Comments on: Mr. President, Leadership is Not an Option

By: rjgarfunkel

rjgarfunkel — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:20:32 +0000

Is everyone who supports a mixed-economy a socialist? Have you forgotten history or are you people just poorly informed. Have the years since the 2nd World War taught you nothing? Up until 1929 we went through boom and bust cycles, culminating with the Depression. The regulation and the safety nets brought in many successive governments ended that vicious cycle of speculative bubbles until the Reagan era where government encouraged deregulation, debt and investing gimmicks. This is something you cling to and want to protect? My sense is that the use of socialism is a code word for a return to Jim Crow and the end to women’s rights, among other revisionist changes. As to me, I have had a long career in business for 40 years and you can Google my background. I am not a shill for anyone, but I believe in a level playing field for all Americans. Equal opportunity under the law! Have you heard that one before? I am amazed at the crass feelings that abound in the land. But I would not focus on Obama for my distain and hatred. Look to the speculators and the phonies that talk of the free market and support monopolization at every turn. Remember there is more money stolen on Wall Street in one day than all the muggings in history. I worked there for one year after college and I learned all about the scams involving Four Seasons Nursing Homes and others. The bottom line is that throughout the 20th century, boom, bust and scandal cycles have brought in Democratic administrations, (Wilson, FDR. JFK, Carter, Clinton, and Obama) which have had to pick up the pieces, serve bitter and unpopular medicine and have paid the price as reformers. The public is desperate for solutions, but often kills the messenger. Business adored FDR in 1933, but the Securities Acts of 1933, 1934 and 1940 turned the monopolists into vicious enemies. But was American prosperity hurt by high taxes on the rich and regulation? No, no and no! Obama is trying to accomplish needed reform, and return a somewhat level playing field to the marketplace through transparency, and fairer taxation. Will he succeed? It is up to the American public to start looking critically at who is sponsoring his opposition. From January through November of 2009, 3300 lobbies spent $600 million against health care reform. I rest my case.

Richard J. Garfunkel
The Advocates
WVOX Radio
http://advocates-wvox.com

By: Rev Newt

Rev Newt — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 10:49:54 +0000

I most heartily agree with Mr. Garfunkel.

Look at what Obama has accomplished in the first 11 months: limiting the extent of the recession,1) economic indicators are turning upward — things are still bad, but not nearly as bad as what seemed reasonable to expect in the nadir of the fourth quarter of 2008 (when Bush still reigned), 2) the heinous crimes of state-sanctioned torture (which are illegal, immoral and objectionable from the perspective the US military brass) has stopped 3) and against vicious, irrational attacks both house have passed health care reform legislation — something that has eluded American presidents since Richard Nixon’s attempt in 1974. There are a number of other accomplishments, but it is best to be succinct.

Coming into office in the midst of the worse financial crisis since the Great Depression as well as inheriting two wars is an incredible set of challenges to face. Obama has rated himself about B+ and that seems about right. Scope for improvement for sure, but definitely more than a passing grade.

Richard’s question about criticism of Bush is interesting. The financial crisis unfolded on Bush’s watch and was worsened by unnecessary deficit spending on a illegal war. Imagine how much better the US economy could have withstood the economic shocks if the Bush-era deficit hadn’t soared (remember, Bush inherited a massive surplus).

By: Valuable Internet Information » FRC Blog » Mr. President, Leadership is Not an Option

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 07:31:55 +0000

[...] Continued here: FRC Blog » Mr. President, Leadership is Not an Option [...]

By: rjgarfunkel

rjgarfunkel — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:31:22 +0000

Your views on FDR are quite distorted from my perspective, but let me say that he appointed Republicans to the cabinet positions of War and the Navy, not State. State remained under Cordell Hull, a long-time democrat from Tennessee. As to the German spies/saboteurs who came from a submarine, they were tried in secret because of the threat of war-time reprisals and were hung. Times are different, and President Obama, with zero cooperation from the GOP and the right, and withering criticism from the flat-earth, luddite thinkers out there, is doing a great job. He has saved us from rolling over into a depression and that has cost big money. Where was the criticism of GW Bush? His own Secretary of Treasury couldn’t get his own party to save the investment community. Shame on the hypocrites. All the indicators are moving north and he’ll do fine in November of 2010. By the way 1 million people lost their health care last year, was that sustainable?

Richard J. Garfunkel
Host of The Advocates
wvox 1460 am radio, NY