I knew that Timmy’s butt-inski remarks about the EU debt weren’t very welcome in Euro-land:
Butt apparently even Big Guy’s lecture to the Euros delivered in Mountain View CA earlier this week went over like a flaming Hindenburg in European capitals, especially Berlin:
US President Obama has given the Europeans a harsh lecture on the dangers of their ongoing debt crisis. Offended by the unsolicited advice, Europeans have suggested the US get its own house in order first. Obama's remarks were "arrogant" and "absurd," German commentators say on Wednesday.
Oh oh! Did Der Spiegel just accuse Big Guy of being arrogant? Dismissive? even derisive?
Where do they come up with that?
On Tuesday, Germanh Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble curtly rejected recent American criticism of Europe's approach to solving its debt crisis. "I don't think Europe's problems are America's only problems," said Schäuble, who has become increasingly sharp-tongued as the euro crisis deepens. "It's always easier to give other people advice."
At an event in California on Monday, Obama warned Europeans that their inaction was "scaring the world." (snip)
"Obama's lecture on the euro crisis … is overbearing, arrogant and absurd. … In a nutshell, he is claiming that Europe is to blame for the current financial crisis, which is 'scaring the world.' Excuse me?"
"The American president seems to have forgotten a few details. The most important trigger of the financial and economic crisis was US banks and their insane real-estate dealings. The US is still piling up debt … The American congress is crippled by a battle between the right and the left. The banks are gambling just as recklessly as they did before the crisis. The president's scolding is a pathetic attempt to distract attention from his own failures. How embarrassing." (snip)
"The fact that Barack Obama, who is a brilliant thinker, knows full well that things are much more complicated in reality does not help. Indeed, it does the opposite. In the desperate battle for his re-election he'd rather construct myths, such as claiming that the Europeans alone are responsible for the American mess. Not only is this fundamentally wrong, but -- coming as it does from a friend -- it's downright pitiful and sad."
Two things: one, he’s not your friend, my friend. And two, about that “brilliant thinker” part – have you not been paying attention?
Most of the brilliant thinking in Big Guy’s administration has been coming from his brilliant advisors, most of whom have now moved on to be brilliant elsewhere.
…except tiny Tim, who we can’t seem to disengage
Take Former Big White Budget Director Peter Orzag for example: he offers proof of the Obama Administration’s brilliant thinking, i.e., our betters should be given wide berth to rule the world (the rest of us should just grab a mop or get out of the way). In a New Republic piece, "Why we need less democracy," he explains:
Orszag wrote that "the country's political polarization was growing worse -- harming Washington's ability to do the basic, necessary work of governing." His solution? "[W]e need to minimize the harm from legislative inertia by relying more on automatic policies and depoliticized commissions for certain policy decisions. In other words, radical as it sounds, we need to counter the gridlock of our political institutions by making them a bit less democratic."
Peter: the man who does funny things with his “hair” and his mouth. Something he learned from the “boss.”
Pete fails to note that sometimes gridlock is much better than the alternative.
Anyway, Big Guy’s former Car Czar, Steven Rattner shares Pete’s brilliant view of democracy’s limitations:
"Either Congress needs to get its act together or we should explore alternatives. ... If our country wants to do a better job of solving its problems, it needs to find a way to let talented government officials operate more like they do in the private sector."
Big Guy with his auto task force members; Rattner’s the nerdy one, top right.You would think they’d all be happier, with their new toys.
Note: Steve had to resign his Car Czar gig to write a book, and, oh yeah, because of the bribery investigation that he later settled by paying restitution of $10 million in lieu of being tried, convicted and going to jail. You may have missed that story in the MSM.
Butt then, North Carolina (D) Governor Bev Perdue went a step further:
"I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won't hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover,"
BFF’s: Be
v and Bo: and no, she wasn’t kiddingButt Lady M has some good, down home advice for everyone in Washington who’s getting all wee weed up about these things: “Just Relax!” Right after you donate $3 (or whatever you can afford) to Chicago Jesus’ campaign for re-election.
Because for the time being we haven’t figured out a really brilliant way to completely circumvent that pesky aspect of democracy. Although we’re working on it, behind the scenes. With our secret weapon.
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