The Politics of Promises

By Mumia Abu-Jamal

The Politics of Promises

[col.writ. 8/12/07] (c) '07 Mumia Abu-Jamal

Have you watched a political debate lately?

After all is said and done, does it leave you with hope -- or despair?

Can you really believe anything a presidential candidate says? Or is s/he saying what they think you want to hear?

Do you feel like you're being lied to? Or hustled?

Does the media coverage leave you feeling slightly nauseous?

Several years ago, I took the time to watch the Bush-Kerry so-called debates. When I look back at those and other debates, I hear the tinny, almost ghostly echoes of promises past; like Bush's 2003 take on how the US should behave in the world.

Bush said, "If we're an arrogant nation, they'll resent us." He added, "If we're a humble nation but strong, they'll welcome us."

This administration has been many things, but "humble?" I don't think so.

Bush is about as 'humble' (or"umble", in his words) as a French prince.

But, this ain't a Red/Blue, or Republican/Democrat thing. It ain't even a black-white thing. It's a political thing.

At a recently televised debate, Illinois Senator Barack Obama, the son of a Kenyan immigrant, told a YouTube caller that he didn't support reparations for millions of descendants of African slaves. He drew a cheap applause line, with a call for more education. (By the way, one wonders how many Kenyans, or Kenyan-Americans, for that matter, support reparations for the ruinous years of British exploitation and colonialism?)

It was left to an Ohio congressman, the former 'boy-Mayor', Dennis Kucinich to proudly endorse the idea. Kucinich is a white guy.

Most presidential candidates are going out of their way to sound tough and warlike, often by rattling sabers at Iran. Ironically, the same posturing that forced many politicians to go against their better judgments and inner convictions to grant a mad president war powers in the first place, now go out of their way to beat the drums of war again. And, for the same reason: to not appear 'soft'.

For millions of people, the hunger for an end to the Bush regime is gnawing at their innards.

But are they hungry for a Democratic warmonger, in the place of a Republican one?

Is that change -- or the same old madness, in another wrapper?

Who, in their right mind, would now vote for more war?

--(c) '07maj