Barack Obama

“Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it” – George Santayana, philosopher

As the nation anxiously approaches the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, this is a useful time to reflect on the role of the U.S. in the today’s world.

It is trite to say it but I’ll go ahead and do so anyway; America is no longer the preeminent economic and political power it once was. Over the past decade, the country has lost ground to many industrialized and developing countries around the world. Across several standard measurements of national success, including affordability of health care, primary education, per capita income, standard quality of life and scientific innovation, the U.S. is no longer the dominant force and de facto leader in the world.

For the past thirty or so years, it has been in the vested interest of establishment politicians to perpetuate the myth that the position of America as the world’s leader was secure. But as the recent election showed us, this is no longer the case. Today’s reality is simply too stark and too obvious to continue clinging to the fabricated idea that America still dominates in the global marketplace of ideas and commerce. Just look at the intensification of our corporate welfare system. More and more, America’s corporations find themselves playing catch up to their foreign competitors and this has even caused America’s elitist class to realize that something has radically changed.

America is on the wrong track and has been rolling down the wrong track for a long, long time. Obama – more than any other candidate last year – was able to speak to the pervasive fear and hopelessness of middle America and dare people to dream of a different future. In less than three weeks, Obama and his team of advisers take their promise of change to Washington DC but it is hard to see how the former Senator from Illinois can fulfill such grandiose expectations. Most Americans want to believe that Obama can succeed in ushering in a new paradigm of governance to cure our ailing democracy. Can the soon-to-be president restore the country’s economic standing in the world? Can he restore America as the world’s voice of freedom and liberty? And can he inspire a new generation of leaders? Hope is high but the disappointment may run deep.

The British historian Edward Gibbon, in his classic The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, theorized that the fall of the Roman empire (which took place around 500 A.D.) can be traced to four main causes: internal religious and class dissension, rise of slavery and rampant corruption, over-emphasis on Christianity to the neglect of civil duty and Barbarian invasions. A comparison between the themes espoused by Gibbon in his 18th century work and the present state of our nation is not a huge stretch. If America is to the modern age what the Roman Empire was to the third and fourth centuries, then President George Bush may be the Theodosius of the modern era. Theodosius was the Roman emperor who made Christianity the Empire’s official religion and was the last Emperor to rule over a united empire. Years from now, historians may look at the Bush years as the official decline of American hegemony just as historians like Gibbon have done for the the Roman Empire under the reign of Theodosius. After all, any country that has 5% of the world’s population and spends 50% of total global military expenditure (as is the case with the U.S.), it is clear that it has lost its power of persuasion and moral standing in the world.

Obama shoulders a tremendous burden, an unfair burden. He is harboring the hopes and desires of a generation like John F. Kennedy did five decades ago. During his presidency, JFK acquired the comparison to King Arthur and for this reason his administration became known as Camelot. It may also be fitting to compare Kennedy to another historical heavyweight – Julius Caesar – for two reasons. First, both men were political giants assasinated for political reasons. Secondly, if Gibbon was right to say that the fall of the Roman Empire began with the assassination of Julius Caesar, then the decline of the modern American empire may have likewise began on that fateful day in Dallas.

Does history make the man or does man make history? Obama’s legacy may shed some light on this age-old question.

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Am I surprised? No. Disgusted? Yes. Yet I have been disgusted so many times during eight years of the Bush administration that my disgust is automatic. We have all heard that the Bush administration is trying to do as much damage as possible before riding into the sunset. In a specific instance reported in the New York Times, The Labor Department is scurrying to complete a new rule, adamantly opposed by President-elect Barack Obama that would make it much harder for the government to regulate toxic substances and hazardous chemicals that workers encounter on the job. The proposal applies to two agencies in the Labor Department, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

In the November 30 New York Times article Robert Pear wrote, “The rule, which has strong support from business groups, says that in assessing the risk from a particular substance, federal agencies should gather and analyze “industry-by-industry evidence” of employees’ exposure to it during their working lives…Public health officials and labor unions said the rule would delay needed protections for workers, resulting in additional deaths and illnesses.”

