Obama File 53 Why Did Obama Appoint A Socialist To His "Transition Team"?
Obama file 52 here
According to the Washington Post, potential appointees to president elect Obama's new administration are being scrutinised like never before.
Now, as President-elect Barack Obama assembles his administration, an army of lawyers volunteering on his transition team are vetting his potential picks with unprecedented scrutiny of their personal, financial and professional backgrounds.
Obama is conducting the vetting process much the way he managed his campaign: methodically, thoroughly and on a prodigious scale. He did not wait until he won the election to vet his favored picks. Soon after he clinched the Democratic nomination, lawyers quietly prepared dossiers of about 150 contenders for senior positions -- often without the candidates themselves knowing....
Why then did president elect Obama, appoint a socialist to his proto cabinet- Transition Economic Advisory Board?
The man in question, former Michigan Congressman David Bonior is a supporter and almost certainly a "member in good standing" of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Despite its name, DSA is not "democratic" in the traditional American sense. The organisation is a several thousand strong alliance of Marxists, anarchists, former communists, Trotskyists and student radicals-dedicated to the socialist transformation of American society.
DSA has close ties and some cross membership with both the Communist Party USA and the CPUSA offshoot Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism-both of wich also supported Obama.
Many DSA members have ties to Castro's Cuba, Chavez's Venezuela and Mexico's Zapatista rebels.
One DSA National Political Committee member, Kurt Stand, (code name "Junior") was jailed in 1997 after the FBI discovered he had spied for the former East Germany.
A Friends of Kurt Stand support group is still run by senior DSA member William (Bill) Moseley.
According to Wikipedia Bonior was...
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, Bonior served as Democratic whip in the House from 1991 to 2002, during which time Democrats were in both the majority (1991-1995) and minority (1995-2002), making Bonior the third and second highest-ranking Democrat in the House, respectively. During his tenure in office, Bonior was the public face of Democratic opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)...
David Bonior was a leading member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a grouping of around 50 leftist Democratic congressmen, which includes some DSA members.
From the DSA website.
No, we are not a separate party. Like our friends and allies in the feminist, labor, civil rights, religious, and community organizing movements, many of us have been active in the Democratic Party. We work with those movements to strengthen the party’s left wing, represented by the Congressional Progressive Caucus...Maybe sometime in the future, in coalition with our allies, an alternative national party will be viable. For now, we will continue to support progressives who have a real chance at winning elections, which usually means left-wing Democrats
After leaving Congress in 2002, Bonior ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Michigan, backed by Detroit DSA.
From DSA's Democratic Left Fall 2002
Detroit DSA remains active in the electoral arena. Over the spring and summer, its work focused on Rep.David Bonior's gubernatorial campaign. The local endorsed Rep. Bonior almost eighteen months ago. He was the keynote speaker at its last Douglass-Debs Dinner. DSA helped with the early fundraising for his campaign, col-lecting signatures for his nominating petitions, distributing literature at Detroit churches, and walking door to door in Macomb County on his behalf on the weekend before the primary. On the weekend of July 20-21, the local brought Rep. Danny Davis (an African-American congressman and DSA member from Chicago) to Detroit to campaign for Bonior...
Danny K Davis is also long time friend and political ally of Barack Obama.
In 2003 David Bonior was a keynote speaker at DSA's national convention in Detroit
Bonior's speech-"Towards a North American Parliamentary Union" called for a political forum, or Parliament to address US/Canada/Mexico relations. While Bonior was a leading opponent of the North American Free Trade Agreement, he is clearly not so opposed to North american political union..
Bonior told the DSA conference;
This organization has been just absolutely tremendous in the Detroit area in [the]living wage campaign’s great, great success—they have been one of the stalwarts in it—fighting for a singlepayer healthcare plan, and, of course, global justice. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here with you today and to be associated...
Four days after Obama won the presidency, on the 8th of November 2008, Greater Detroit DSA honoured David Bonior and his wife at their annual dinner.
At this year’s Fr ederick Douglass-Eugene V. Debs Dinner, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) with the New American Movement to form Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The dinner will be held at UAW Local 600 at 6 PM on Saturday, November 8th. This year we are honoring David and Judy Bonior and Judge Claudia Morcum...
