Comments on: Thomas Friedman: Economy to be Number One Election Issue http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:18:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10347 Anonymous Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:12:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10347 joebhed here - <br/><br/>who's tommie?<br/><br/>and, I hate to admit how much fun we THOMAS FRIEDMAN haters are having out here today.<br/><br/>i think he's looking for one of those VP offers. joebhed here –

who’s tommie?

and, I hate to admit how much fun we THOMAS FRIEDMAN haters are having out here today.

i think he’s looking for one of those VP offers.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10291 Anonymous Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:40:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10291 The economy is more resilient than Summers will allow. The best outcome would be political paralysis resulting in enough economic desperation to decimate the current regime in legislative as well as executive offices and permit a period of pragmatic experimentation. It probably won't take a full-fledged depression like last time, but societal homeostasis requires a fair amount of destitution at this point. The economy is more resilient than Summers will allow. The best outcome would be political paralysis resulting in enough economic desperation to decimate the current regime in legislative as well as executive offices and permit a period of pragmatic experimentation. It probably won’t take a full-fledged depression like last time, but societal homeostasis requires a fair amount of destitution at this point.

]]> By: John http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10290 John Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:16:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10290 The election is going to be MUCH closer than you think. Don't forget, your majority ethnic groups is still paranoid - and almost psychotic - about what "those people" are doing, and how "those liberals" are always helping "those people" at "OUR expense". Sorry, the majority America ethnic group would much rather cut-off-its-nose-to-spite-its-face - and vote Republican - on the slim HOPE that the Republicans will help them "get even" with "those people". Isn’t THAT what the Republicans have been running on for the last 30+ years: “gittin those people off-a welfer”? “Gotta deregulate the hard workin bidness men, and stop them welfer-queens from gittin the hard-workin tax payer’s money. So… they can… keepit for themselves, see?!”<br/><br/>I can see the bumper stickers now:<br/><br/>"Help Jesus get even: Vote Republican"<br/><br/>You guys are toast. The election is going to be MUCH closer than you think. Don’t forget, your majority ethnic groups is still paranoid – and almost psychotic – about what “those people” are doing, and how “those liberals” are always helping “those people” at “OUR expense”. Sorry, the majority America ethnic group would much rather cut-off-its-nose-to-spite-its-face – and vote Republican – on the slim HOPE that the Republicans will help them “get even” with “those people”. Isn’t THAT what the Republicans have been running on for the last 30+ years: “gittin those people off-a welfer”? “Gotta deregulate the hard workin bidness men, and stop them welfer-queens from gittin the hard-workin tax payer’s money. So… they can… keepit for themselves, see?!”

I can see the bumper stickers now:

“Help Jesus get even: Vote Republican”

You guys are toast.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10289 Anonymous Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:33:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10289 I am no TF fan, but this thread is over the top. Tommie is right about this, entirely right. I am no TF fan, but this thread is over the top. Tommie is right about this, entirely right.

]]> By: donna http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10288 donna Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:19:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10288 Damn shame Friedman didn't think of this before inventing the Friedman Unit...<br/><br/>He shoulda hung out more with Krugman. Damn shame Friedman didn’t think of this before inventing the Friedman Unit…

He shoulda hung out more with Krugman.

]]> By: Unsympathetic http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10284 Unsympathetic Sun, 29 Jun 2008 20:29:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10284 " After the 1973 oil crisis, we came together and made dramatic improvements in energy efficiency. "<br/><br/><br/>Really? Who, exactly, is this "we" ? This kind of gratuitous lie masquerading as assumed fact is the entirety of what the US has become. The US didn't come together. The US didn't make ANY improvement in energy efficiency.<br/><br/>Rather, the US voted out Carter because Carter was brave enough to state that the US should view energy independence as another war.<br/><br/>Reagan's answer was to JAWBONE, wait for oil to come down in price, and take credit for doing nothing.<br/><br/>Republicans had their chance. They failed miserably. Now they need to climb back in their hole for another 40 years before we need them to privatize profits and socialize losses once more. ” After the 1973 oil crisis, we came together and made dramatic improvements in energy efficiency. “

Really? Who, exactly, is this “we” ? This kind of gratuitous lie masquerading as assumed fact is the entirety of what the US has become. The US didn’t come together. The US didn’t make ANY improvement in energy efficiency.