The administration and business interests deny that they are attempting to undermine worker safety, by suggesting that the situation is more nuanced because they need to spend years and years looking at different industries. In his article Mr. Pear quoted Margaret M. Seminario, director of occupational safety and health for the AFL-CIO, “This rule is being pushed through by an administration that, for the last seven and a half years, has failed to set any new OSHA health rules to protect workers, except for one issued pursuant to a court order.” Apparently nuance in this case is code for unbridled greed on behalf of the corporate bottom line.

Let’s hope that it is too late to finalize this and many other regulations that suddenly became top priorities once it was clear that Obama is taking over the White House. Otherwise, there will be one more item to add to Obama’s unimaginably daunting “to do” list — trying to clean up after Bush’s last minute farewells. Most people wave goodbye with their hands when they leave. George Bush seems to be using only one finger.

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Here we are! November 4, 2008. A day people around the world have been anticipating eagerly.

Today the world will vote for Barack Obama. Well Algeria, The Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq are leaning towards McCain, according to the Global Electoral College featured on the Economist.com, but those countries are in the minority. It is fair to say that the world at large is intrigued and excited about the prospect of an Obama presidency and if people all over the world could vote, they would vote for Barack.

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The Human Rights Agenda for the Next President

The next president will have his plate full with the global economic crisis and the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts at the top of a pile of critical issues. How our new president deals with these and other issues will determine, in part, his legitimacy as the leader of the free world. However, establishing his credentials around a range of human rights concerns integral to these major public policy issues will be paramount.

A number of organizations concerned about human rights have proposed policy recommendations for the next president. Human Rights Watch, a leading organization in the field has set forth a human rights agenda for John McCain or, more likely, Barack Obama.  In a nutshell, HRW urges the new president to consider the following:

1. Ensure that the U.S. war against terrorists not usurp basic human rights
2. Reestablish human rights as a core principle of US foreign policy
3. Reengage with the international human rights community
4. Establish its leadership on domestic human rights issues

I think this is an excellent starting point to begin the debate around ways in which we, as a nation, can restore dignity and peace to the lives of people both in the U.S. and abroad.

In practical terms, this will mean a fundamental retooling of U.S. foreign policy established by the Bush Administration, which has focused exclusively on a neo-conservative view of the world. Economic power, force of will and god should not be the primary pillars of our policy abroad. The next administration will certainly move off of this foreign policy foundation but will have to do much more for no other reason than to repair our flagging reputation.

Platitudes About Terrorism Don’t Usurp the Constitution

Next on the list, the U.S. must dispose of its arcane interpretations of international law as it relates to prisoners of war. Torture cannot be employed as a tool of war, open-ended detention cannot be allowed to continue and basic disregard for the rights of innocent people as a means for justifying a vast range of illegal activity must be halted.

Human Rights Must Be a Factor in U.S. Foreign Policy

We can no longer ignore egregious human rights problems in countries with which we have established ties simply because of economic or geopolitical expediency. Countries such as Pakistan, Israel and Egypt cannot be allowed to continue to violate the fundamental rights of their citizens and residents simply because they are our “friends.” Likewise, our less than aggressive dealings with China, Burma and Colombia cannot be allowed to continue in its current form simply because they are important trading partners.

Reconnect with the Human Rights Community

In a shameful move, the U.S. has lost its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council. Deemed superfluous by the Bush Administration, this fractured body needs U.S. leadership and direction. It is imperative that we return to this body and reestablish our legitimacy.

Address the Human Rights Debacle in America

“Do as we say, not as we do” seems to be the current policy of the U.S. government on human rights. In order to reestablish our credentials on human rights, we must begin to retool our human rights practices in America. This is a big challenge and will not be accomplished in the first term of the next president. However, the time is now to begin this process.

The first big item on the domestic human rights agenda is criminal justice reform. We have become a nation of prisoners, with 1 in 100 Americans incarcerated at present. Criminalization as a truncheon for solving myriad social issues does not work. Addressing underlying social policy issues that lead to crime must be tackled. Reestablishing the rule of law, which has taken a beating in the wars on drugs and terrorism, must be accomplished as soon as possible. Reducing the massive imprisonment of people for non-violent and drug-related crimes must be replaced with programs designed to solve the underlying problems.

