Agent of… Diffidence
Lawrence Summers, Director of the President’s National Economic Council 
Arianna Huffington was barely off the Sunday News show circuit when the tweets went out. George Stephanopoulos’s read “Arianna on Summers: ‘Wrong man for the job’”.
Sadly, she’s right.
Summers is unquestionably a respected academic economist. He’s undeniably had a few issues too; including a ‘lack of confidence’ vote by the Harvard faculty, where he also lost a billion dollars trading highly speculative (wait for it… derivatives). He has a few controversial hypotheses too, one as to why women lag behind men in the sciences (cringe) and this little gem … Read more…
Agent of…. Paralysis
Joe Lieberman, Junior Senator from Connecticut 
The man who was once the bridge between the parties has somehow become an obstacle to both and a blockage to their progress.
So is he, as the resemblance to Senator Palpatine might suggest; a wily agent of chaos or just a plodding agent of paralysis?
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$140 billion Stimu-later.
An unprecedented chest of money was recently unlocked to bolster consumer confidence and stimulate economic recovery. Few understand what it can buy; and fewer still are capable of the spending spree.
Let’s give it a little context:
- $140 billion is equivalent to the annual budgets for the U.S. Departments of Education, Energy, Justice, Agriculture and NASA… combined.
- $140 billion would buy a day at Disneyland for every child on earth (and their Moms). Or…
- 31,000 Predator drones, a fleet to fill the skies everywhere (we have 195 today).
- It also buys a Dallas Cowboys size stadium (the new one) in every city in America (bigger than Oxnard, California (pop 185,717)
- $140 billion would buy GM (again) – 230 times. We already did buy it (for about 2 billion), in addition to loaning them another 50 billion. However (since we’re buying companies) … Read more…
Tiger: It’s never too late for PR
“There’s no such thing as bad PR”, though Tiger is certainly testing that thesis. He doesn’t have PR at the moment (that much is obvious); his web site is still up providing a forum for the tens of thousands who need an audience – to rail against him.
Step 1: Stop the bleeding. Close the website’s forum immediately!
There’s a special name for the arrogance some celebrities continually flaunt – and repeat. Read more…
POTUS: Economy speech suggestions
Speech on the Economy (December 8th 2009)
I can’t say I’d suggest the President speak on this – now. There’s a lot to lose and very little to gain without a home run; but since we’re here.
This speech will impact holiday spending (which is important enough), the State of the Union, which will either be a fight or a coast on the momentum established here. The legislative and electoral agenda forward to midterm are in play as is the President’s reliability, credibility and most importantly; the sheer might of his economic leadership.
How to pull it off? Read more…
Fort Hood: Suggested Speech / Approach
Nov 5th, 2009
Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen.
This nation has suffered a disturbing tragedy this afternoon, at a base in central Texas.
A gunman opened fire on soldiers at a Deployment Processing Centre, killing 12 and injuring more than 30. These men and women were exposed and unarmed. 21 Year old Keara Bono was processing to leave for Iraq on Dec 7th. She was shot in the back. Francheska Valez was also shot. She was pregnant. Pfc Aaron Namelka was adding his girlfriend to his will as he hoped to propose before deployment. 62 year old Physician’s assistant Mike Cahill was getting checked for a heart attack he suffered just two weeks ago. He’s survived.
No act, so cowardly and arrogant, so obviously troubled and mean; can ever be done in God’s name, or in human understanding. No explanation will ever mitigate our disgust or fill the void of our collective anguish.
Despite the shock and the horror, despite the gunfire; men and women walked into that Centre and into the night from which some – would not return; in service to each other, in service to us all and in service to an American ideal. The rescue workers responded while the threat was still real and the horror – ever present. In an unwavering dedication that Central Texas has known before, and as time immemorial can attest;
…under the darkest threat or depths of sorrow American character suffers no paralysis. Read more…
Business & The Economy
The Vault: Business & Economy
This will be an open posting for economic and business related analysis and discussion.