Rather, the US voted out Carter because Carter was brave enough to state that the US should view energy independence as another war.

Reagan’s answer was to JAWBONE, wait for oil to come down in price, and take credit for doing nothing.

Republicans had their chance. They failed miserably. Now they need to climb back in their hole for another 40 years before we need them to privatize profits and socialize losses once more.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10281 Anonymous Sun, 29 Jun 2008 19:06:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10281 the thing that scares me is that americans are begging for action, but they don't really know what they want. <br/><br/>and even if we did, i don't think we know how to get there. the public's support of ethanol to ween us off of imported oil is a prime example of this: we somehow made gasoline AND food more expensive.<br/><br/><br/>we say we want change, but most people really want things to go back the good ole greenspan days, (cheap energy, low interest rates, overconsumption, flying asset prices, etc.) which is what caused the problem in the first place.<br/><br/>we need *intelligent* change, but i don't know if our populace has the ability to discern a bad idea from a good one any longer. <br/><br/>it's really scary that we make our decisions off of soundbites and marketing pitches. the thing that scares me is that americans are begging for action, but they don’t really know what they want.

and even if we did, i don’t think we know how to get there. the public’s support of ethanol to ween us off of imported oil is a prime example of this: we somehow made gasoline AND food more expensive.

we say we want change, but most people really want things to go back the good ole greenspan days, (cheap energy, low interest rates, overconsumption, flying asset prices, etc.) which is what caused the problem in the first place.

we need *intelligent* change, but i don’t know if our populace has the ability to discern a bad idea from a good one any longer.

it’s really scary that we make our decisions off of soundbites and marketing pitches.

]]> By: Zippy in Annapolis http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10279 Zippy in Annapolis Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:32:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10279 The two most powerful entities in the world are:<br/><br/>1) the credit rating agencies/ monolines that have Zero oversight and mis-allocate capital around the world apparently as they very well please;<br/><br/>and 2) the Fed and other central banks that appear to be accountable to no one but the investment banks.<br/><br/>The investment banks created $1.3+ trillion in AAA toxic waste aided and abetted by incompetent or corrupt, take your pick, credit rating agencies/ monolines and sold this AAA toxic waste to the world. <br/><br/>They are now crying because they got stuck with their excess inventory. Now the Fed, BoE and European Bank are going to be "told" by the investment banks to eat the toxic waste and permanently swap the waste for money good Treasuries or the equivalent thereby creating money and inflation. If not "systemic failure" tied to CDS, derivative exposure wooo wooo scary!<br/><br/>Who is President is a complete sidebar, and so to it appears the congress and the committee's who are supposed to provide oversight of the CRA's Fed and the SEC/CFTC.<br/><br/>The fox is not only in the hen house it has turned the hen house into a chicken wing bordello. The two most powerful entities in the world are:

1) the credit rating agencies/ monolines that have Zero oversight and mis-allocate capital around the world apparently as they very well please;

and 2) the Fed and other central banks that appear to be accountable to no one but the investment banks.

The investment banks created $1.3+ trillion in AAA toxic waste aided and abetted by incompetent or corrupt, take your pick, credit rating agencies/ monolines and sold this AAA toxic waste to the world.

They are now crying because they got stuck with their excess inventory. Now the Fed, BoE and European Bank are going to be “told” by the investment banks to eat the toxic waste and permanently swap the waste for money good Treasuries or the equivalent thereby creating money and inflation. If not “systemic failure” tied to CDS, derivative exposure wooo wooo scary!

Who is President is a complete sidebar, and so to it appears the congress and the committee’s who are supposed to provide oversight of the CRA’s Fed and the SEC/CFTC.

The fox is not only in the hen house it has turned the hen house into a chicken wing bordello.

]]> By: Tom http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10278 Tom Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:44:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10278 I'm surprised he didn't mention how many Friedman units it will take for the turnaround. I’m surprised he didn’t mention how many Friedman units it will take for the turnaround.

]]> By: VoiceFromTheWilderness http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number.html#comment-10277 VoiceFromTheWilderness Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:23:00 +0000 http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2008/06/thomas-friedman-economy-to-be-number-one-election-issue/#comment-10277 And here I thought I was going to have to blast TF.<br/><br/>This appears to be an enclave of sanity - don't worry I won't tell. And here I thought I was going to have to blast TF.

This appears to be an enclave of sanity – don’t worry I won’t tell.

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