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New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009
The big news of the year was President Obama's Election, the near meltdown of the U.S. economy, resultant government bailouts and major health insurance reform legislation, minus a public option. Towards the end of this year the escalation of war in Afghanistan and other regurgitations of the Bush War on Terrorism dominated the headlines with regional wars brewing around the globe, including Latin America. It has been another year of troubles upon Mother Earth.
We came into the New Year of 2009 with great expectations for the future. The Fuhrer Bush reign was over and the evil energy emanating from the Oval Office Cabal was dissipated. In U.S. history, White racism and its negative effects has been the major cause of division in U.S. society, after the cleavage of economic classes. White-Americans overcame significant remnants of racism when they cast their ballots for President in November of 2008 and actually elected Barack Obama to be the 44th President of the United States of America.
I had already read Obama's book The Audacity of Hope. He identified himself first and foremost as an authentic American, not an African-American. He consciously and consistently ran his Presidential Campaign as an American in order to represent all Americans, that is, U.S. citizens. I thought the odds against him winning were great, but he won against all odds. After eight ugly years with Fuhrer Bush it was obvious that the country was ready for real fundamental change. His opponent John McCain was not much of an improvement over Fuhrer Bush and his policies.
Obama, being aware of the power of mass psychology, had the positive affirmative slogan of YES WE CAN! SI SE PUEDE! Obama's campaign integrated communications technology via Internet power and mass media into the whole process of local field organizing. He was hip to mass media via Internet power and was able to raise almost a billion dollars for his campaign, though, who will say for sure? Obama had the whole package: intelligence, eloquence, composure and being handsome, plus the self-confidence of a winner's smile! He won my vote!
Big trouble was already brewing in the U.S. economy. In early January President-elect Obama urged Congress to act quickly to pass sweeping economic stimulus measures with an infusion of as much as $800 billion; China had overtaken Germany as the world's third-largest economy; in February, the U.S. government had already pledged more than $11.6 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers; in March, job prospects hit a 26-year low; in April, foreclosure rates rose to a record, affecting one in every 374 housing units; in July, seven banks were shut down by authorities, pushing the tally of failed banks for 2009 to 52, more than double 2008 failures. In essence, the whole U.S. economy of corporate capitalism was threatened with a major global meltdown.
It is to Obama's credit that the whole U.S. economy did not collapse mainly due to sinking the U.S. economy into a huge historic debt running up to the trillions. In connected reality, the whole economy is already bankrupt!
In August, Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice of Puerto Rican ancestry. Many Latinos and women were thrilled. As Chicanos we actually had hoped that she would usher in significant humane immigration reform. As of New Year's Eve of 2009 this has not come to pass.
We will use the term 'Latinos' for general purposes in reference to Chicanos, Mexicans, Hispanics and others whose ancestry is native to the Americas, especially Aztlan (roughly the U.S. southwest).
What so-called financial experts consider an economic recession for the middle-class worrying about foreclosures is actually a Great Depression for the lower-classes concerned about keeping a roof over their heads.
A lot has happened this year that changed the global social landscape in the world. Good seeds have been planted that will sprout up in 2010. Sadly, there are tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq; the Afghan War has been further escalated and now unmanned drone planes are used on a routine basis. Life is war and the war goes on.
Many progressive elements who voted for and supported President Obama thought that he was going to bring about a lot of major fundamental changes that have not yet come to pass. Red flags should have gone up when he recruited Hilary Clinton for Secretary of State and kept Robert Gates on from the Bush Regime as Secretary of Defense. Politically correct decisions should be made based upon the primacy of humane ethics, spiritual principles and decent morals, not popularity contests.
Thus, after a year that began with great expectations, it has dwindled down to one of great disappointments. The coming year will have deepening and widening social contradictions with great challenges calling for great contributions as we struggle onwards towards total liberation for all of the human family!
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Link: Change.org's 2009 Year in Review
http://blog.change.org/2009/12/31/change-org%E2%80%99s-2009-year-in...
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http://help-matrix.ning.com/profiles/blogs/2009-great-expectations-and
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Tags: Obama, liberation
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