Change You Can What?

More proof that electing Democrats is going to change little (if anything) about the way our nation is governed. Glen Greenwald is the “go to guy” on the FISA debacle in Congress, but I warn you, do not read that right after eating lunch.

And “debacle” may not be the right word, as it implies some kind of ineptness at work. This Congress is anything but inept, nor are they as cowardly as many are accusing them of being. A lot of posts I read claim that the immunization of telecoms is passing because Congress feels the need to update FISA due to fear of being blamed for an impending terrorist attack. I have no doubt that the real reason has more to do with the huge amount of money that the telecoms have poured into congressional campaign contributions.

We need leadership to change Congress, and it does not appear that we can look to a Democratic President for it. Barack Obama is remaining totally silent as this FISA bill makes its way through Congress. He has said in the past that he opposes the immunization of telecoms, but he stands aloof when Congress takes action to actually do it.

The telecoms are being immunized, the illegal spying activity of the Bush Administration is being buried even as it's power to do it is being enhanced, and Barack Obama is emulating the sound of crickets.

This is the same Barack Obama who is continuing the party’s policy of protecting its own, having taped an ad just this week supporting a Blue Dog Democrat, John Barrow, against a viable challenger in the Democratic primary in Georgia. Barrow is one of the primary backers of this latest FISA bill, and has unfailingly backed Bush’s abuse of power. Barrow’s challenger, Regina Thomas, has been quoted as saying that she decided to run against Barrow due to, "Barrow's failure to support his constituents against the encroachments of powerful Big Business interests."

Remember that Obama, in another instance of supporting the existing Democratic Party machinery against intrusion by outsiders, supported Joe Lieberman in a local primary contest against Ned Lamont.

Barack Obama is still immensely preferable over the alternative, an elderly and even less rational version of George Bush, but I am less than enchanted by his mantra of changing Washington or his claims of leadership.