility of Internet Kill-switch
"In spring 2009, Senate Bill 773, the Cybersecurity Act of 2009, was proposed, which gives the president power to "declare a cyber security emergency" with respect to private computer networks, and to do with these networks what it deems necessary to diffuse the attack," (Censored 26). This means that if the country was convinced that it was in danger (which apparently is not that hard to do) than Barack Obama would be able to com[letely shut off the internet. The implications for this in a negative way are endless. An artificial problem, such as what a select few would call 9/11 (yup went there), could easily cause for a country-wide internet ban if this legislation ever passes. It is disturbing to me to see some of the only radical legislation passed seems to be in favor of government and corporate power.#8: Education
Obama claimed during his campaigning that improving eduction was one of his top goals after becoming president. Now that he is president we see that he is not really doing anything that is going to help anyone that wasn't already able to get a good education. Charter schools arrange students by race, class, and language. "Charter schools are often marketed as incubators of educational innovation, and they form a key feature of the Obama administration's school reform agenda. But in some urban communities, they may be fueling 'de facto' school segregation and undermining public education," (Censored 102). Many charter schools consist of almost entirely minority students, and while they claim to be able to bring new innovation to these students, they still run against the limits of selectivity and exclusion. How can it be fair if we are being educated by race and class? Universal education means that we all get the same opportunity to learn, not put all the black kids in a room and buy some expensive computers.
#9: Misconceptions
Many people may get the idea that Obama is deliberately trying to deceive us. I love what Jamie had to say on the matter (#4: Blank Slate). I do not think this is the case at all. I believe that he really did have some moral obligation to try to enact some of the progressive promises that he made during campaigning. What he forget is that once you become president, after accepting so much money to get there, you also have an obligation to appeal to your contributors. If Obama did try hard to implement a process towrads universal healthcare, this would be a HUGE problem for large investors in pharmacudical comanies, etc. I think that when there is such huge amounts of money invloved and there is so much pressure to confrom it gets to do the right thing. I honestly think that if Obama did something like promote universal health care as president that there is a good chance that there would be assassination attempt. I'm sure at some point he must think is this worth my life? My career? And so the crazy train keeps on chugging.
#10 Real Life
My neighbor walks in while I am completing this assignment:
Him: "Yo man what are you doing?"
Me: "Doing my last bit of work for the semester, blogging about Obama."
Him: "Nice dude! I love Obama, he's the man."
Me: "Haha really? Why's that?"
Him: "I dunno actually, I never pay attention to politics and stuff."
Me: "Exactly, my friend. That's exactly what I am writing about... (continues to explain)"
