The Obama Syndrome: Surrender at Home, War Abroad

Verso Books, 2011 About the book: Written early in 2010 and initially published in September 2010, The Obama Syndrome predicted the Obama administrations historic midterm defeat. But unlike myriad commentators who have since pinned responsibility for that Democratic Party collapse on the reform presidents lack of firm resolve, Alis critique located the problem in Obamas notion of reform itself. Barack Obama campaigned for the presidency by promising to escalate the war in Afghanistan, and his economic team brought the architects of the financial crisis into the White House. Small wonder then that the War on Terror torture in Bagram, occupation in Iraq, appeasement in Israel, and escalation in Pakistancontinues. And that Wall Street and the countrys biggest corporations have all profited at the expense of Americas working class and poor. Now a thoroughly updated paperback continues the story through the midterms, including a trenchant analysis of the Tea Party, and Obamas decision to continue with his predecessors tax cuts for the rich. Ali asks whetherin the absence of a progressive upheaval from belowUS politics is permanently mired in moderate Republicanism. Already called a comprehensive account of the problems with Obama (The Huffington Post), this new edition is sure to provide a more powerful boost to Obama dissenters on the left (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette).. 2nd Edition. Soft cover. New.