I was awakened today as usual by my clock radio, which happened to be set on a talk show. Blah, blah, blah about the financial crisis, with some sort of Wall Street “expert” saying that this happened because of a … Continue reading →
There’s a general rule of political debates: people tend to think their preferred candidate won. A debater has to be really dreadful for his/her own supporters to concede he/she made a bad showing. When you think about it, this should … Continue reading →
Remember that moment in the movie “Annie Hall” when Woody Allen gets Marshall McLuhan to come out and reprimand a blowhard Allen overhears in a movie line? Here it is (it’s all funny, but the relevant part starts at 1:47): … Continue reading →
I can’t pretend to be unbiased here; I’m for McCain. But as I watched the debate I tried my very best to be objective about the candidates’ performances, because a debate is first and foremost theater. Part of the time … Continue reading →
Yesterday I wrote about whether McCain and Obama were playing politics in their responses to the financial crisis and the scheduling of the first debate. My answer was that of course they were, but that there is principle and personality … Continue reading →
…”years of irresponsible failure to regulate have led us” to this crisis. He fails to add the little detail that the “irresponsible failure to regulate” was his own, as Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, when he was the … Continue reading →
Are Obama and McCain playing politics right now? Of course they are; is the Pope Catholic? What’s far more interesting to me is how they’re playing, and what this reveals about their natures.
Continue reading →Bush’s speech last night was a good attempt to explain in relatively simple terms how we got here and what Bush thinks should be done. I’ve started to visualize the whole meltdown this way:
Continue reading →It’s been shaping up for quite some time now—the Democrat explanation in the event of an Obama loss. Of course, if Obama should win the election—a distinct possiblity—excuses will not come into play. It will be the Republicans who will … Continue reading →
How did all these brilliant economic minds, and our dedicated public servants in Congress and the White House, fail to foresee and prevent the current fiscal crisis? My take on the matter is not the opinion of an expert; au … Continue reading →
Love that Pelosi. Rangel’s woes? Nothing much to see there; moving right along. ‘ Democrat involvement in the long and complex build-up to the current subprime mortgage crisis? Nah; it’s all the Republicans’ fault, according to Pelosi. Forget history, forget … Continue reading →
The current financial crisis proves the maxim that there’s no free lunch—or rather, there may seem to be a free lunch, but the bill is merely deferred, and ultimately it comes due with interest. How is it that all these … Continue reading →