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I love Barack Obama. I hate Barack Obama. Who is the real Barack Obama? Will the real Obama please step forward?
Is the real Obama the man who can bring cynical sorts like me to tears with a single speech? Or is the man who has out-gunned George Dubbya in these senseless wars and out spent Ronald Reagan in a strategy of trickle-down economics?
Two events this week make the schizophrenic nature of this President visible for all to see. One, the Good Obama on the economy. Two, the Bad Obama on the wars.
One: What are we to make of the fact that Obama, finally pissed off at the greed of bankers, wants to impose a fee on "risky investments" that will make sure the taxpayers are paid back at least $90 Billion of the $117 Billion in TARP money that is still outstanding. And that Obama said this money will be paid back without the cost being automatically transferred to customers in the form of increased fees?
In his radio address to the American people, Obama said
If the big financial firms can afford massive bonuses, they can afford to pay back the American people. We're not goinng to let Wall Street take the money and run. We're going to pass this fee into law. And I'm going to continue to work with Congress on common-sense financial reforms to protect people and the economy from the kind of costly and painful crisis we've just been through."Ah, I LOVE Obama. But wait, in the same week that Obama did this, he also asked for $33 Billion more for the wars, on top of the record $703 Billion dollar request for next year for the Defense Department. Um, let's see, $736 Billion dollars for two illegal and immoral wars in one year alone versus collecting $90 Billion back over 12 years when Wall Street will still owe $117 Billion to the American people (and let's just point out that these loans will not only NOT be paid back in full, but were given interest free. Tell that to the millions of Americans losing their homes because the greedy bankers wouldn't even lower interest payments that can only be described as usurous). Um, call me innumerate, but those are some pretty funny numbers. Not funny, ha ha, but funny as in WHAT THE HELL IS OBAMA THINKING? And will the real Obama, whether a tool of the ruling elites (the military industrial complex, the banks, the rich) or a leader for the American people, please step forward.