The Obama Presidential 'Library' | bare capitalism

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Yves right here. Many Chicago readers have complained bitterly about Obama insisting on inserting his library in Chicago, destroying a Louis Olmsted park on Lake Michigan. This piece notes Obama’s position within the destruction of black wealth resulting from his bank-loyal strategy to the foreclosures disaster. It missed the Obama backstory in Chicago. From our 2012 put up, Unique: How Obama’s Early Profession Success Was Constructed on Fronting for Chicago Actual Property and Finance:

[Academic and journalist Robert] Fitch gave his eye-opening speech earlier than an unlikely viewers at an unlikely time: the Harlem Tenants Affiliation in November 2008, arduous on the heels of Obama’s electrifying presidential win. The primary half comprises his prescient prediction: that Obama’s Third Approach stance, that all of us have to put our variations apart and get alongside, was tantamount to advocating the pursuits of the rich, since they seldom give something to the have-nots with no combat.

That dialogue alone is purpose to learn the piece. However the vital half is his description of the position that Obama performed within the redevelopment of the close to South Facet of Chicago, and the way he and different center class blacks, together with Valerie Jarrett and his spouse Michelle, superior on the expense of poor blacks by aligning themselves with what Fitch calls “pleasant FIRE”: highly effective actual property gamers just like the Pritzkers and the Crown household, main banks, the College of Chicago, in addition to non-profit group builders and actual property reverends.

By Thomas Neuburger. Initially revealed at God’s Spies

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library

*The Harry S. Truman Presidential Library*

Some rise by sin, and a few by advantage fall.
—William Shakespeare

In a bit titled “Biden’s Paperwork Dilemma,” I supplied a picture from one of many design finalists for the Obama Presidential Library, which is now sited in Chicago’s Jackson Park on the South Facet.

That web site is just not with out controversy, by the best way. Not solely will it’s far more than a presidential library housing his papers:

The presidential heart will embrace a museum, discussion board constructing, public plaza, athletic heart, play space and a department of the Chicago Public Library.

It gained’t have papers, and it’ll displace and gentrify a low-income neighborhood:

This would be the first presidential library because the begin of the nationwide system that doesn’t embrace a bodily analysis room with archival supplies. Every part will likely be digitized. There have additionally been considerations about it being in-built a historic park and that low-income Chicagoans dwelling close by will likely be displaced by growth across the development of the middle in Jackson Park.

So, no paperwork and no analysis rooms.

There are additionally considerations concerning the public-private deal that sited the memorial:

[T]he growth, anticipated to interrupt floor this fall, has not arrived with out controversy. During the last six years, the Obama Basis, which can fund the OPC, and the town of Chicago have courted scrutiny from two teams: park preservationists upset at a personal growth being constructed on public land, and group organizers who concern that low-income Black neighbors will likely be displaced by rising rents and land hypothesis [emphasis added].

As well as, the memorial gained’t be managed by the Nationwide Archives:

The Presidential Heart is in contrast to most different presidential libraries. Firstly, the Presidential Heart is run by the Obama Basis, a personal nonprofit. All different presidential libraries and museums going again to Herbert Hoover are run by the Nationwide Archives and Data Administration, a federal company. Some skeptics concern this privatization opens the door for partisan pursuits to curate what is supposed to be a public archive.

Grand or Grandiose?

However it will likely be grand, as befits the presumed self-image of the person who’s constructing it.

How grand, you ask? This grand:

This grand:

It even seems to be grand in winter, watching you:

Destroyer of Center-Class Wealth

Why this anger? As a result of, for all his well-loved hagiography, Barack Obama is definitely this man:

The nation arrived at its [current] pre-revolutionary state by plenty of paths. Obama offered Change in 2008, obtained large voter help, then reneged, most notably, however not solely, by bailing out banks earlier than folks. That’s why, for instance, so many deserted him in 2012, and in 2016 why so many ex-Obama voters turned to Trump or stayed residence.

Matt Bruenig referred to as him this man:

How Obama Destroyed Black Wealth

The Obama presidency was a catastrophe for middle-class wealth in the USA. Between 2007 and 2016, the typical wealth of the underside 99 p.c dropped by $4,500. Over the identical interval, the typical wealth of the highest 1 p.c rose by $4.9 million.

This drop hit the housing wealth of African People notably arduous. Outdoors of residence fairness, black wealth recovered its 2007 degree by 2016. However common black residence fairness was nonetheless $16,700 decrease.

A lot of this decline, we are going to argue, could be laid on the ft of President Obama. His housing insurance policies led on to tens of millions of households shedding their houses. What’s extra, Obama had the facility — cash, legislative instruments, and authorized leverage — to sharply ameliorate the foreclosures disaster.

He selected to not use it.

And lest we overlook, he’s additionally this man:

And this deaf-to-irony fellow, unhappy to say:

US criticised for taking Malaysia off trafficking blacklist

Rights teams react angrily because the US takes Malaysia off a human trafficking blacklist, saying it was accomplished to assist cross the TPP main commerce deal.

A novelist would name this element too on-the-nose. Thus life violates artwork.

Some Rise By Sin

Which deliver us again to the Memorial he’s constructing himself. Was his frantic bid to cross the TPP earlier than his days wore down simply a part of an ask for donor class help for his expensive future? Arduous to not suppose it wasn’t.