Although it’s only two weeks until his inauguration, Barak Obama sounds like he’s still on the campaign trail. One needs to look no further than his reliance on slogans, a la Jesse Jackson, rather than the specifics of his promised Economic Recovery Plan to evade being forced to give a straight answer.
I’ve spent the last few days trying to locate some concrete statement by the President-elect relative to this plan of his that will supposedly transform the country into the fabled Land of Milk and Honey. Not surprisingly, I came up empty handed. Wait, let me rephrase that. I did find two references, neither of which was sufficient to qualify as a straight answer if posed to anyone other than Barak Obama.
The closest thing to a blueprint for this upcoming miracle that I was able to locate was a web document entitled “Barak Obama’s Economic Agenda,” which I found at www.BarrakObama.com. This document, like most other campaign-related propaganda issued by candidates for any political office, is long on words and short on statements that might be taken as representing commitment to course of action.
The other was his prediction, made on several different occasions during the campaign was that his “Economic Recovery Package” would cost some $250 billion. Since, in his most recent public statement, he has revised the costs of his programs to $850 billion it would appear that his previous estimate was either a gross miscalculation on the part of his advisers or a deliberate misstatement on his part.
Let’s turn to his proposed Presidential appointments in the hope that those will be a little more enlightening than his public statements.
Bill Richardson (Secretary of Commerce)
Although at first he was hailed as the greatest thing in commerce and economics since John Maynard Keynes, the reincarnation of Huey Long was fired by the Obama Administration before he could be confirmed by the Senate. The nation was thus spared the incompetence that the State of New Mexico had endured for the previous 6 years.
Hillary Clinton (Secretary of State)
Hillary gets this job due to 1) her extensive experience in following her husband around the world while he was in office to make sure he didn’t induct female staffers into the “Mile High Club” and 2) she wanted to make sure that Bill Richardson didn’t get the job. Of course, her nonexistent display of courage while braving a nonexistent hail of sniper fire in Kosovo was certainly another factor in favor of her appointment.
Eric H. Holder Jr. (Attorney General)
Holder distinguished himself during the Clinton Administration when, as Janet Reno’s Deputy Attorney General, he worked tirelessly in order to find a way for President Clinton to pardon fugitive felon (and major contributor to the Clinton Presidential Library) Marc Rich.
Tom Daschle (Secretary for Health and Human Services)
Daschle was in the House of Representatives from 1978 to 1986 before moving on to serve in the Senate, where he distinguished himself both as a true party ideologue and as a reliable “yes man” for Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. The voters in South Dakota finally realized that Daschle had outlived his political usefulness when they sent him to the unemployment line in 2004. Daschle will undoubtedly be grateful to return to steady employment after being forced to eke out a living o the $10,000 + expenses lecture circuit.
Timothy Geithner (Treasury Secretary)
Geithner, currently the President of the New York Federal Reserve Bank, went to work at the International Affairs division of Treasury Department in 1988. He went on to serve as He was later a deputy assistant secretary for international monetary and financial policy from1995 to1996, senior deputy assistant secretary for international affairs (1996-1997), and assistant secretary for international affairs (1997–1998). In 1998 he was promoted to Under Secretary of the Treasury for International and served under Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin and Lawrence Summers, both loyal Clintonistas, until 2001.
Leon Panetta (Director, Central Intelligence Agency)
Although Leon Panetta has no experience in anything other than running his mouth and being Bill Clinton’s Chief of Staff from 1993 to 1997, Panetta’s proposed appointment as head of the CIA was so outrageous that even Dianne Feinstein was against the idea. However, after consulting (political Newspeak for “being told what to think”) with the Obama Transition Team, she is now a born-again believer in his formerly-nonexistent qualifications.
In addition to a few straight answers, all I want to know is if this is all that we can expect from the much-ballyhooed “Change We Can Believe In.” Considering the employment histories of many of his appointees, it’s starting to sound more and more like Bill Clinton’s third term with each passing day.
Showing posts with label Bill Richardson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Richardson. Show all posts
Friday, January 9, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
More On Bill Richardson Being Fired Before He Got The Job
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson still seems to have problems with truthfulness, even after having the rug pulled out from under him by the Obama Administration’s transition team over the weekend.
Monday, in a Santa Fe, New Mexico news conference, Richardson said that he was “stunned’ and “disappointed” to have to announce that his nomination as the new Secretary of Commerce was being “voluntarily” withdrawn. Richardson’s statements in that news conference have prompted this writer to ask a simple question:
How did Governor Richardson find himself “stunned” and/or “disappointed” if he was making a supposedly “voluntary” decision to withdraw his name from confirmation by the Senate?
