Category: Politics
The Obama Hope and Change Fail
Gallup reports that Congress’ job approval is entrenched at a record low of 13%. Here’s what I noticed, however
The solution for Europe’s crisis will be more integration rather than less
The German Christian Democrats hold a party congress next weekend. There are a number of proposals that members are trying to get incorporate into the party position and platform. One such proposal is to give the national central banks weighted votes on the ECB. Another set of proposals that sparked even more interest is the allow for countries to leave the euro zone. A separate proposal in this space seeks a mechanism by which a country can be forced out of the euro zone
Throw the Greeks out of the eurozone
That’s what Philipp Rösler, the leader of the junior partner in Germany’s coalition government, is saying. Barry Eichengreen says that this kind of talk is counterproductive
Israel: “The possibility of a military attack against Iran is closer than the diplomatic option”
Now, this could just be bluster and rhetoric. But then again it may be something else. I think it bears watching. Just following up on the post by Global Macro Monitor this morning, I note from French daily L’Express the following passage
Is Iran About to Get Hot?
Here is something brewing off radar. We’re wondering if this is a factor as to why crude is bid and gold is coming back
What George Papandreou is listening to now that he’s won the no-confidence vote in Greece
Now it’s on to a Greek coalition government with the FinMin at the helm. Get ready for more austerity!!
Berlusconi has his priorities straight
Watch the video. It plays Silvio Berlusconi’s encounter with Danish Premier Helle Thorning-Schmidt a second time in slow-motion so you can see where Berlusconi’s real priorities are
Italians rally around Berlusconi after the Merkozy smirk
This video of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy has stirred a sense of nationalistic pride in Italy. Everyone seems to be talking about it
Pippa Malmgren on the Republican Presidential Debate
Former George W. Bush official Pippa Malmgren does a good analysis for Bloomberg of the issues important to voters and how they will play in this year’s presidential election
This is looking more like Hoover every day
Forget about ‘pivoting’ to jobs when right now the President is going to be forced to focus on deficits. The House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has already said he will broker no stimulus and the deficit panel will be in full swing before long too. There’s zero chance Obama can pivot even if he wanted too. Avoiding a double dip by any means necessary is the only way that Barack Obama doesn’t become the new Herbert Hoover
Obama: I deal with worse than Lincoln
This says a lot about the President. In his mind, he is dealing with a Madison-, Roosevelt- or Wilson-caliber crisis. And apparently the President also believes the political environment he must manage is even more partisan and poisonous than the one that Lincoln, the President who presided over the American Civil War, dealt with
Jon Stewart: Why isn’t Ron Paul the one?
Ron Paul’s campaign put out the video below. Move over, Barack Obama; now Ron Paul is “the one”.Meanwhile the Paul campaign believes the media, including Fox News, is shutting it out in favour of other lesser candidates. Jon Stewart has a good take on this as usual. Take a look