A new book claims that President Obama’s response to the economic crisis was hampered by a White House economic staff plagued by internal rivalries, a domineering chief adviser and a Treasury secretary who dragged his feet on enforcing decisions with which he disagreed.
The book, by Ron Suskind, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, quotes White House documents that say MR. OBAMA’S DECISIONS WERE ROUTINELY “RE-LITIGATED” BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL, LAWRENCE H. SUMMERS. Some decisions, including one to overhaul the debt-ridden Citibank, were carried out sluggishly or not at all by a resistant Treasury secretary, Timothy F. Geithner, according to the book.
Mr. Suskind quotes from two memos for the president in which Pete Rouse, a senior White House aide, wrote, “THERE IS DEEP DISSATISFACTION WITHIN THE ECONOMIC TEAM WITH WHAT IS PERCEIVED AS LARRY’S IMPERIOUS AND HEAVY-HANDED DIRECTION OF THE ECONOMIC POLICY PROCESS.”
A copy of the book, “CONFIDENCE MEN: WALL STREET, WASHINGTON, AND THE EDUCATION OF A PRESIDENT,” published by HarperCollins, was obtained by The New York Times before it officially goes on sale on Tuesday. The White House declined to comment on Mr. Suskind’s account, which he said was based on interviews with more than 200 people, including the president.
The book offers a portrait of a White House operating under intense pressure as it dealt with a cascade of crises, from insolvent banks to collapsing carmakers. And it details the rivalries among figures around the president, including Mr. Summers; Mr. Geithner; the former chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel; and the budget director, Peter R. Orszag.
In this rough-and-tumble environment, the book reports, FEMALE STAFF MEMBERS OFTEN FELT BRUISED. At a dinner with Mr. Obama in November 2009, several top female aides — including Anita Dunn, who was the communications director, and Christina Romer, the chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisers — told the president about being talked over in meetings by male colleagues or cut out altogether.
Ms. Romer, the book says, once passed a note to Mr. Summers threatening to walk out of a dinner with Mr. Obama and outside economists after the president polled his guests for their recommendations but failed to recognize her…
Dissention on the economic team? Actually as poorly as Obama has done on the economy I don’t know whether that is good news or bad.
Solyndra: A Chicago Scandal?
The Solyndra scandal cost at least a half-billion public dollars. It is plaguing President Barack Obama. And it's being billed as a Washington story.
But back in Obama's political hometown, THOSE OF US FAMILIAR WITH THE CHICAGO WAY CAN SEE SOMETHING ELSE IN SOLYNDRA — SOMETHING THAT THE WASHINGTON CROWD CALLS "OPTICS." IN FACT, IT'S NOT JUST A WASHINGTON SAGA — IT HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A CHICAGO CITY HALL STORY, EXCEPT WITH MORE ZEROS….
But back in Obama's political hometown, THOSE OF US FAMILIAR WITH THE CHICAGO WAY CAN SEE SOMETHING ELSE IN SOLYNDRA — SOMETHING THAT THE WASHINGTON CROWD CALLS "OPTICS." IN FACT, IT'S NOT JUST A WASHINGTON SAGA — IT HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS OF A CHICAGO CITY HALL STORY, EXCEPT WITH MORE ZEROS….
…..SO FORGET OPTICS. WHAT ABOUT SMELL? IT SMELLS BAD, AND IT'S GOING TO SMELL WORSE.
Or, did you really believe it when the White House mouthpieces — who are also Chicago City Hall mouthpieces — promised they were bringing a new kind of politics to Washington?
THIS IS NOT A NEW KIND OF POLITICS. IT'S THE OLD KIND. THE CHICAGO KIND.
And now the Tribune Washington Bureau has reported that the U.S. Department of Energy employee who helped monitor the Solyndra loan guarantee was one of Obama's top fundraisers.
FUNDRAISING? CONTRACTS? IMAGINE THAT….
The scandals are starting to pile up. It’s going to be a nasty and interesting campaign in 2012.
Here’s what modern fascism looks like
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is giving city workers an important health choice: enroll in a new wellness plan, expected to be unveiled Friday, or pay a higher premium.
The price if they don't enroll: $50 a month.
