Denial

Sigh:

GLENN GREENWALD: Yeah, it’s amazing. And essentially, we probably tried to interview twenty-five, thiry people going in, and every last person refused to even give their name, identify themselves, say what they’re here for, what the event is for. It’s more secretive than like a Dick Cheney energy council meeting. I mean, it’s amazing.

AMY GOODMAN: So, what are you here for? Why do you want to interview people?

GLENN GREENWALD: Well, because, I mean, it’s extraordinary that the same Blue Dogs that just gave this extremely corrupt gift to AT&T are now attending a party underwritten by AT&T, the purpose of which is to thank the Blue Dogs for the corrupt legislative gift that they got. So AT&T gives money to Blue Dogs, the Blue Dogs turn around and immunize AT&T from lawbreaking, and then AT&T throws a party at the Democratic convention thanking them, and then they all go in and into this exclusive club.

It's not "extraordinary." It's completely ordinary: this is precisely the way the corporatist state operates all the time.

Ordinary. The way business is done. All day long. Day after day after day. It's a systemic problem, and the system is rotten to the core.

But, Greenwald and many others will tell us, we must still vote for Obama and the Democrats (the "more and better" ones, that is), because --

The Democrats will end the occupation of Iraq

The Democrats will never wage war on Iran

The Democrats won't engage hostilities with Russia

The Democrats will repeal the Military Commissions Act

The Democrats will provide absolute protection for a woman's right to choose, that is, a woman's right to her own body

The Democrats won't engage in unending military interventions under the guise of "humanitarian" efforts

The Democrats will champion openness, transparency and accountability in government

The Democrats will reduce military spending and reduce the overall size of our military, and begin to close some of the 1,000 U.S. military bases around the world

because...because...because...be...cause...b e c a u...

Oh, I remember. Because McCain is crazy! And he's old!

But Obama and the more/better Democrats are sane and young! And the sane, young Democrats are also fully committed to, embody and advance the authoritarian-corporatist state at home and the insanely aggressive interventionist foreign policy!

Huh. Same fundamental convictions and programs. One's crazy and old. One's sane and young. The sane, young one might actually have more energy and determination in pursuing all that authoritarianism-corporatism-interventionism. But of course, the crazy old guy is crazy and old, so who the hell knows what he'll do.

Decisions, decisions. But we have a choice! Is this a fucking great country or what?