Bonior also chairs the board of pro-union organisation American Rights at Work. Other board members include AFL-CIO president and DSA member John Sweeney, NAACP leader Julian Bond (once a member of DSA ancestor organisation Democratic Socialist Organising Committee) and two DSA connected politicians-former Congressman and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume and Congresswoman Hilda Solis.
Clearly David Bonior is close to DSA, but is there any proof that he is actually a member?
From DSA's Democratic Left Spring 2006
DSA has formed a Political Action Committee—Democratic Socialists of America PAC (DSA PAC), which will raise funds to enable activity that supports or opposes candidates for federal office. By law, DSA is not permitted to expend its resources in support of or against candidates in partisan elections; however, DSA is permitted to form a PAC for this purpose...
The PAC is a separate legal entity that will file reports of its activity with the Federal Election Commission...
Only DSA members in good standing may contribute to the PAC. Because the law is so specific, all contributions are carefully screened to make sure that they are from members...
"Only members in good standing may contribute..."
According to this page-David Bonior Political Campaign Contributions 2006 Election Cycle David E Bonior gave $1,000 to the DSA PAC.
BONIOR, DAVID E
MT CLEMENS, MI
48043 WAYNE STATE UNIV./PROFESSOR $1,000 06/19/2006 P DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA PAC
Either DSA, Bonior or both broke US electoral law, or David E Bonior was, in 2006, an official member of Democratic Socialists of America.
Others contributors listed with Bonior included confirmed DSA members David Green, Ed Clark, Adam Hochschild, Duane Campbell, David Knuttenen, Richard Shoemaker, Milton Tambor, Eric Edel, Oskar Pascal and William Moseley.
So it looks pretty likely that David Bonior was, or is, a paid up socialist.
If this is so, why would Obama appoint David Bonior to one of the most important posts in the country?
It is not as if Bonior and Obama go way back. Bonior is only a fairly recent convert to the Obama cause. Originally he was a campaign manager for Obama's Democratic primary rival John Edwards.
Even though Bonior's conversion is pretty complete...
why should Obama choose him above all other contenders?
The answer may be obvious.
Obama has his own easily documented ties to Democratic Socialists of America.
Obama almost certainly began attending DSA sponsored conferences while at Columbia University in the early 1980s. He was endorsed by Chicago DSA during his successful 1996 run for Illinois State Senate. At the same time he joined the partially DSA initiated New Party.
Obama has close personal and political ties to several DSA supporters including Quentin Young, Rabbi Jacob Wolf, Jackie Grimshaw, William McNary, the late Saul Mendelson and US Congress members Danny K Davis and Jan Schakowsky.
Is it credible that Obama has no knowledge of Bonior's DSA connections? Is it possible that Obama's sleuths missed Bonior's easily found socialist links?
Is it more likely that Obama is well aware of Bonior's background, but appointed him in spite of, or even because of it?
In appointing David Bonior to his "Transition Team" was Obama knowingly promoting a a socialist "comrade"?
There are some important questions to be answered here.
Update
This September 2007 report from Boston DSA states;
It should also be noted that Edward’s recent statements on this issue have shown real improvement, which might be due to his key advisor—former House Democratic Whip and recent DSA member David Bonior.
Obama file 54 here
According to the Washington Post, potential appointees to president elect Obama's new administration are being scrutinised like never before.
Now, as President-elect Barack Obama assembles his administration, an army of lawyers volunteering on his transition team are vetting his potential picks with unprecedented scrutiny of their personal, financial and professional backgrounds.
Obama is conducting the vetting process much the way he managed his campaign: methodically, thoroughly and on a prodigious scale. He did not wait until he won the election to vet his favored picks. Soon after he clinched the Democratic nomination, lawyers quietly prepared dossiers of about 150 contenders for senior positions -- often without the candidates themselves knowing....
Why then did president elect Obama, appoint a socialist to his proto cabinet- Transition Economic Advisory Board?
The man in question, former Michigan Congressman David Bonior is a supporter and almost certainly a "member in good standing" of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Despite its name, DSA is not "democratic" in the traditional American sense. The organisation is a several thousand strong alliance of Marxists, anarchists, former communists, Trotskyists and student radicals-dedicated to the socialist transformation of American society.
DSA has close ties and some cross membership with both the Communist Party USA and the CPUSA offshoot Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism-both of wich also supported Obama.
Many DSA members have ties to Castro's Cuba, Chavez's Venezuela and Mexico's Zapatista rebels.
One DSA National Political Committee member, Kurt Stand, (code name "Junior") was jailed in 1997 after the FBI discovered he had spied for the former East Germany.
A Friends of Kurt Stand support group is still run by senior DSA member William (Bill) Moseley.
According to Wikipedia Bonior was...
First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1976, Bonior served as Democratic whip in the House from 1991 to 2002, during which time Democrats were in both the majority (1991-1995) and minority (1995-2002), making Bonior the third and second highest-ranking Democrat in the House, respectively. During his tenure in office, Bonior was the public face of Democratic opposition to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)...
David Bonior was a leading member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, a grouping of around 50 leftist Democratic congressmen, which includes some DSA members.
From the DSA website.
No, we are not a separate party. Like our friends and allies in the feminist, labor, civil rights, religious, and community organizing movements, many of us have been active in the Democratic Party. We work with those movements to strengthen the party’s left wing, represented by the Congressional Progressive Caucus...Maybe sometime in the future, in coalition with our allies, an alternative national party will be viable. For now, we will continue to support progressives who have a real chance at winning elections, which usually means left-wing Democrats
After leaving Congress in 2002, Bonior ran unsuccessfully for Governor of Michigan, backed by Detroit DSA.
From DSA's Democratic Left Fall 2002
Detroit DSA remains active in the electoral arena. Over the spring and summer, its work focused on Rep.David Bonior's gubernatorial campaign. The local endorsed Rep. Bonior almost eighteen months ago. He was the keynote speaker at its last Douglass-Debs Dinner. DSA helped with the early fundraising for his campaign, col-lecting signatures for his nominating petitions, distributing literature at Detroit churches, and walking door to door in Macomb County on his behalf on the weekend before the primary. On the weekend of July 20-21, the local brought Rep. Danny Davis (an African-American congressman and DSA member from Chicago) to Detroit to campaign for Bonior...
Danny K Davis is also long time friend and political ally of Barack Obama.
In 2003 David Bonior was a keynote speaker at DSA's national convention in Detroit
Bonior's speech-"Towards a North American Parliamentary Union" called for a political forum, or Parliament to address US/Canada/Mexico relations. While Bonior was a leading opponent of the North American Free Trade Agreement, he is clearly not so opposed to North american political union..
Bonior told the DSA conference;
This organization has been just absolutely tremendous in the Detroit area in [the]living wage campaign’s great, great success—they have been one of the stalwarts in it—fighting for a singlepayer healthcare plan, and, of course, global justice. And I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here with you today and to be associated...
Four days after Obama won the presidency, on the 8th of November 2008, Greater Detroit DSA honoured David Bonior and his wife at their annual dinner.
At this year’s Fr ederick Douglass-Eugene V. Debs Dinner, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the merger of the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC) with the New American Movement to form Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). The dinner will be held at UAW Local 600 at 6 PM on Saturday, November 8th. This year we are honoring David and Judy Bonior and Judge Claudia Morcum...
Bonior also chairs the board of pro-union organisation American Rights at Work. Other board members include AFL-CIO president and DSA member John Sweeney, NAACP leader Julian Bond (once a member of DSA ancestor organisation Democratic Socialist Organising Committee) and two DSA connected politicians-former Congressman and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume and Congresswoman Hilda Solis.
Clearly David Bonior is close to DSA, but is there any proof that he is actually a member?
From DSA's Democratic Left Spring 2006
DSA has formed a Political Action Committee—Democratic Socialists of America PAC (DSA PAC), which will raise funds to enable activity that supports or opposes candidates for federal office. By law, DSA is not permitted to expend its resources in support of or against candidates in partisan elections; however, DSA is permitted to form a PAC for this purpose...
The PAC is a separate legal entity that will file reports of its activity with the Federal Election Commission...
Only DSA members in good standing may contribute to the PAC. Because the law is so specific, all contributions are carefully screened to make sure that they are from members...
"Only members in good standing may contribute..."
According to this page-David Bonior Political Campaign Contributions 2006 Election Cycle David E Bonior gave $1,000 to the DSA PAC.
BONIOR, DAVID E
MT CLEMENS, MI
48043 WAYNE STATE UNIV./PROFESSOR $1,000 06/19/2006 P DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA PAC
Either DSA, Bonior or both broke US electoral law, or David E Bonior was, in 2006, an official member of Democratic Socialists of America.