The program includes an initial screening that focuses on preventative care for asthma, heart disease and diabetes. City employees would then receive wellness training to achieve long-term health goals, including weight loss.
Smokers wouldn't be penalized, but they would be encouraged to quit. Advisers overseeing the program will monitor progress on a bimonthly basis, and those who reach their goals could see their health care premiums reduced.
This is what modern fascism looks like. It is heavy handed government demands done only “for your own good.” It is the opposite of freedom and allowing people to be treated like adults. And it is the hallmark of the Democrat Party.
Obama: 2008--New Media Savvy-- 2012—Nothing but a Joke.
In 2008, reporters gushed about the Obama campaign's brilliant use of the Internet and social media. In the run-up to 2012, a high-profile effort by the re-election campaign to counter critics has become an online bulletin board for jokes at President Obama's expense.
Obama for America, the official campaign organization, RECENTLY ROLLED OUT ATTACKWATCH.COM. The website allows visitors to file reports when someone criticizes the president or his policies and purports to provide "the facts" to counter such "smears." The site's Twitter feed is attracting plenty of reports, but not necessarily the kind that campaign staff was expecting.
A user identified as Jon G. announced: "THERE'S A NEW TWITTER ACCOUNT MAKING PRESIDENT OBAMA LOOK LIKE A CREEPY, AUTHORITARIAN NUTJOB: @ATTACKWATCH." Another user identifying himself as Matt Cover tweeted, "SOMEONE TOLD ME THE STIMULUS DIDN'T KEEP UNEMPLOYMENT BELOW 8%. THAT'S NOT TRUE, IS IT?"
Another concerned citizen reported, "I SAW 6 ATM'S IN AN ALLEY, KILLING A JOB. IT LOOKED LIKE A HATE CRIME!" The site's Twitter page recently featured so many zingers aimed at the president that IT WAS HARD TO FIND ACTUAL OBAMA SUPPORTERS WHINING ABOUT HIS CRITICS. One tweeter noted that "THE GOP WON SEATS IN NY AND NV . . . I SUSPECT INTERFERENCE BY SANE PEOPLE . . . CHECK THAT OUT PLEASE." Another said, "HEY KIDS, ARE MOMMY AND DADDY TALKING BAD ABOUT OBAMA? BE SURE TO REPORT THEM AT #ATTACKWATCH."
One movie buff referenced the current Obama scandal over a bankrupt solar energy company that received federal loans: "SOLYNDRA GREEN IS PEOPLE!"…
This is not what the Obama Administration wanted or expected. Rather than cowering people who criticize the President it appears it is encouraging them.
Tax Increases Republicans could live with
…Were I a Republican senator or representative, I would be agitating to repeal THE "EISENHOWER TAX CUT" ON THE MOVIE INDUSTRY AND RESTORE THE EXCISE TAX. I think I would also look at IMPOSING SIMILAR TAXES ON SALES OF DVDS, PAY-PER-VIEW MOVIES, CDS, DOWNLOADABLE MUSIC, AND RELATED PRODUCTS.
I'd also look at the tax and accounting treatment of these industries to see if they were taking advantage of any special "loopholes" that could be closed as a means of reducing "tax expenditures." (Answer: Yes, they are.)
America, after all, is facing the largest national debt in relation to GDP that it has faced since the end of World War II, so a return to the measures deemed necessary then is surely justifiable now….
….Because much of their value to their employers comes from their prior government service, I think that the taxpayers deserve a share of the return, say IN THE FORM OF A 50 PERCENT SURTAX ON ANY EARNINGS BY POLITICAL APPOINTEES IN EXCESS OF THEIR PRIOR GOVERNMENT SALARIES FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AFTER THEY LEAVE OFFICE.
Some would say that a 75 percent tax on "revolving-door profiteers" would be more appropriate, and I'm certainly willing to entertain arguments to that effect; I'd also like to extend this to members of Congress, but I don't think Congress would ever pass that bill….
Glenn Reynolds came up with these and I agree that these are tax increases I could live with. Here’ are a couple of more ideas. Congress should be subject to the highest tax rate in the tax code on all of their salary. A tax surcharge for deficit spending could also be effective. I would also take away the tax exempt status from Labor Unions. They are the only advocacy group that can donate money to political campaigns while keeping their tax exempt status.
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