Friends, this week was a major tipping point in U.S. politics. The Obama administration finally moved so far to the right that all the liberal organizations, web sites, blogs, and grassroots erupted in rebellion.

It started off with the administration deciding to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan -- thereby bringing the military budget HIGHER than it was under the Bush administration.

Then, at the climate change talks, Obama continued the US pattern of obstructing the signing of a binding treaty. While he made a nice sounding speech, there was great frustration from the rest of the world on the US continuing to be a major roadblock to reform on this ticking time bomb.

Then, to make matters worse, almost all the progressive and, quite frankly, useful, portions of the healthcare bill were stripped out, supposedly to appease moderate lawmakers, but in reality were not particularly favored by the administration all along. What is left in is a major gift to the insurance industry -- forcing all Americans to buy insurance from private companies -- while removing the public option, which would have offered us an affordable, non-profit choice.

While very little pressure was being applied to moderate lawmakers from the administration for their obstruction, press reports came out of Obama personally making political threats to those on the left who were criticizing his plans.

While the administration and Harry Reid claim that 60 votes are needed to pass anything in the Senate, this is mere cover. The healthcare bill could be passed through a process called reconciliation that only requires 51 votes in the Senate. In addition, constitutionally, the filibuster could be ended altogether with a vote of 51 Senators. The filibuster never stopped any crazy right wing bill, but it's now being used an excuse to do nothing of a progressive nature. 

But, with a re-energized progressive movement, there is much positive momentum that can turn this around. It won't happen through mindless praise of Obama because of his charisma and rhetoric, when his actions increasingly seem to be leaning the opposite direction.

It will come through keeping informed through such web sites as commondreams.org, alternet.org and more. It will come through getting on the lists of national political organizations such as boldprogressives.org, democracyforamerica.org and moveon.org. And, in the end, it will come through voting and participating in a effective and strategic way, not simply voting for whoever happens to call themselves a Democrat in the general election.

The Wall Street interests who have been getting bankrolled by taxpayers under this adminstration have not achieved their success by accepting mere marketing-speak and token concessions. They condition their support on real actions, and progressives must do the same if we are ever to get our country moving in the right direction.

While I too had hoped Obama's election would mean a substantial break from the past, the last week has finally convinced me that Obama is not the one who will turn our country around.

Rob Arnow