by Michael Patrick

Created on: September 26, 2010

Barack Obama will be reelected in 2012 by a narrow margin; perhaps one or two percent. Here is an alternative, perhaps more realistic view, of what he faces and why he will win.

He is the only president in recent history with the integrity and the intellect to stand up against corporate special interests who are trying desperately to run him out of office no matter what the cost. His opposition is formidable but not from a Radical Right that denies his citizenship and blames him for the national debt, or the Limp Left's angry despair that he hasn't stopped war or given us lots of good jobs.

His real opposition is from the corporations and super wealthy who have, for thirty years and through both Democratic and Republican administrations, carefully supported and emplaced officials favorable to their interests in local, state and federal governments. They funded the campaigns of mayors, judges and state legislators, and contributed tens of billions to US Congressmen and women. They suborned the votes of Republicans and Democrats alike to reduce taxes, repeal regulations, reduce oversight of big business and financial institutions, and revoke legislation that protected average Americans. Their only objective was increasing short-term profits. They brought us almost total economic collapse in 2008.

Most of us moderate, practical Americans of all stripes know that special interests have bought their way into our local, state, and federal institutions. What we may not fully realize is that corporations and the super wealthy are invested globally and no longer need to rely on what happens to the economy of the Unites States of America.

They aren't embarrassed by 2008 and they aren't giving up. Corporations and most of the super wealthy are interested in nothing more than increasing wealth as quickly as possible before someone stops them or the well runs dry. They spent $3.7 billion in 2009 through 50,000 lobbyists in Washington whose job it is to sway the votes of our 535 Congressmen and women in the House and Senate. Those same interests spent another $2 billion in 2009 on national and state advertising and promotions aimed at making Obama look like a fool or blaming him for everything from immigration to terrorism.

Barack Obama is one of the few independent people in our federal government who causes fear and loathing in the hearts of special interests and has the power to mitigate their influence.

Our current Congress is one of the worst in history; the result

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