It's time to Take Back Barack
This story and this effort all started, for me, back when
Hillary Clinton's name was being bandied about as a prospect to become the next
American
secretary of state, even before she was officially selected. I had been
thrilled - and not a little relieved - when Obama
won, and I had eagerly awaited the unveiling of the team of cabinet officers
and other key executive-branch staffers who would move quickly to Change this
country, which has been going in the wrong direction for far too long.
And while I respect Hillary, and was largely impressed with her
candicacy during the Democratic primary, I was - and remain - worried that
sending her out as America's
chief diplomat will not represent enough of a Change for America's standing in
the world.
So I got a little worried. And then more announcements and leaks
trickled in. Dubya's SecDef Robert Gates was staying. McCain's
national-security advisor during the campaign was going to be Obama's
national-security advisor in the Oval Office.
I was - and still am - worried, as is progressive columnist Ted Rall, that the people Obama
is surrounding himself with will change him, more than he will Change them.
He's not picking progressives. And beyond that, he's picking Establishment
people - not even non-progressive outsiders, generally speaking. Deirdre Fulton
and I detail some of these concerns - as well as a few bright-ish spots - in
our story this week in the Portland
Phoenix and at thePhoenix.com.
And Obama owes the progressive movement - and the generally
progressive American
population - much more than he owes the Establishment.
We Want Change. We voted for change. We backed Obama
because of his promise as well as his promises, because of his idealism as well
as his ideas. We kept him alive in the primary, and our energy electrified this
nation during the general election.
It is time to make sure that Obama
does what we want - not what he wants, nor what his advisors want, nor even
what he thinks we want. We need to tell him, loud and clear, the same things he
told us: Change will be difficult. It will take time. But we need to start now,
and we need to move fast. But we want Change. And we won't settle for anything
less.
It is time to Take Back Barack. Yes, We Can. And, we must. This
is our country. He is our president. He works for us, not the Establishment,
not the corporations, not the Democratic Party. He's ours. Take Back Barack!
So, what can you do? And what's this blog all about?
First, check out our story - "Take Back Barack" is its name.
Also, see the stuff I've tagged as related in some way or other, using Google Reader. (The link is also an RSS feed, if you want to get updates on the stuff I tag in the future.) Then, post comments here on this blog, saying what you want Barack to do, and
what you think of his choices so far.
As more developments occur through the transition, and as his
administration begins, we here at the TBB blog will be watching, and giving our
thoughts on his choices and decisions.
For more information, you can also check out the list of related
links - which include other blogs with others' perspectives on the transition,
as well as progressive political news, and even some general news sites.
But overall, please use this blog any way you want, so long as it
helps keep the pressure on Obama to serve us,
as he promised he would do.
