Posted by
Bill Crawford on Monday, April 04, 2011 11:29:37 PM
I feel so privileged. I am one of the intimate inner circle. One of the thirty million or so that got the first news of Obama's offcial re-elect kickoff. They passed out a regular Joe video (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-VZLvVF1FQ ) and opened the first form of the campaign website at
www.barackobama.com.
Of course, one thing is noticeable right away: I don't see the words "hope" or "change" anywhere. Another thing smacked me upside the head, there is no policy. It's about two things, folks. Sign up and give money.
His heady dreams from 2008 have died. Gitmo is not only still open, but Justice is preparing all of us for military tribunals again. Cap and trade is dead, unless the EPA can make it happen while the Republican Congress is on leave. Health care was supposed to get more popular as time passed, but the 2010 elections didn't pan that one out. His "reset" in bringing the Muslim world into constructive negotiations has been a bust. Now the hope is that they can paint the Republicans as assassins of children and grandmothers.
Oh, and money. They wanted to get this all going on April 1st, so they could not waste any time raising money in the second quarter of 2011. They want to raise a billion doallrs. If they follow the example of 2008, they won't care if the bust on the Federal Election Commission in the process. Money will keep him alive. Money will keep him on television. And, more importantly, having a quarter billion in the bank by the end of this summer will make it almost impossible to produce a primary challenge. If Hillary wants to run, she can't play coy. She will have to start her own beg-a-thon forthwith.
What? Busting on FEC rules? How can you say that, Bill? Here's how: if you give less than $200, they don't need to keep records of your name, address or occupation. If they leave AVS (address verification service) on, you can only use your credit card if the name you give matches the card number. If they turn it off (like they did in 2008), you can give $100 under your name, and another $100 using the same card and the name "Mickey Mouse". And another c-note, using the same card and "Adolph Hitler". You can keep doing that to your heart's content, and go way, way past the $2500 limit for individuals in one election cycle.
C'mon, they can't really be that cynical. Yes they were, and yes they are. The Committee to re-elect wants to drown the system in money. They are picking up right where they left off.