From crushing the Occupy movement, to neglecting the DNC's finances (thus leaving them to break a deal with the Clintons), from stopping the Sanders 2020 campaign dead in its tracks, to "advising" NBA players to stop striking and resume play offs, and from failing to foster a movement (or purposefully neglecting them) to bring about justice in all forms, to exacerbating imperialism and barbarism abroad.

The first black president of the United States cuts a charismatic figure, he is presented by the bourgeois media as a leader with his hands tied over staunch opposition to his 'Hope and Change' agenda. Over time, his incredibly conservative, neoliberal, and anti-radical stances were laid bare before us, both throughout his administration, and after leaving office. One thing is for sure in our circle: wherever there's genuine emergence of progressive action or movement, you can count on President Obama to leave his mansion awhile and stop such nonsense.

His persistent service to both Capital and his own selfish reasons are backed by substantial harm. For this reason, I want to open up a discussion:

  1. What is the extent of Obama's capacity in stopping real change? Is it being overstated, or is he a solid element in any calculation?

  2. Have Obama's politics and tenure severely limited any hope for mass radicalization of African Americans? Are his records already known to them, or will there be another great work needed to bring his actual record to light?

  3. What can be done to stop him from coming back, from harming any real opposition to the system, every time?

  • KiaKaha [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    It might wane if Biden gets back in and fucks it up.

    It’s also declining in the radical black community. Listen to Hella Black for a good perspective.

  • PermaculturalMarxist [they/them]
    ·
    4 years ago

    I feel that this analysis is really overstating the role Obama, or any particular neoliberal career politician really has in obstructing change. Like, consider the possibility that Obama catches coronavirus and dies in the next week. Would the American political situation suddenly become much more amenable to leftists? I honestly don't think so. Obama isn't some mastermind, if he wasn't around to do the dirty work of obstructing leftist advances someone else would have been.

    Obama will stop being a problem as the system he represents continues to lose legitimacy in the eyes of people who are not having their needs met and are being subjected to brutal violence and repression, and it is the goal of revolutionaries to fill in where the system is failing, build trust among the people, and provide them with a class analysis that'll make it clear that people like Obama are their enemies.

  • deadtoddler420 [any]
    1·
    4 years ago

    I mean, he irritating but he's also a pushover. I think a stronger leader would be able to force his hand and get him on board. Say Bernie actually won. I don't think Obama would have helped him at all, but he wouldn't actually speak out against him heavily. He's not gutsy enough.

  • Chomsky [comrade/them]
    ·
    4 years ago

    He's good at his job, but if we were rid of him someone else would step up. The entire "progressive" wing on liberalism is a mechanism designed to maintain the status quo, and he is clearly just an obedient yet effective lacky of that system.

  • GrouchyGrouse [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    Obama benefits from his presidential terms being bookended by Bush and Trump. It makes his presidency seem more "normal" in the eyes of libs. However, as we move further from that, the outright conservative leanings of the Obama administration will hopefully become more apparent to people. Also, if Biden really fucks this up, it could spread some tarnish to the Obama legacy.