6 responses to “President Barack Hussein Obama”

1. 

   Sini Fernandez

   20 January 2009

   Amen.

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2. 

   James Currier

   20 January 2009

   I heard a lot I like:
   Put science back in it’s rightful place
   If government programs aren’t working, they will be ended
   America is strong not just because of its military, but because of its principles and alliances
   We won’t give up the rule of law for expediency
   We’ll bring dignity back to the white house after 16 years of embarassing leaders and petty squabbles
   we have a president who understands the historical context that America has likely passed its apex
   We’ll get out of Iraq
   There is no more debate that the capitalist system is superior in wealth generation
   Reaching out to moderate muslims who also favor peace and wealth to war (I, of course, believe the war on terror should not be framed as between Muslims and the West, but between the primative/extremists and the modern/moderates. Obama may have the wisdom to see it my way.)
   Trouble:
   Government is in charge of the economy and we will spend another $1 trillion we don’t have
   The likely confusion in his mind (and certainly in the minds of his staff) between equal opportunity and equal outcome

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3. 

   Mikey McD

   20 January 2009

   James, can you give more color to your summary note: “There is no more debate that the capitalist system is superior in wealth generation”? thank you.

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4. 

   James Currier

   20 January 2009

   Obama’s exact words in the speech. He said that times have changed, in that there is no longer a debate about X (I can’t remember what that was), and there is no longer a debate that capitalism is the superior way to generate wealth. The debate, he continued, is how much regulation does that engine need in order not to spin out of control (by out of control, I believe he is referring to things like the huge oil price spike in 2008 which was 90% generated by unregulated commodity markets, and the housing bubble. Although you and I know that the housing bubble was not only a result of unregulated markets, but a result of many factors, including some laws created by a non-regulating branch of the government.)

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5. 

   George Rebane

   20 January 2009

   James, knowing that we are both proponents of the proper amount of regulation, although our thresholds may differ, how would you characterize in broad outlines how the US could regulate international commodity markets (especially energy) so as to alleviate spikes, such as the one you consider unwarranted, without putting American investors at a disadvantage?

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6. 

   Mikey McD

   20 January 2009

   I would contest that the energy markets worked (are working) extremely well. Supply fears in the midst of historical GDP growth around the world (demand) = high prices…everyone in a market is speculating, period.
   Housing on the other hand was over regulated (social engineering via legislation, implied regulation by Freddie/Fannie, OST, SEC, etc and federal reserve monetary policy). I would argue that “less is more” when it comes to regulation.
   Perhaps such faults are the result of government run (tax payer funded)failing public school system- common sense 101- “don’t invest in something you don’t understand” (i.e. CDO’s, Auction Rate preferreds, etc).
   Isn’t it a contradiction to say “capitalist system is superior in wealth generation… lets socialize it”!

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