Do things really change?

[GRG55]

Re: Do things really change?

Let me try to inject a ray of sunshine through the cumulus nimbus build up of cynicism here. I still think the President simply doesn't get it. Look at his background. A professor of constitutional law and an organizer in poor communities. There are many, many economists out there who don't get it, and the President isn't an economist. He didn't run for president to rebuild the worlds economic system to be more equitable and sustainable.

He has started the way almost all presidents start. You get advice from previous presidents and politicians in your party and you make your appointments from previous administrations and take the recommendations of other politicians in your party. Clinton I believe really was a protector of the FIRE economy, and unfortunately the President took his advice.

My hope is that Rich/Krugman/Reich/... are all stepping up their criticisms and we are truly approaching a Walter Cronkite moment. LBJ couldn't do much about the mess he was in, but this president can. Those unemployment numbers had to have sent seismic waves through the white house.

This President is a student of history, and is well aware of the bad advice that many previous presidents were given. He now must be realizing that the advice he was given is certainly not leading to recovery, and may not even lead to stabilization. My grasping at straws hope is that after about a year with the economy not improving and elections on the horizon, we may see a major shakeup in his economic advisers. The bad news is, the replacements will not support the FIRE interests, but they may also not lead us in the direction we need to go.

As underwhelmed as I am with the new Administration thus far, I share your hope that there will be some real, and constructive, change.

With what appears to be a potentially nasty mid-term campaign about to get underway, and the very real prospects that the recession will become his recession [the Dems can't blame it on Bush forever], perhaps that will be sufficient motive for the Dems to reprogram their GPS course settings.

On the other hand, no President can do much all by himself. And I have difficulty seeing from where he can find replacements for his key economic advisors that are not beholden to FIRE economy interests and thinking - even Krugman. In addition, there now seems a tone of triumph within the financial community and regulators that they have "solved" the problem [with their brilliant and unique skills, and consummate adroitness of course], an attitude that, if entrenched within the Administration, is likely to get in the way of any material change.

Back in Feb I posted this in Rant and Rave. I was only half joking...

...A few random predictions for later in 2009 [after my second cup of coffee this am]...

• Amid falling poll numbers, President Obama will fire Larry Summers..."Larry Summers came to Washington to help me save 4 million jobs" the President will explain. "Unfortunately he seems to have forgotten that one of those was supposed to be mine". The President's parting words to Summers will be "...and take that boy wonder Treasury Secretary with you..."

[c1ue]

Re: Do things really change?

Let me try to inject a ray of sunshine through the cumulus nimbus build up of cynicism here. I still think the President simply doesn't get it. Look at his background. A professor of constitutional law and an organizer in poor communities. There are many, many economists out there who don't get it, and the President isn't an economist. He didn't run for president to rebuild the worlds economic system to be more equitable and sustainable.

He has started the way almost all presidents start. You get advice from previous presidents and politicians in your party and you make your appointments from previous administrations and take the recommendations of other politicians in your party. Clinton I believe really was a protector of the FIRE economy, and unfortunately the President took his advice.

My hope is that Rich/Krugman/Reich/... are all stepping up their criticisms and we are truly approaching a Walter Cronkite moment. LBJ couldn't do much about the mess he was in, but this president can. Those unemployment numbers had to have sent seismic waves through the white house.

Am I the only one who finds it ironic that 'Yes, We Can' has become 'Yes, We Hope'?

As for the upcoming elections - nothing will change UNLESS the Dems get stomped. And then it will just be the revolving door to the other side of the Kabuki...

But then again, the Repubs have never promised 'change'...

On that subject: At what point will all the morons acknowledge that Obama has stomped on every single campaign promise he's made?

Iraq? Still 120000 American troops there

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...q-troops_N.htm

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Guantanamo Bay? Still there. Detainees? Still detained.

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Warrantless wiretaps? Still perfectly ok.

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Lobbying?

"No political appointees in an Obama-Biden administration will be permitted to work on regulations or contracts directly and substantially related to their prior employer for two years. And no political appointee will be able to lobby the executive branch after leaving government service during the remainder of the administration."

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Legalizing illegals?

"a system that allows undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens."

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Strengthen antitrust enforcement?

"Will reinvigorate antitrust enforcement, which is how we ensure that capitalism works for consumers."

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Financial regulation?

"I'll put in place the common-sense regulations and rules of the road I've been calling for since March -- rules that will keep our market free, fair, and honest; rules that will restore accountability and responsibility in our corporate boardrooms."

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The one promise Obama made which he's fulfilled?

Send more troops to Afghanistan. Hooray!

[Slimprofits]

Re: Do things really change?

It is a major problem that the order of priorities in both parties is "political self," party, the constituency/country.

Jim, was this your line or Krugman's?

Nevertheless I agree and have harped on this many times. Politics in the U.S.A. is a sport. You have two teams, two sets of blind fans that think their team can do no wrong (voters) and cheerleaders (party leaders, talking heads). Most people would rather see their team win, than see a good game.

[Jim Nickerson]

Re: Do things really change?

Jim, was this your line or Krugman's?

Nevertheless I agree and have harped on this many times. Politics in the U.S.A. is a sport. You have two teams, two sets of blind fans that think their team can do no wrong (voters) and cheerleaders (party leaders, talking heads). Most people would rather see their team win, than see a good game.

Yes, it was my line, sorry about my having formatted that poorly.

Nice analogy, especially if one ever gets to the point of considering that so much of sports today is geared towards separating people from their money under the illusion that competition is what the US is all about, and it is worth what you're charged to be a part of the spectacle.

[audrey_girl]

Re: Do things really change?

looks like the entire country is waking up and getting a good laugh

sad to say ....

fyi: