What an interesting time it has been for supporters of Barack Obama. Just when they thought that they had secured the Democratic nomination for a progressive candidate, Barack Obama turned coat and ran into the arms of George W. Bush, announcing that he would support the FISA Amendments Act, a law that retroactively legalizes Bush’s programs to engage in massive electronic spying over the Internet and other telecommunications networks against millions of American citizens living in the United States, all without any search warrant, without FISA court approval, and without congressional oversight. Under the FISA Amendments Act, the unconstitutional spying against Americans will continue, with physical searches of Americans’ homes allowed without evidence of any criminal activity as well.
During the primaries, Barack Obama promised to end warrantless wiretapping, to uphold the Constitution, and vote against the FISA Amendments Act. Those promises are a large part of why Obama got the Democratic nomination. Now, Barack Obama has broken those promises.
In response, supporters of Barack Obama have begun a spontaneous grassroots activist campaign to pressure Barack Obama into keeping his promises to his supporters, and voting against the FISA Amendments Act when it comes up for a vote in the Senate on July 8.
Members of this group are withholding support from Obama until he changes positions. No volunteering. No house parties. No donations.
William Zieske from Chicago explains why he has joined the group protesting Barack Obama’s support for the FISA Amendments Act:
“With a single vote, he has made me question his values and views on large corporations abusing individuals; government granting unjust privileges to large corporations, at the public’s expense; the investigation of large-scale government abuses and illegal programs; First and Fifth Amendment rights; and the privacy of citizens’ personal communications and associations. I do not, and will not, support any candidate, even for Water Reclamation District Commissioner, who does not think and act progressively on these issues.
More importantly, the changes in the Obama campaign since he became the presumptive nominee mark him as a true suspect. Perhaps the most dangerous man in democracy is one who garners support on the basis of progressive reform and non-pandering politics, but who is willing to play the pandering game of the centrist politician when the stakes are high.”
Membership in this group against Barack Obama supporters has skyrocketed since its formation. This morning, membership was at 9,000. When I began writing this article, membership was at 10,080. Now, membership is at 10,299. Every minute, another member of the BarackObama.com web site joins this protest group.
That’s right – this protest group has formed on the web site of the Barack Obama campaign itself. Just imagine how many other people there are who have dropped membership in the BarackObama.com web site because of the FISA announcement, or never were members but had planned to support Obama until he betrayed their trust.
Many of these people who have suspended their support for Obama live in swing states. Their withdrawal from the Obama campaign, and their active communication of discontent with Obama’s support for the FISA Amendments Act, could make the difference between success and failure on Election Day.
If Barack Obama fails to get elected, it will be because of his support for Bush policies like the FISA Amendments Act… and it will be his own fault.