Others contributors listed with Bonior included confirmed DSA members David Green, Ed Clark, Adam Hochschild, Duane Campbell, David Knuttenen, Richard Shoemaker, Milton Tambor, Eric Edel, Oskar Pascal and William Moseley.
So it looks pretty likely that David Bonior was, or is, a paid up socialist.
If this is so, why would Obama appoint David Bonior to one of the most important posts in the country?
It is not as if Bonior and Obama go way back. Bonior is only a fairly recent convert to the Obama cause. Originally he was a campaign manager for Obama's Democratic primary rival John Edwards.
Even though Bonior's conversion is pretty complete...
why should Obama choose him above all other contenders?
The answer may be obvious.
Obama has his own easily documented ties to Democratic Socialists of America.
Obama almost certainly began attending DSA sponsored conferences while at Columbia University in the early 1980s. He was endorsed by Chicago DSA during his successful 1996 run for Illinois State Senate. At the same time he joined the partially DSA initiated New Party.
Obama has close personal and political ties to several DSA supporters including Quentin Young, Rabbi Jacob Wolf, Jackie Grimshaw, William McNary, the late Saul Mendelson and US Congress members Danny K Davis and Jan Schakowsky.
Is it credible that Obama has no knowledge of Bonior's DSA connections? Is it possible that Obama's sleuths missed Bonior's easily found socialist links?
Is it more likely that Obama is well aware of Bonior's background, but appointed him in spite of, or even because of it?
In appointing David Bonior to his "Transition Team" was Obama knowingly promoting a a socialist "comrade"?
There are some important questions to be answered here.
Update
This September 2007 report from Boston DSA states;
It should also be noted that Edward’s recent statements on this issue have shown real improvement, which might be due to his key advisor—former House Democratic Whip and recent DSA member David Bonior.
Obama file 54 here
posted by Trevor Loudon at
11/27/2008 07:56:00 AM
9 Comments:
The economic team that Obama has appointed is a pleasant suprise. The radical left is not pleased and that is a very good sign. It is still too early to tell since he is not yet in power but it appears Obama has taken a sharp move toward the center.
What worries me most is foreign policy and military affairs.
I'm hoping that Obama has changed now that he can't vote "present" but actually has to lead for the first time in his life.
So Obama picks someone who spied for the Soviets on his transition team. I heard an old Clintonista Sandy Berger was involved in far beyond just stealing files from the national archieve, he was involved in handing over American nuclear technology to the Red Chinese government along with also being involved with the son of Red Chinese tyrant Hu Jintao's son in "port security" for Los Angeles.
Seems like this fellow could end up being Obama's "Sandy Berger".
Awesome! About time Socialism came to America. That is what America needs and wants.
David Bonior's belief system is socialist to the core. He was a supporter of John "Two Americas" Edwards.
Reid-In my Obama will be economically "centrist"-not good, but not crazy either.
If it were only a case of economic mis-management America would survive. It's certainly done so before.
Foreign Policy and defence are what will determine America's survival-or otherwise.
MAH-I didn't accue Bonior of spying. The country was East germany and the person named was a former DSA leader Kurt Stand.
I used him to illustrate DSA's extreme left nature.
Another triumph for the Anarcho-leftist-Islamacist-Green-Marxist Revolutionalry Alliance to End Western Civilisation. We are winning on all fronts, comrades!
Cheers
Sam Buchanan
PS. Spot on with your prediction that Phil Goff would never lead the Labour Party eh, Trev?
This post describes how the left infiltrates the democratic party to achieve success.
The previous post 'communists celebrate obamas victory' describes the strategy to be used to maintain that position in a two party democracy.
re: unite the right
obviously infiltrating a major centrist party is more successful at getting policies enacted than presenting an honest platform to the voting public.
I suggest to beat the left in a democratic context one should fight fire with fire.
Obama is already making it easier for you and I to have access to money! Most people don't realize how much money there is out there. During economic times like this, there is more money to be had than ever. Because of the bailouts and economy, lenders are bending over backwards to bail you out too. Believe it or not, there is people getting tons of cheap money nowdays to start businesses, buy homes, pay off debt, and more. Search for your Bailout
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