Can Barack Obama really bring the change we need?

Can Barack Obama really bring the change we need? What about the black community, Obama… and war, the economy, constitutional rights, social justice?

Chairman Omali Yeshitela African People’s Socialist Party

We seek a world of peace and unity

War and crisis

But Obama stands for the status quo! People are looking for hope and change with Barack Obama

Obama represents neocolonialism White power in black face

Vice-presidential candidate: Joe Biden • Wrote 1994 Crime Bill, passed under Pres. Clinton, with 100,000 new police & $9.7 for prison building. • Biden campaign financed by credit industry. In 2005 he was essential support to bankruptcy act that contributes to massive foreclosures. • Chair: Int’l Narcotics Control Caucus; wrote laws Creating the U.S. “drug czar.” • Chair Senate Foreign Relations Com. Voted for Iraq war. • March 08 wrote in NY Times favoring surge in Afghanistan & troops on Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Zbigniev Brzezinski Imperialist hawk • National Security Advisor Under President Carter • 1970s Built Mujahadin • Orchestrated war against Progressive Afghanistan Government • Drew in Soviet Union with goal to overturn it • Led new arms buildup Obama’s top political advisor

Brezinski: • Author of The Grand Chessboard • 1978 National Security Council memo on Africa and African people in U.S. • Appropriate steps inside and outside country to inhibit any pressure by radical African leaders and organizations on U.S. black community to exert influence U.S. policy on Africa • Founded the Trilateral Commission with David Rockefeller, and Allen Greenspan

Madeleine Albright • Secretary of State under Bill Clinton • Main force behind the Iraq Sanctions that killed Hundreds of thousands • When asked about the Half million Iraqi children Who died in the sanctions, Albright said, “we think the Price is worth it.” • Council on Foreign Relations & NY Stock Exchge Brd of Directors On Obama’s Foreign Policy Team:

Foreign Policy Advisor: Anthony Lake • National Security Advisor under Clinton • Nominated by Clinton for head of CIA • Orchestrated Clinton’s invasion of Haiti • Brought President Aristide back to Haiti chained to IMF

Sarah Sewell : Obama’s Counterinsurgency expert • Clinton’s Deputy Secretary of Defense • Clinton’s Counterinsurgency Czar • Council on Foreign Relations member • Wrote intro to Gen. Petraeus’ Counterinsurgency Handbook

• Clinton and Bush’s Counterterrorism Czar • Homeland security expert • State department under Reagan • Specializes in cyber-security, intelligence and counterterrorism Richard Clarke : Obama’s Counterterrorism expert

Bruce Reidel, On foreign policy team • Former CIA Al-Qaeda expert • National Security Council • Near East and Asian expert • Counterterrorism expert • Part of Israel lobby

Susan Rice: Africa advisor • Clinton Administration Africa specialist • National Security, Brookings Institute member • Headed up covert military logistical aid to neocolonial forces fighting against Congo’s Laurent Kabila. • Strong advocate for the Aug 20, 1998 bombing of Al-Shifa pharmaceutical plant in Sudan.

U.S. Army General Kip Ward Head of AFRICOM Obama: “"There will be situations that require the United States to work with its partners in Africa to fight terrorism with lethal force. Having a unified command operating in Africa will facilitate this action."

Obama’s Economic Advisor: Austan Goolsbee • Professor at University of Chicago’s notoriously conservative business school • Ideologue of “free trade” Free trade policies impoverish farmers, producers of colonized countries. facilitate U.S. enrichment; outsource jobs

Chicago School of Economics: • Center of American economic conservatism, Laissez-faire policies brought in under Clinton • Founded by Milton Friedman • Robert Rubin in Clinton administration • Responsible for deregulation of markets–subprime mortgages, growing wealth gap, massive debt, and economic crisis of today • Obama spent 12 years as senior Lecturer at U. of Chicago in International Law Friedman Rubin

Jason Furman Protégé of Robert Rubin • Chosen by Obama as top Economic advisor in June, 08 • Cheerleader for NAFTA and Free trade policies • Anti-worker, anti-union, Pro-Wal-Mart • Supports cutting Social Security benefits

Obama’s Finance Chair Penny Pritzker • One of 400 richest people, heir to Hyatt Hotel fortune • On board of Chicago’s Superior Bank when defaulted in 2001 • 1400 investors lost all savings, board made millions! • One of the key bankers who designed and launched subprime mortgages, aka “predatory lending.” • Pitched idea of mortgage-backed securities to Merrill Lynch

Obama’s Campaign Committee Co-chair and Military Advisor Gen. Merrill Tony McPeak • Air Force Chief of Staff under Bush Sr. • During Desert Shield his forces flew 130,000 sorties over Iraq • Mastermind of “bomb now, die later” strategy targeting Iraqi water, sewage, infrastructure • Stated in he hopes “ the U.S. will last 1,000 years as an imperial power.”