The human rights agenda is a large item for the next American president. Ignoring it will only further damage our legitimacy as a nation and cause greater turmoil around the world. Can we do it? Yes we can!

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Denver is not near the sea, but a sea of Obama fans gathered in Denver yesterday for a pow-wow that made the Mile High city a Mile Wide. Obama talked about comments McCain made on Meet the Press. “Just this morning, Sen. McCain said that actually he and President Bush ’share a common philosophy.’ That’s right, Colorado. I guess that was John McCain finally giving us a little straight talk — owning up to the fact that he and George Bush actually have a whole lot in common,” he said to laughter from the crowd gathered on a crisp Sunday afternoon near the state capitol building. “Well, here’s the thing though: We know what the Bush-McCain philosophy looks like. It’s a philosophy that says we should give more and more to millionaires and billionaires and hope that it trickles down on everybody else.”

As was mentioned in another post today, “Americans Must Not Vote!,” if elected, McCain will deliver 4 more years of the Bush agenda. This could be your last chance to vote.

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Yesterday Lincoln Mitchell posted Rethinking the American Electorate after an Obama Victory on The Huffington Post. Mr. Mitchell points out that an Obama victory will cause millions of people both within and outside the U.S. to rethink their views of the American Electorate as narrow-minded and anti-progress. It is an exciting prospect and it ties in with one of the thrilling visions I have had about an Obama presidency: a vision of real action on the part of the U.S. working with the international community to address human rights violations in countries around the world like those committed in the ongoing conflict in Burma.

In her RNC convention speech Sarah Palin snidely asked the audience “What does he (Obama) actually seek to accomplish, after he’s done turning back the waters and healing the planet?” Do I think that Obama can heal the planet during his years in office? No, but lord knows the planet needs healing and Obama can do a great deal to get things moving in the right direction both at home and abroad. For starters, Obama won’t wage preemptive wars that do more damage than good.

Regarding Burma, in a statement on his senate website from September 2007 Obama asserts, “While, ultimately, change must come from within Burma, the international community has an important role to play to signal strong support for the courageous Burmese people. I have supported sanctions against Burma and welcome the additional sanctions the President announced at the UN General Assembly. But far more needs to be done — immediately. It is not enough for the US to act alone. We must take the lead in working with the other key international players, particularly ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), India, Japan, the European Union, and especially China, to join the United States in pressing for the peaceful resolution of the current crisis in Burma…”

And, let’s not forget, the crisis in Burma is ever-current. For a recent update on the conflict please read Human Rights Watch’s report: Burma: One Year After Violent Crackdown, Repression Continues. Indeed, the world is in desperate need of a U.S. leader who will work with the international community to begin a healing process that has long been compromised. In less than two weeks I believe we will receive affirmation that we are officially on the right path towards change.

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Well, for one thing, there has been a HUGE demand. And for another reason, as featured on the Barack Obama website : ”Thank you for visiting the Obama for America online store. All of our products are top quality, union and USA made and produced .” The campaign could turn to China to help out, but clearly they are making a point. They are not about to compromise their principles and betray unionized workers in the U.S.

Yet the campaign is compromising their marketing opportunities. I am still waiting for T-shirts that I ordered on September 10. I don’t mind so much, I’ve got buttons and other gear. I also didn’t mind making my own yard sign, although I am not sure it is as effective as one of the standard Obama Biden signs.

What do you think?

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This is the third in a 3-Part series on the U.S. Presidential candidates and their positions on human rights.

Barack Obama describes his positions on human rights issues in the context of regional challenges. You can visit his web site for a more in-depth explanation of his views. Refer to our posts on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week for more details about the differences between Senators Obama and McCain. [click to continue...]

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This is Part 2 in a 3-Part Series on the U.S. presidential candidates and their positions on human rights.

John McCain is a veteran of the Vietnam conflict and was a prisoner of war in North Vietnamese prisons for many years. This has given him first hand experience with the major issue of torture and he has taken an admirable position viv-a-vis the Bush Administration with regard to prisoners of war at Guantanamo Bay, rendition, waterboarding and the like. However, from what I can tell, he does not speak to the broader issues related to global human rights on his official web site. Refer to our posts on Tuesday and Thursday of this week for more details about the differences between Senators Obama and McCain. [click to continue...]

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