I was a delegate for Barack Obama at the Alaska State Convention in 2008. I was one of the young anti-war voters without whom his victories simply would not have happened. Alaska was one of the caucus states that gave Obama the overwhelming margins he needed to beat Clinton in the delegate race and get the nomination. In the 2008 caucus Obama received 75% of the vote. I voted for him in the general elections in 2008 and 2012, adding to his popular vote, if not his electoral vote, as Alaska went Republican both times. I also did some minor campaign work for Mark Begich, without whom Obama wouldn’t have had 60 votes for the Affordable Care Act.

In 2016 I supported Bernie Sanders, who overwhelmingly won the Alaska Democratic caucus with 79% of the vote, having gotten the support of many former Obama supporters. I and many others firmly believe that Hillary Clinton was bought and paid for, on account of the donations made to her shady foundation and the paid speeches she gave to Wall Street and the banks. After Bernie lost I phone banked and went door to door for Clinton as there was a very small chance of her winning Alaska and I wanted to protect the President’s legacy as best I could, which meant defeating Trump. I don’t know how much good I did, but I did at least convince one Jill Stein voter to switch to Hillary.

This is how I see things. The banks and financial investment companies are powerful interest groups that exert a disproportionate and harmful influence over the national government and economy. They have attained this power by systematically buying the favor of policy makers and influential people. Obama is no longer President, but he is a very important figure with a lot of pull within the Democratic Party, a lot of access to Democratic policy makers, and a lot of connections with people who will work for future Democratic administrations. Obama’s conduct also sets an example for future Presidents and politicians. So it was wrong for him to accept this money. He is not being paid for his work, as he was with his books and the various academic and public positions he has held. He is not benefiting from a blind investment, as with his portfolio. Rather, he is being openly gifted a legal bribe by a powerful and malevolent interest group.

I wish he hadn’t accepted that 400,000 dollars. His doing so has made me lose a lot of respect for him. It was just so unseemly and demoralizing a spectacle to watch — the system winning another of its grubby little victories. I expected better from him.