Michelle Obama • Was aide for corrupt Chicago Mayor Daley • Now makes $300,000 as Vice President of “outreach” For University of Chicago Hospital • Member of Council on Foreign Relations

Obama’s Financial backers • Robert Wolf, CEO of UBS Americas a major Wall Street Bank, raised $1 million for Obama. • Obama is top Wall Street fundraiser of all candidates! • $5 million from securities & investment firms • Top donors: Goldman Sachs, Lehman, JP Morgan Chase • $2 million from health care industry • $400,000 from insurance industry • Hundreds of thousands from nuclear power

Obama likes to highlight his contributions under $200 • But 1/3 of the $340 million he has raised so far Come from donations of $1,000 or more–$112 million • Obama has more than 500 “bundlers”–fundraisers Who have each collected contributions totaling $50,000 or more. • Many of the bundlers come from industries with Critical interests in Washington • Nearly three dozen bundlers have raised more than $500,000 each, with 6 who have surpassed $1 million (NY Times, Aug. 6, 2008)

Wall Street investment banks backing Obama– Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers etc. • Promoted and made billions of dollars on subprime mortgages at expense of African community • Make billions of dollars yearly investing Prison bonds based on constant increase of Prison population • Make billions of dollars in drug money laundering and investment based on illegal drug economy imposed on African community • Make billions of dollars in war investments at expense of Iraqi people

Other financial backers • George Soros, billionaire banker • Former Federal Reserve chair Paul Volker • Billionaire Warren Buffett

Obama endorsed by Prison Guards’ Union with vested interest in 2.5 million in prison– 1.3 million African people incarcerated in U.S.!

Obama’s positions • Rejected all proposals for universal health care & freeze on home foreclosures • Would “bomb Pakistan” and “withdraw from Iraq and redeploy to Afghanistan” • “ Against Iraq war,” but voted for every Bush war funding increase; will keep thousands of troops in Green Zone. • Stands for the border wall against Mexico & supports death penalty • Pro Israel and against right of Palestinian return • Supports USA Patriot Act; voted for FISA

• Obama “Safe” for white people & big business. • Obama has declared, “There is no black America!” • Claims most African people in U.S. have been “ pulled into the economic mainstream.” (pp. 248-49) • Praises “conservatives” and Pres. Clinton for abolishing AFDC and welfare. (p. 256) • Blames African poverty on bad culture and poor work ethic. (pp 245, 254-6) From: The Audacity Of Hope: Reclaiming the American Dream, By Barack Obama

Denounced and fired Rev. Jeremiah Wright whose statements about the conditions of African people and reality of imperialism were powerful!

• Obama endorsed Mayor Daley; Daley endorsed Obama “ Even Daley’s detractors acknowledge that the city has been well-managed and has performed in all respects in ways that are the envy of a lot of other cities across the country.” Obama press statement, Jan. 23, 2007 • Obama expected to make Daley Director of Urban Policy, if Obama wins! Obama in Chicago

Daley’s Chicago: Corruption, theft of city’s resources, Torture of Africans, vicious anti-African conditions • Bribes for city contracts • 4 Daley aides currently face indictments

Obama’s 13th District • Most impoverished district of Chicago • Obama supported public funding for privately owned low-income housing • Crook & Obama friend Tony Rezko got $100 million this way • Housing in Obama’s former district in disrepair

Chicago foreclosures 2006 and 2007 2008 has an increase of 120% Obama’s 13th District: Thousands of foreclosures

Jon Burge Torturer, Chicago cop • Torture of African men, women As young as 13! • Cattle prods to Genitals, beatings • City of Chicago paid $51 million in 2007 alone in police brutality & settlements. Legal fees of Burge torture suits • Obama has never condemned Burge!

Obama pal Tony Rezko • Obama bought his mansion from Rezko at huge discount • Rezko one of Chicago’s worst Slumlords: stole city, fed money At expense of African people. • Rezko convicted in fed indictment!

Tony Rezko • Obama fundraiser and campaign contributor • Chicago’s worst slumlord with numerous laws suits: Conditions such as “no heat” in Obama’s district • Yet made $100 million from city, fed, HUD Money for his inner-city properties • Obama’s law firm did legal work for Rezko • Rezko connected to UN “Oil for Food” Scandal

Chicago statistics: • 10 of 16 poorest neighborhoods in U.S. • African people make $20,000 less that white people • 1/3 of African people live below poverty line • 29,000 foreclosures in 2006--”The face Of Chicago foreclosures is black and middle class.” • Scores of Africans wrongly placed on Death row in Illinois, forcing a moratorium

• U.S.: 6% world’s population & 20% of world’s prisoners • More than half of prisoners are African • One in 9 young black men in prison • In Washington DC Africans 34 times more likely to go to prison than whites. • Yet 72% of all drug users are white only 15% African • U.S. economy makes billions on imprisoning Africans . Obama: “Post racial America,” but:

• African community bears brunt of subprime mortgage crisis • Africans making more than $100,000/year given subprime more than whites making $40,000 or less • African community of Cleveland: 77,000 facing foreclosure • The net worth of white families more than 7 times that of African families--subprime greatest loss of African wealth ever! Obama fundraising chair made millions on subprime mortgages!

