Kabuki democracy : the system vs. Barack Obama

Description

In this 'agenda-setting' polemic, bestselling author and Nation columnist Eric Alterman argues that while Obama has failed to make good on many of his most significant campaign promises so far, this failure results from a series of structural hurdles in our political system that encourage conservative transformative change, but stand in the way of its progressive counterpart. In July 2010, Eric Alterman published an essay titled "Kabuki Democracy" in US publication "The Nation". Alterman argued that while the Obama presidency has undoubtedly been a disappointment from a pro. Read more... Abstract: In this agenda-setting essay, journalist and historian Eric Alterman explains what is really happening with the Obama presidency. While Obama's many compromises have disappointed liberals, Alterman argues that these concessions are largely due to a political system that is rigged against progressive change. These structural impediments to democracy have made the keeping of Obama's campaign promises all but impossible. Brilliantly blending incisive political analysis with a clear agenda for change, Kabuki Democracy cuts through the cliches of conservative propaganda and lazy mainstream media analysis to demonstrate that genuine "change" will come to America only when people care enough to challenge the system. Read more...