That is indeed a very interesting article, Amos, and it makes good sense. You have practical politics, and you have idealism, and the question is always: which will come to the fore? Practical politics is usually the smart way for any politician to go, but how far will he go when his ideals conflict with practical politics? Many things are said and done merely to create an impression in the public mind, an impression which may be quite misleading, but which yields the desired public response and allows the next step to be taken.

I think this happens all the time, in fact, not just in Obama's administration but in all administrations. Things are said and done to create impressions in the public mind while other more pragmatic agendas are put into motion and pass below the public radar.

Whether Obama is the genuine progressive idealist you think he is, I don't know. He might be.

I think, though, that even if he were, he would be quite unable to realize those ideals in the snakepit of Washington, because it's a snakepit that is run by corporate lobbyists and militarists. Therefore I think one of two things will happen:

1. Obama will cooperate with the corporates and military because he really is their man anyway.

or...

2. Obama will cooperate with the corporates and military despite NOT being their man, because they will have their way anyway and he won't ultimately have any real means to stop them having their way...because they own Congress... lock, stock, and barrel (with the exception of the odd maverick idealist like Kucinich or Sanders or Ron Paul.) They own the Congress through the power of their money.

Either way, I very much doubt that Obama's administration will prove to be much different from what I described earlier as "business as usual".

Hopefully, I am mistaken about that. We'll have to wait and see. I'll be amazed if Obama ever stands up and truly resists the corporates. More than amazed. Gobsmacked. ;-D And I'd be amazed if he stayed alive long after that too...I do not underestimate the absolutely mortal dangers that face any president who has the guts to challenge the real powers that be in the USA.