Uhuru Movement: What about the black community, Obama? Aug. 1, Gibbs High, St. Petersburg Resonated around the world “ Genie out of the bottle” NY Times

In response to InPDUM representative Diop Olugbala’s

question, Obama said he had addressed these issues, but:

Obama supported housing bill, favoring big mortgage

industry, has Penny Pritzker as finance chair, has never

addressed racial character of subprime

2. Did not address injustice in Jena, LA until criticized

by other black leaders

3. Obama supported the ruling acquitting the cops in the

brutal murder of Sean Bell in New York

4. Obama went to great lengths to deny that the

actions of FEMA during Katrina were because the

city is African

(Black Agenda Report)

On August 2, the day after the InPDUM intervention at Gibbs High School, Obama officially came out against Reparations to African people for hundreds of years of enslavement!

• Obama used Father’s Day to attack African fathers • Reinforces criminalization, targeting of African community, policy of police containment • Responsible for the police, execution style murders of young African men all over the U.S. and here in St. Petersburg Javon Dawson Jerrell Walker TyRon Lewis Marquell McCullough

Immediately after winning primary in June: • Obama voted in support of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) after promising not to • Gave full support to Israel in AIPAC speech

Obama’s acceptance speech at DNC •” We must take out Osama bin Laden…” • We must fight “al-Qaida and the Taliban– The people who have actually attacked us on 9/11” • Will increase the defense budget and military “to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11” •” I will renew the tough, direct diplomacy that can Prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons..” • Will “curb Russian aggression…” • Claims will put “$50 billion” into infrastructure by taxing the rich.

Washington Post , Aug. 29, 2007 “ Obama the Interventionist”, by Robert Kagan : “ Obama wants to increase defense spending. He wants to add 65,000 troops to the Army and recruit 27,000 more Marines.”

ABC News , Aug 1, 2007, stated: Obama is “proposing a geopolitical posture that is more aggressive than that of President Bush.”

Two Americas. The problem is not racism! Colonialism inside U.S.

Africa: birthplace of human civilization

Europe: • Poverty • Oppression • Diseases • Wars • Feudalism • Isolation

Trade in African People: • Crime against humanity • Foundation of capitalist U.S., European wealth Door of no return

The origin of the dollar sign: $ = Spanish word for slave, esclavo The word for nail is clavo. An “S” with a nail through it becomes $: esclavo.

African people sold on auction blocks in many cities: White wealth from slavery in U.S. North and South

Africans kept in *breeding pens* Their children were sold in auctions. One Virginia breeder boasted he sold 6,000 African children a year!

African people always resisted!

19th century: Millions of immigrants to U.S. American dream at expense of African people

Genocide and theft of the land • With participation of White civilians

U.S. “Founding fathers” owned African people

100 years of lynching: American pastime

Tulsa, Rosewood, Chicago, Boston • White mobs attack African communities

Convict leasing : Concentration camps, forced labor African forced labor rebuilt economy of South after Civil War! Motto was “ One dies: Get another!”

Colonialism: the enslavement, domination of a people and Theft of their resources!

All white people sit on a pedestal of enslavement and genocide Obama says its Post-racial America?

20th century struggles for liberation

Liberation movements crushed Iran: Mossadegh Congo: Lumumba U.S.: Malcolm X

U.S. sets up Neocolonialism: White power in black face

Counterinsurgency: Not just Iraq • Since 2003 more Africans have been killed by police than soldiers killed in Iraq New Orleans Iraq U.S. Afghanistan

Prisons, drugs used as stimulus for U.S. economy 2.1 million people in U.S. prisons

White life at expense of African people and oppressed peoples of the world is no life at all…

A positive future is possible!

Uhuru Solidarity Movement Be part of changing the world Solidarity with national liberation For African and oppressed peoples

African liberation: Building a positive future Overturning the legacy of enslavement, genocide, oppression

Uhuru Movement: Africans are one people worldwide

Africa’s resources for African people !

Uhuru Movement On the move today International People’s Democratic Uhuru Movement Burning Spear Media African International Student Organization

African People’s Education and Defense Fund

All African People’s Development and Empowerment Program

The Africanist Movement of Sierra Leone and West Africa Chernoh Alpha M Bah

African Socialist International One Africa! One Nation!

African People’s Solidarity Committee Founded 1976 by African People’s Socialist Party

Uhuru Foods • Saturday Market booth • Uhuru Holiday Pies Resources for the Uhuru Movement

Solidarity with Red, Black and Green! Sustainability through Self-determination for African people everywhere.

You can be part of transforming the world! • Join the campaign: Reparations & Justice for Javon Apscuhuru.org • Volunteer for Uhuru Foods Saturday Market booth • Sell Uhuru holiday pies to friends, co-workers • Have a house meeting, show power point • Attend Uhuru Solidarity Movement meeting • Give back a dollar a day to Uhuru Movement programs: http://solidarityforafrica.org

Solidarity not charity! Uhuru!