The following are excerpts from an article by David Glenn Cox entitled Fantasy Land
“Once upon a time in a far away land of make believe: Isn’t that how all good fairy tales should begin? This particular fairy tale is about an American President seeking reelection to a second term. His first term was built upon the ethereal “Hope and Change”, but this American President has dashed the hopes of the American populace and his brand of change has been corporate. He smiles real pretty, but acts in an inscrutable make believe sort of way.
He runs for reelection against a host of Republicans who are all losing an election amongst themselves. It is a sad and laughable comedy where the pat lines and campaign promises no longer bite into the public’s imagination. The public is turning from the Republican Party and turning away from the Democratic Party as well.
Unable to generate the “Hope and Change” meme this time around the Obama team has reverted to the use of fantasy and the make believe.
[I omitted section here where author discusses deceptive ways news about unemployment numbers are made to look good, that things are depicted as getting better when they’re not.]
The economy is languishing in a stagnant morass making it essential that Barack Obama face down a field of Republican opponents equally stagnant: Why does Sheldon Adelson donate $5 million to Newt Gingrich’s failing campaign? Does Adleson honestly believe that Newt’s time has come? That America needs Newt? Why does a candidate supposedly of the Religious right persuasion take multi-million dollar donations from casino owners?
Likewise, business interests pour money into Rick Santorum’s ill fated campaign, and the question is why? Why spend tens of millions to support candidates without a snowballs chance in hell of winning the Republican nomination? Raw stupidity can be discounted here, these are big boys with big pocket books and they have an agenda here besides birth control and deregulation. In Mitt Romney you have the most unpopular Republican candidate since John McCain. McCain was the most unpopular Republican nominee ever and Romney’s Mormon faith will make him persona non grata in the Bible Belt.
His background in finance and banking makes it possible for him to lose in a close race with Mickey Mouse among Independent voters. Do you see the narrative forming? It can be seen nebulous and taking shape on the horizon; a Republican candidate worn down and dogged out by his own party, while the man at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue stays above the fray and looks Presidential. Not just Presidential, but successful — why he’s revived the economy!
In Barack Obama, corporate America has the most pliable and co-operative President in the White House since Ulysses S. Grant. Since taking office Obama has adopted the agenda of a right wing Republican only he’s called a Democrat. The Republican’s call this President everything they can think of except what he actually is — one of their own. Yet it is election season and the Republicans insist instead on self mutilation.
The complicit and contrite mainstream media interests regurgitate the headlines. “As Republican Candidates Pummel each other, Obama can only smile” – Christian Science Monitor
Why would America’s moneyed class spend hundreds of millions of dollars to create such a fantasy? What’s their alternative? Can they tell you the truth, that the American electorate will have no candidate representing their interests in the upcoming Presidential selection? Come November, it will be Mitt the investment banker versus the administration from Goldman Sachs.”
The complete article is here:
http://www.leftistreview.com/2012/03/22/fantasy-land/davidcox/