If only

~ susie

Discuss!

Also, this.

And this:

Many will claim that Obama was stymied by a Republican Congress. But the primary policy framework Obama put in place – the bailouts, took place during the transition and the immediate months after the election, when Obama had enormous leverage over the Bush administration and then a dominant Democratic Party in Congress. In fact, during the transition itself, Bush’s Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson offered a deal to Barney Frank, to force banks to write down mortgages and stem foreclosures if Barney would speed up the release of TARP money. Paulson demanded, as a condition of the deal, that Obama sign off on it. Barney said fine, but to his surprise, the incoming president vetoed the deal. Yup, you heard that right — the Bush administration was willing to write down mortgages in response to Democratic pressure, but it was Obama who said no, we want a foreclosure crisis. And with Neil Barofsky’s book ”Bailout,” we see why. Tim Geithner said, in private meetings, that the foreclosure mitigation programs were not meant to mitigate foreclosures, but to spread out pain for the banks, the famous “foam the runway” comment. This central lie is key to the entire Obama economic strategy. It is not that Obama was stymied by Congress, or was up against a system, or faced a massive crisis, which led to the shape of the economy we see today. Rather, Obama had a handshake deal to help the middle class offered to him by Paulson, and Obama said no. He was not constrained by anything but his own policy instincts. And the reflation of corporate profits and financial assets and death of the middle class were the predictable results.

I’m not saying don’t vote for Obama. I’m saying if you do vote for him, be conscious of exactly what you’re supporting.

Published by susie

6 thoughts on “If only”

  1. i’m voting for her because i’m disappointed with and outraged by Obama
    after i campaigned for him 4 yrs ago (now he’s a dictator who can kill people at will!) and i think it’s time for a woman of character who puts her SELF where her mouth is to give it a try. i don’t care if my vote doesn’t count and given that one of the big two clowns are probably going to win anyway, i’m standing by my decision. She’s the only one who has brought up climate change, the bloated military budget, and the ridiculous state of health care. If more people voted for her we might be able to talk about viable third party candidates.

  2. This: “I’m not saying don’t vote for Obama. I’m saying if you do vote for him, be conscious of exactly what you’re supporting.” Exactly.

    The other thing that’s dawning on me as odd is those of us in this camp say things like “vote for whoever you have to.” But the strongly pro-Obama group says, “You must must must vote for O. Anything else is a vote for the end of the world.” Why is that?

  3. I wonder how the information you quote was verified?

    Bush’s Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson offered a deal to Barney Frank, to force banks to write down mortgages and stem foreclosures if Barney would speed up the release of TARP money. Paulson demanded, as a condition of the deal, that Obama sign off on it. Barney said fine, but to his surprise, the incoming president vetoed the deal. Yup, you heard that right — the Bush administration was willing to write down mortgages in response to Democratic pressure, but it was Obama who said no, we want a foreclosure crisis.

  4. It’s in “Bailout: An Inside Account of How Washington Abandoned Main Street While Rescuing Wall Street.” By Neil Tarofsky, the guy who ran the TARP program.

  5. Words are curious things. “…if you do vote for him be conscious of exactly what you’re supporting.” As if….if you vote for Obama you’re supporting him and his policies. The truth of the matter is that voting for any third party candidate is an absolute waste of time and energy. Voting for Romney is an unforgivable sin unless you’re insane. Not voting is never an option. Never. So by process of elimination Obama should get the vote of every thinking human being. Does anyone care to take exception to my reasoning?

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