According to Frank Rich, the "conservative" charge that Obama is a "socialist" is wrong, he is just as much a "corporatist" as the Republicans before him ("Is Obama Punking Us?", New York Times, 2009-08-08).
Obama has relented on the holding in drug prices and has not kept negotiations with lobbyists public as he promised.
Corporate money is pouring into the coffers of members of Congress of all persuasions.
If in the next elections we don't get candidates who depend only on individual donations, we have to foment our own velvet revolution. It will be hard because of our culture of "throwing our votes away", but we are doing it every time we vote for the same old, same old.
The only way I can think of for individuals to bring about change is to vote NO. The way not to do this is to stay home; your stay-at-home vote is not counted. You have to get out and vote, but you don't have to vote for Tweedledee or Tweedledum. You may have third party candidates who meet your criterion. You can always leave a particular office blank. Or you can write someone in, even if it is "None of the above".
It's up to you to bring about "Change you can believe in."
See also "If you don't vote, you have only yourself to blame", "Voting is not a horse race", and "Will a third party succeed?"
