Comments on: Updated: Will Europe Resist The Voodoo Child’s Magic?

By: Steve Hogan

Steve Hogan — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:39:49 +0000

It would appear that part of the G20’s “solution” is more regulation (shocking!), a crackdown on tax havens (people attempting to keep their own property), and a greater role and a bigger budget for the IMF. Great. Just great.

The IMF is a global agency populated by unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats – many of whom know nothing about how wealth is produced. What could possibly go wrong with this plan?

And the additional $1.1 trillion they will get? Who picks up the tab for this?

By: Bob Schaefer

Bob Schaefer — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 13:51:31 +0000

These are interesting times indeed. How about these recent Drudge Report headlines:

4/2/09: “World markets surge as US data boost recovery hope…
8000? Wall St rallies…”

3/30/09: “Russia backs return to Gold Standard…”

(Alas. Methinks all is not what it seems to be.)

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 04:27:32 +0000

(1) There is an excellent article on Afghanistan:
http://www.counterpunch.org/lind03312009.html
Ironically, it is claimed that 95% of Afghans hate the Taliban – if that is the case, why not do the “Archie Bunker solution” – buy every Afghan an AK-47 and some ammo and get out. The “good” Afghans will then slaughter the “bad” Afghans if that is the case.
(2) The irony of economic regulation is that the more one regulates/stifles relatively “safe” investments, the more people will flock to the remaining deregulated (but more risky) investments – as was the case in the last decade. (3) Maybe it is my perception but Obama’s credibility seems to be tanking faster than the market – from Messiah to irrelevant bloviator in the first 100 days.

By: Bob Harrison

Bob Harrison — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:56:36 +0000

"The United States will swing far to the left while the Right consolidates control over every European government (save for the U.K. and Portugal)" If someone told you that 5 years ago you'd think they were mad, but this is exactly what has happened. Will a prudent centre-right EU emerge as the new world leader? We certainly do live in interesting times.

By: Barbara Grant

Barbara Grant — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:00:37 +0000

Ilana writes: “I’m still coming to grips with the reality of Europe being more fiscally prudent than the US.” Me, too! Who’d have “thunk” it, even two years ago? After all, Europeans were supposed to be horrible socialists while we Americans were otherwise.

Time tells a lot of things, and it’s not too surprising that the German chancellor articulates her objection to Keynsianism based on what is referred to as a cultural trait—Teutonic aversion to debt—that should not be disparaged by anyone. The fact is, however, that America’s pre-eminence as world leader has _already_ been undercut by our massive debt; what may or may not happen at this G-20 meeting does not cause this situation, but makes it appear more prominent.

Too bad, in the extreme, that we spent ourselves into oblivion under the Bush administration, whose biggest spending blunder was the “global crusade for democracy” underlying the Iraq War. (You can find ample “justification” in the speeches of Lincoln.) As an American Christian, I deeply regret that so many of my co-religionists gave Bush a pass on this issue. I just wish they’d studied the Constitution before offering support.

By: Steve Hogan

Steve Hogan — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:33:52 +0000

I can’t understand people’s attraction to Obama. He lacks the charisma of a Bill Clinton or the self-effacing humor of a Ronald Reagan. His grasp of history, finance, and economics is laughable. And take away the TelePromter and he becomes a babbling idiot.

One certainly can’t point to any legitimate policy change from his disastrous predecessor. It’s more of the same, only worse.

It should be painfully clear to everyone by now that he’s leading America off a cliff. Why would any foreign leader be stupid enough to hitch his wagon to the Obama trainwreck?

A winning strategy: listen to what Obama says and do the polar opposite.

[Occasionally he is quite funny; and he does seem an affable fellow.]

By: Lyn

Lyn — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 16:40:38 +0000

I hope the Europeans embarrass Obama. He deserves it. Obama is going to go over there and talk and preach. I hope the Europeans won’t put up with it.

And don’t let Obama sell you any US Treasury notes either, Europe.