QUOTES FROM AN ARTICLE IN HUFFINGTON POST BY NORMAN SOLOMAN
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An inspiring convention. Speaker after speaker projecting progressive thoughts. The "most progressive platform ever". Assuring words and promises from the candidate herself. And intense pressure from the DNC and Clinton supporters.
Progressives all over America sang a chorus of Kumbaya, set aside their concerns, and offered support to Clinton. Many, if not most, however, did so reluctantly, and only after the apparent shifting of Clinton's agenda to the left, her apparent adoption of progressive principles.
Words. Just words. It is actions that tell the truth about a candidate. And now that the primaries are over, we see just how shallow and unimportant those words really are. In her first major decision as the nominee, Clinton has formed a transition team with strong links to Wall Street, multinational corporations, and the oil and gas industry, headed by Ken Salazar.
“The transition team is one of the absolute most important things in the world for a new administration,” says William K. Black, who has held key positions at several major regulatory agencies such as the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. Along with “deciding what are we actually going to make our policy priorities,” the transition team will handle key questions: “Who will the top people be? Who are we going to vet, to hold all of the cabinet positions, and many non-cabinet positions, as well? The whole staffing of the senior leadership of the White House.”
Black’s assessment of Salazar, Podesta and the transition team’s four co-chairs is withering. “These aren’t just DNC regulars, Democratic National Committee regulars,” he said in an interview with The Real News Network. “What you’re seeing is complete domination by what used to be the Democratic Leadership Council. So this was a group we talked about in the past. Very, very, very right-wing on foreign policy, what they called a muscular foreign policy, which was a euphemism for invading places. And very, very tough on crime — this was that era of mass incarceration that Bill Clinton pushed, and it’s when Hillary was talking about black ‘superpredators,’ this myth, this so dangerous myth.”
Ken Salazar, active proponent and lobbyist for the TPP, fracking, the Keystone XL pipeline. Tim Kain, supporter of the TPP (voted for fast track), and fracking, as well as right-to-work laws. John Podesta, whose firm is being investigated by the FBI for ties to Victor Yanukovich. For those of you who want to respond with "Well, she said she opposes the TPP and fracking, and she is the boss", I ask you, why would she staff her transition team and future cabinet with people who would oppose her policies?
Black added: “And on the economic side, they were all in favor of austerity. All in favor of privatization. Tried to do a deal with Newt Gingrich to privatize Social Security. And of course, were all in favor of things like NAFTA.”
Clinton said all the right things after the convention. She always does. “But Clinton’s smooth rhetoric should not change the fact that — on a vast array of issues — basic principles will require progressives to fight against her actual policy goals, every step of the way.”
Hoodwinked again. Stay strong progressives, nothing we can do about the White House now. But we must continue to keep pushing our ideas until the other side gets it.
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