What does Obama want?

What does Obama want? Well, here is another indication that he definitely wants to look forward and not backward, particularly when it come to malfeasance by the Bush administration (much of which he has found useful to continue):

" . . . an upcoming Justice Department report from its ethics-watchdog unit, the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), clears the Bush administration lawyers who authored the “torture” memos of professional misconduct allegations. . . .":

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/01/29/opr-report-altered-to-cover-bush-doj-malfeasance/

It seems clear that Obama is not interested in the messier aspects of the rule of law. Not interested in much of a progressive agenda. Not interested in treating the Republicans in Congress as the venal obstructionists they are. Not interested in rocking too many boats to get things moving.

What we can say, or which seems to be Obama's main interest is the vacuous wish to "change the tone in Washington". This supposedly will help Americans feels so much better about the lack of significant substantive work being done in domestic or foreign affairs (except war and the military; always have to remember that's a growth industry. A real change agent for America in the world). Changing the tome is a nice thought. Actually accomplishing something is a more meaningful one.

Obama may change the tone in Washington, but only by acquiescing continually to the repubs and blue dogs. And since they don't seem to want any change that benefits most Americans, the prescription is for nothing significant to happen.

Obama is getting a rep for being a softy; he calls it civility. It's not going to work. How to get the message through??? Maybe Obama/Emanuel is a fatal combination?

But there is no way to address the nation's problems without breaking a bunch of eggs. All we are getting is the optics. Like the Buddhist saying goes: "painted cakes do not satisfy hunger".

I'm ready for some broken eggs.