Via the LAT: Obama assigns centrists to make radical economic moves
The economic team that President-elect Barack Obama unveiled Monday, led by Lawrence Summers, Timothy F. Geithner and Christina D. Romer, comprises widely respected, centrist economists who until recently advocated cautious, sensible-shoe policies to do such things as boost savings, reduce deficits and allow markets maximum feasible rein.But the assignment that Obama has given them is anything but cautious and sensible-shoe.
First: “sensible-shoe”?
Second: this is actually the types of moves that I expected out of a President Obama, i.e., well thought-out, pragmatic appointments. Now everyone who cried “socialist” and “radical” can take a deep breath, yes? (well, my guess is not, but oh well).
I will readily grant that since we have yet to see actual governance, let alone a stimulus package, the the bottom line is that it is rather difficult to look at this transition process to date and say that Obama has acted in some radical or irresponsible manner. Now, there is little doubt that whatever policies are generated will be a substantial deviation from normal policy, it isn’t like that wouldn’t have been the case had McCain been elected. In case anyone is wondering why I would say that, let me refresh one’s memory with one word (Paulson) and a figure ($700 billion). The times are hardly normal. Still, the point of the post is that one cannot look at the rumored appointees and say that Obama is drawing from the progressive/radical wing of the Democratic Party.
(And before someone says something like: yeah, they’re centrists from the POV of the liberal LAT, let me say, no, these really are mainstream picks. Really.)
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November 25th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I was not aware the Democratic Party had a radical wing to draw on, even if the party’s president-elect were so inclined. Which he obviously never would have been.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
You are, of course, correct, if one properly uses the term.
Of course, I mean it all simply in terms of common US political parlance and specifically from the perspective of those on the rightward side of things (specifically those who saw “socialism” in the campaign). It seems to me that even by those standards it is hard to see these appointments as anything but pragmatic.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I will admit that I’m pleasantly surprised to see the more nutty left wingers upset that Obama’s more moderate than they are (he’s delayed rescinding the “Bush tax cuts” for instance). I’m still holding my breath for the day that Reid, Pelosi and Obama all sit in a room together and realize that they have a pretty undivided government. Yes, they have all said they will be moderate, but I’m not sure what their definition of moderate is.
Even so, yes, Obama — so far — has shown a willingness to govern from the center.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
I have never bought the notion that there is going to be some radical Pelosi-Reid-Obama nexus. It rarely, if ever, works that way. There is too much institutional tension between the Congress and the White House to produce the type of fusion of power policy making one find in a parliamentary system. Further, even with a 58 seat majority (which is what I think likely that the Dems will have), it is not as easy as you may think for Reid to simply get what he wants out of the Senate.
Think back, as a reference, to 1994 and the “Republican Revolution”–even with all the momentum and a very coherent legislative agenda, it was far, far easier to get the “Contract with America” through the GOP-controlled House than it was the GOP-controlled Senate.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
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November 25th, 2008 at 2:53 pm
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November 25th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
It’s also hard to look at the appointees and think “change.”
They’ve all been hanging around Washington most of their lives.
November 26th, 2008 at 10:31 am
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