Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Left in the Dark Again

I try my best not to comment too much on politics, but with American economic issues and political activity diverging so closely, it is hard not to. My last post attempted to cut back on the cynicism, but here I go again.

Obama’s uneasy rhetoric, scare tactics, and overall vagueness during his news conference on Monday left me feeling utterly unconvinced. I will paraphrase the statement that bothered me most: “We know the stimulus bill isn’t perfect—some things will work and others won’t—but it is important that we get the bill on my desk as soon as possible to prevent future and possibly irreversible damage to the American economy.”

Elected officials are being scared into voting yes on the stimulus package.

In an impossible situation lets’ ask a few impossible questions:

1. Why is it better to get a less than perfect package passed through quickly rather than wait to get it right? Didn’t the TARP fiasco teach us anything?

2. If the House fails to pass the bill this week, what exactly will happen? Would the benefits of taking a bit more time outweigh the further costs of the job loss, bankruptcies, and citizen confidence?

3. Theoretically, American civil servants in the upper echelon of our government should be the brightest minds in the world. If anyone can figure out a PERFECT plan in a short amount of time, shouldn’t it be them?

Treasury Secretary Geithner’s vague bank bailout plan yesterday left Wall Street hungry for answers. He did, however, assure us that mistakes will be made and that things will continue to get worse.

4. Obama promised that Geithner would enlighten us on specific plans to save our banking system. Why did Tim leave us in the dark with few detailed answers? Easy answer: He is just as confused as we are.

Maybe this is reassuring; I think at this point a saviour praising answers would be either crazy or an idiot. Or both.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I might just be able to help you.

Try to watch the liberal wing without a strong bias. Just listen to what they say, reflect, and think deeply. Assume for a moment these people are smarter than yourself, they are.

It might help to talk to someone on the other side. Many of my friends are conservative so that's how I understand the "foreign side." I'm liberal, so I get my side but often, like yourself, I don't understand the other.

For example, the liberal wing does not view the TARP fund as a fiasco. It prevented banks from becoming Lehman Brothers, Bear Sterns, Wacovia, ect... I thought the treasury secretary was excellent the other day. Obama has earned high marks in my opinion. Again, I'm liberal.

Remember this. Liberals speak and listen in a different language. For example, they aren't capitalists. More on that another time.

My liberal economic friend grimly told me in the year 2000 to just buckle down and get used to it. He also recommended something I'll pass on to you. Try to understand the other side. Read books, editorials, ect to understand the other side's positions as it is VASTLY different from your own.

I've read 5 Friedman books and am still convinced of my positions. But...It has helped me better understand the conservative side, even though I still strongly disagree with it.

If you need some liberal books, editorials, ect. Just ask.

Now you understand how we felt from 2000 to 2008 and during the Reagan years.

Anonymous said...

holy crap - "assume for a moment that these people (liberals) are smarter than you, they are."

i'm not sure a bigger load of garbage has ever been written.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant on my above post "...Assume Obama is smarter than yourself." Not all liberals.

Thanks for the civil response also.

Anonymous said...

Obama's political christmas tree to nancyP and many,many friends..Thanks nancy..Thanks obama

Shayne Green said...

Great article, and as far as BO being smarter than us, speak for yourself, friend.

Aaron Konen said...

Thanks for the comments everyone, any feedback is great. Whether or not he or she or they are smarter than I, that doesn't really matter. That isn't the point of my writing. I, like many people, are trying to make sense of an extraordinarily senseless situation. This will all probably make sense in history books 100 years from now, but RIGHT NOW, most are running around like headless chickens. If anything I hope my input can spark creative thought and constructive dialogue. So...thanks.

Anonymous said...

Aaron, the smart comment wasn't the point of my post either.

Gotta love the unintended consequences,

I hoped it helped.