His Actions Belie His Words

Trey Smith

Laws and trade agreements that allow corporations to sue governments should worry us all. No international tribunal should have the right to punish countries for laws or measures approved through a democratic process, be it in the United States, El Salvador, or anywhere else. President Barack Obama said this himself in 2008 when he promised to limit the ability of corporations to use trade agreements to sue over public-interest regulations.

Yet the Obama administration is currently negotiating a Trans-Pacific Partnership with several countries. And it's pushing for provisions that would allow companies to sue governments under this trade pact.
~ from Mining Gold, Undermining Democracy by Robin Broad and John Cavanagh ~

I share this snippet as a cautionary note. As the campaign season gets into full swing, both presidential candidates will be making a lot of pledges and promises. They will say that they stand for this or that.

But as we have seen with Barack Obama, time and time again his actions belie his words. What he has said -- both as a candidate AND as president -- are not reflected in what he does. Like most successful modern-day politicians, he is very adept at using hollow rhetoric to woo voters and then, once the votes are secured, doubling back to do the opposite of what he pledged to do.

So, while some of you will wet your pants in glee with his next golden campaign pledge, I won't be so moved. Words mean little without the appropriate actions to back them up.