Here's Freidman's advice:
As for America, we’ve thrived in recent decades with a credit-consumption-led economy, whereby we maintained a middle class by using more steroids (easy credit, subprime mortgages and construction work) and less muscle-building (education, skill-building and innovation).
It’s put us in a deep hole, and the only way to dig out now is a new, hybrid politics that mixes spending cuts, tax increases, tax reform and investments in infrastructure, education, research and production. But that mix is not the agenda of either party.
And Benen's response:
It’s not? Let’s see, a combination of long-term cuts, combined with additional revenue, with an emphasis on boosting investments in infrastructure, education, research, and production. Why does this sound familiar? Because it’s President Obama’s agenda. It’s not as if the White House has made an effort to keep the president’s vision under wraps — the president has been touting this approach for a long while. He recently wrapped up a bus tour in the Midwest in which Obama talked up this vision a few times a day.
How could Friedman have missed this?
Jeeze, its not like President Obama hasn't been saying all of that since his last State of the Union address.
But its August and everyone is on vacation. We all know the President is going to make a speech outlining these kinds of proposals in a couple of weeks. So lets act like we haven't paid an ounce of attention to anything he's said over the last year or so and think we come off like geniuses for coming up with the ideas. When in reality, Freidman makes a joke of himself.
ebogan63 here.
ReplyDeleteHe and others IMO are intentionally omitting inconvient truths that challenge their narrative. This has been going on during the entirety of PBO's stay in office. It is very dishonest manner of commenting, and I wish it would stop.
Who really pays attention to these people anyway? When the President makes a major policy speech, it's broadcast and then written about widely for days afterward. No one really cares is some yokel say, "I told you so." later. The President does still command the attention of the American Public.
ReplyDeleteFriedman has never gotten over the falling apart of his "flat world" thesis. He was one of the leading cheerleaders for offshoring and the "services economy," and when it all fell apart on him, he's got to try to make himself relevant again. Failing miserably, but trying.
ReplyDeleteThank you for saying what I often find myself yelling at the TV, which is that President Obama HAS been doing exactly what you described and short of him singing it or perhaps dancing around in a giant sandwich board costume with the highlights posted he can't buy attention from the ADD members of the oxymoronically named "Liberal Media". Just the other day I heard a Concerned Black Pundit saying that people are disappointed that Obama "hasn't gone to Detroit" to speak to the people there rather than take his rural tour last week. If I snort any harder upon hearing such inanities I'm likely to blow my sinuses all to hell.
ReplyDeleteCatzmaw
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is the Obama is going to be in Detroit for the Labor Day parade there. I suppose those yahoos will claim credit because its not like that was probably planned months ago or anything. LOL