Stiff economic headwinds: Obama’s no sailor
Sailing analogy, anyone? Obama cannot sail a boat. No problem with that, except that when he reads economists jabbering about economic headwinds, he has no experience sailing into the wind. I learned a bit of sailing as a kid, enough to be dangerous and learn to right a capsized Sailfish. Tacking is an art form good sailors know well.
President Obama is who he is; a lawyer. He thinks like one, which is perfectly cool, for he’s authentic in that way. But lawyers weigh things. They like anchors and chains. I hope he has a few sailors in his circle of advisors because he’ll need a few in his crew if his ship is to make safe passage through November.
You may wish to consider that we’re in a recession now. All those rose petals of economic news paint an intermittent rosy picture about the world economy. Some countries, like England, have declared themselves “recession-ed” although by the Queen’s recent festivities and the Royal Family’s fashion couture choices they seem well heeled, suited-and-booted as they say.
Spain is an economic shemozzle lending money it doesn’t have to itself and passing off the price of their dysfunction along to their citizens. We do that, but after all we’re more sophisticated and “robust” (we’re Amuricinz!) than the Spaniards. One of my favorite commenters here will ask me to relinquish my passport. Sorry. It’s expired.
James Carville’s really worried. He’s not spouting any countrified fried chicken BBQ wisdom on this one. It ain’t the economy stupid, ‘cause there ain’t one. And last time he wrote that on Bill Clinton’s War Room whiteboard the global economy was a doctoral thesis with the ink still wet.
It’s too late for sailing lessons, Mr. President. Go with what you’ve got. Try to litigate and mitigate your way out of this one. It’s your economy stupid…and it’s ours, too. I’ll leave it to you experienced sailors out there to give us a lesson on the difference between beating the wind, jibing and tacking, port and starboard. Climb aboard!
Mark Hastert
11 months, 1 week agoFortunately the US economy isn’t a small sailfish, it’s an aircraft carrier. Spain’s economy is about the same size of California. For all the whining about Greece it’s economy is only the size of the economy of Dallas. Yes there are headwinds but the US economy has a little momentum and it’s picking up speed from the real estate recovery. If the Eurozone can realize that starving themselves isn’t working and initiate some growth policies I believe we can pull Europe with our draft.
Tom Ryan
Crossroads, Kansas City
11 months, 1 week agoa hopeful perspective, Mark, and wonderfully American :-) from sea to shining windy sea… surf’s up !
Mark Hastert
11 months, 1 week ago“That move alone would virtually guarantee an economic ignition unseen since the mid 90’s tech explosion” Read more here: http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/stiff-economic-headwinds-obamas-no-sailor/#storylink=cpy
Yeah Chuck, and the dot.com bubble and then the real estate bubble because we all know that unregulated business interests can always be trusted to do the right thing. You’re right about one thing, you’re a short term thinker. There’s a difference between gambling and investing. Markets need order and the trust of the participants.