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I see the BBC has been reporting that Obama, using that famous rhetorical flair that sets him head and shoulders over his predecessor, has admitted that he “screwed up” over his choice of some senior nominees. Daschle and Killefer have fallen from grace even before they could ascent to upon high. This follows on from the Bill Richardson fiasco and then there is the pesky ongoing problem with Geithner! In all cases, paying tax seems to be a problem for these senior Democrats. With Obama’s poll rating now lower than those Bush recorded at the same time in 2000, who does the BBC get on to discuss this fall from grace? Yes, a former Clinton speech-writer. What could be more balanced? Each time Bush made any error, it was accompanied by media sneers from his arch rivals. But when Obama can’t seem to select anyone who is not a tax dodger, all we get is a sympathetic hearing from a fellow Dem! I also note that the BBC has been portraying Obama’s condemnation of the “Buy American” clause inserted in to the Trillion dollar bail out as evidence of his sensitivity to international trading opinion. But this “Buy American” caveat was inserted by his own Party – doesn’t Obama even know what they are doing? Once again, a complete lack of critical questioning from the BBC! They want to lie back and close their eyes and pretend all is well in this era of Obama despite the evidence that their Messiah has all too evident feet of clay.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Gordon Brown apologised in such frank terms for his fuckups? We’d be there a while though…
Justin Webb’s recent blog in which he blamed Tom Daschle’s tax dodging on the tax system led me to wonder how Webb might try to excuse, say, an Obama sex scandal…
I am loath to get involved with the Obama intern scandal, but it’s been in the headlines for three weeks now and doesn’t look like it’s going away so unfortunately I feel compelled to offer a few observations. I must say I have a hard time seeing what the fuss is about and I honestly don’t think Obama will be harmed by the affair. He will rise again in the approval ratings, just you see.
No, the real scandal lies in wider socio-political aspects of modern American life. The position of President of the most powerful nation on earth is a lonely one that requires an extensive infrastructure of emotional support, an infrastructure that suffered from years of underinvestment during the Bush administration. Research shows that brainy people tend to have more affairs [note to online editor: there must be a study from some crappy university somewhere which confirms this – please include link] and therefore, unlike his predecessor, President Obama was always likely to be tempted in this way. In fact, it would have been remarkable if he hadn’t, and the sooner social conservatives come to terms with this the better. I may not be the ultimate alpha male like President Obama, but I am a graduate of the London School of Economics, as are a number of his top people, so I know what it’s like being a clever person. Luckily for my wife I work for the BBC and this tempers my desire to stray.
The election of Obama offered a welcome new era of vacuous platitudes with just enough veneer of intellectualism to satisfy snobs like me. It would be ironic indeed if his DNA-wired philandering led to the election victory in 2012 of a hillbilly snow-hick who wouldn’t understand Darwinian principles if they bit her on her stupid frozen backside [note to online editor: please provide link to Sarah Palin’s Wikipedia entry]. Fortunately, if the Americans I hang out with are anything to go by, that is unlikely to happen.
[Note to online editor: please do a thorough spell-check. I am still trying to live down the cock-ups from “The case for brains in politics”.]
The link above should go here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/justinwebb/2009/02/daschlegate_and_protectionism.html
How exactly would the American economy be stimulated if the funds are spent on foreign porducts?
China will rise to supremacy because it actually makes things. The financial sector is worthless and is dying a well-deserved death. We now see that the bankers are all stinking crooks.
American business is presided over by morons, and most American companies are subsidised by corporate welfare. As long as the anti-American and clearly evil Federal Reserve exists, America will continue to decline.
Chrysler has been beaten by Toyota.
Microsoft has been soundly beaten by Nintendo. In most fields, the far east displays superior creativity and innovation.
Meanwhile Germany will endure due to its diverse economy and frugal population.
I have just spent 3 weeks in China, watching the pound go even further down the tubes. (30% devaluation in the past few months) Awesome energy, huge pace of development, motorways everywhere including through big cities, gleaming airports – 250 million mobile phones, 20 million text messages sent over the New Year celebrations. The BBC seldom brings us face to face with the reality of the Chinese economic threat, the intelligence and skills of so many millions and millions of her people.
To be accurate the pound has risen against most currencies in most recent times, including appreciating by over 10% against the euro really quite quickly.
But that doesn’t fit in with any agendas so it has gone virtually unreported.
Given the media’s frenzy to report the pound almost at parity with the euro you would have thought it would get at least some coverage, I guess not.