To answer the question in the title, it means you need to read the fine print.
This is because we have a president who thinks the government shouldn’t confiscate more than 20 percent of a company’s income, but he only gives that advice when he’s in Ghana.
And the same president says it’s time to “let the market work on its own,” but he only says that when talking about China’s economy.
Now we have more evidence that the President understands the dangers of class-warfare taxation and burdensome government spending. At least when he’s not talking about American fiscal policy.
After the Greek elections, which saw the defeat of the pro-big government Syriza coalition and a victory for the supposedly conservative New Democracy Party, here’s some of what Politico reported.
President Barack Obama on Monday called the results of Greece’s election a “positive prospect” with the potential to form a government willing to cooperate with Europe. “I think the election in Greece yesterday indicates a positive prospect for not only them forming a government, but also them working constructively with their international partners in order that they can continue on the path of reform and do so in a way that also offers the prospects for the Greek people to succeed and prosper,” Obama said after a meeting with the G-20 Summit’s host, Mexican President Felipe Calderon.
In other words, it’s “positive” when other nations reject big government and vote for right-of-center parties, but Heaven forbid that this advice apply to the United States.
Interestingly, it’s not just Obama who is rejecting (when talking about other nations) the welfare-state vision of bigger government and higher taxes.
Check out this remarkable excerpt from a Washington Post column by Larry Summers, the former Chairman of the President’s National Economic Council.
… it is far from clear, especially after the French election, that there is any kind of majority or even plurality support for responsible policies.
Remarkable. Larry Summers is dissing Francois Hollande and the French people by implying they want irresponsible policies, even though the Hollande’s views about Keynesian economics and soak-the-rich taxation are basically identical to the nonsense Summers was peddling while in the White House.
It’s almost enough to make you cynical about America’s political elite. Perish the thought!
[…] the President even applauds foreign voters on occasion when they reject big […]
The USA’s grand economy was built by the free enterprise system and basically the government got out of the way most of the time. That is what works everywhere you have wealth built up. If socialists get their way then they will piggyback on the success the capitalists have created and many times when socialist policies take over things start to fall apart with the vast welfare states that are created.
I love your blog. I go there first thing every morning!!!
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[…] What Does It Mean When Obama and His Former Top Economist both Reject Obamanomics? […]
[…] Publius also hopes in futility that Europe’s experiences will give the left pause. Obama proves they won’t. […]
To richk. Dont lump all politicians together. those politicos that are supported by the Tea Party support free enterprise and fiscal responsibility here at home as well as abroad, unlike Obama and most dems.
Do as I say not as I do. Typical leftist hipocracy. Fiscal responsibilityand smaler gov is great for other nations, but terrible for US.
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That behavior is pretty common on the left these days (a notable change from the days of the Cold War). Just flip through a copy of Foreign Affairs and read people from all over the world advocating capitalism for everyone else and expansive gov’t at home. And it is rational, too, in a self-serving cynical sort of way: a world full of productive capitalist economies has more healthy hosts for parasitic patron-client corruption to extract rents from.
Cynical,not at all. Entirely full of comtempt is how I feel toward the Pols in this country. Where is Robespierre when you need him?
This is way off base,
“It’s ‘positive’ when other nations reject big government and vote for right-of-center parties, but Heaven forbid that this advice apply to the United States.”
To describe any European party as “right of center” on the American spectrum is absurd. For example even the furthest right party in France still believes in Universal Healthcare. “Right” in America is not “Right” in Greece. “Right” in Greece is probably left of center in America, except that fascist party they have forming over there, Golden Dawn or whatever. Besides the problems facing Greece are very different then the problems facing America.
And to compare letting the markets work in China versus letting them work in America is quite a stretch. China is a socialist country. Even the biggest government spending liberal in America could never match the controls that the Chinese government put on its economy.
Interesting point. I think it’s important to note, however, that right-of-center in Europe means something entirely different from right-of-center in the US. I know you know better Mr. Mitchell…
And Obama called the results of the Greek election a “positive prospect” because it means Greece is less likely to default on its debt and/or leave the Eurozone. What would you call it? a negative prospect?
He’s trying to wreck OUR economy, not Ghana’s. His domestic economic policies are rooted in the work of Cloward and Piven. He worked closely with ACORN which was created to help us along the Cloward and Piven path. I read an article recently over at The American Thinker which was the author’s experience in meeting a young Barack Obama in Portola Valley, California many years ago when he was at Occidental. He spoke then of things like class warfare and economic collapse and revolution. These policies aren’t an accident but I think people just can’t bring themselves to seriously consider that they might be intentional.
It means that this president is willing to sacrifice constitutional process for politial gain. He is pushing the envelope of what he perceives is his “executive” power in order to achieve purely political ends. He’s not even trying to be a leader, he’s only interested in being a Chicago-style arm-twister. It’s sickening.
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It means it’s more important to payoff billionaire bundlers with taxpayers’ money while he can than to let ordinary Americans live a productive live. It means it’s easier to manipulate the govt.-dependent poor than to corral the independent citizens.
Interesting insight, Mr. Mitchell
[…] MITCHELL: What Does It Mean When Obama and His Former Top Economist both Reject Obamanomics? It means they know what works, they just don’t care to pursue it at […]
In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.
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