Is it possible that Governor Richardson’s statement contained a few “Freudian Slips?”
Out here the conventional wisdom out has it that Richardson was booted by Obama’s people, supposedly after the small matter of a federal grand jury’s probe into political contributions that mysteriously evolved into contracts with the state, suddenly became an issue a month after Richardson’s selection for the Commerce job. But, in all fairness to Governor Richardson, he “should have seen it coming.”
Bill Richardson, former United Nations Ambassador in the Clinton Administration and then the Secretary of Energy during the Clinton Administration’s second term, ran in the early Democratic Presidential Primaries against Hillary Clinton. When Richardson, after a dismal performance, withdrew from those primaries his endorsement was actively sought by the Clinton campaign. The former President himself, Bill Clinton, even flew into Santa Fe to ostensibly watch last year’s Super Bowl with Governor Richardson (and to call in a few political I.O.Us). Richardson told his former boss and patron, Bill Clinton, to go to Hell.
Richardson, after due consideration, had seen which way the political wind was blowing and soon threw his support for then-Senator Obama. It was subsequently widely reported that there were two people that were very unhappy with Governor Richardson’s decision, both of whom happened to be named Clinton. Then, after Obama’s November victory, it was payback time.
It was no secret that Richardson desperately wanted to be Obama’s Secretary of State. Hillary Clinton preempted that idea when she claimed that job on the time-honored principle of political patronage as her reward, and to punish Richardson for supporting a candidate the both she and her husband hated. After being screwed over by the “Change We Can Believe In” crowd, Richardson was given the consolation prize of Secretary of Commerce.
The Governor seems to have forgotten the Prime Directive of Politics as Practiced by the Democratic Party: Do not piss off the Clintons.
Then came the”surprising revelation” that the governor’s name kept turning up in a grand jury’s investigation of possible corruption at high levels of state government, even though the Albuquerque Journal has been carrying the story for months. And, in seeming proof that Governor Richardson is not immune to the effects of the Peter Principle, the Washington Post is reporting that Richardson did not reveal that he was under investigation to the FBI while undergoing the routine background required of all potential presidential appointees.
And, in what may be the final blow to Richardson’s well-documented ego, KRQE television announced that its Viewer Poll on the question “Can Bill Richardson still govern New Mexico effectively?” revealed that 65% of those responding answered “No.”
Hey, Governor Richardson, can you spell “Rod Blagojevich?”
Monday, in a Santa Fe, New Mexico news conference, Richardson said that he was “stunned’ and “disappointed” to have to announce that his nomination as the new Secretary of Commerce was being “voluntarily” withdrawn. Richardson’s statements in that news conference have prompted this writer to ask a simple question:
How did Governor Richardson find himself “stunned” and/or “disappointed” if he was making a supposedly “voluntary” decision to withdraw his name from confirmation by the Senate?
Is it possible that Governor Richardson’s statement contained a few “Freudian Slips?”
Out here the conventional wisdom out has it that Richardson was booted by Obama’s people, supposedly after the small matter of a federal grand jury’s probe into political contributions that mysteriously evolved into contracts with the state, suddenly became an issue a month after Richardson’s selection for the Commerce job. But, in all fairness to Governor Richardson, he “should have seen it coming.”
Bill Richardson, former United Nations Ambassador in the Clinton Administration and then the Secretary of Energy during the Clinton Administration’s second term, ran in the early Democratic Presidential Primaries against Hillary Clinton. When Richardson, after a dismal performance, withdrew from those primaries his endorsement was actively sought by the Clinton campaign. The former President himself, Bill Clinton, even flew into Santa Fe to ostensibly watch last year’s Super Bowl with Governor Richardson (and to call in a few political I.O.Us). Richardson told his former boss and patron, Bill Clinton, to go to Hell.
Richardson, after due consideration, had seen which way the political wind was blowing and soon threw his support for then-Senator Obama. It was subsequently widely reported that there were two people that were very unhappy with Governor Richardson’s decision, both of whom happened to be named Clinton. Then, after Obama’s November victory, it was payback time.
It was no secret that Richardson desperately wanted to be Obama’s Secretary of State. Hillary Clinton preempted that idea when she claimed that job on the time-honored principle of political patronage as her reward, and to punish Richardson for supporting a candidate the both she and her husband hated. After being screwed over by the “Change We Can Believe In” crowd, Richardson was given the consolation prize of Secretary of Commerce.
The Governor seems to have forgotten the Prime Directive of Politics as Practiced by the Democratic Party: Do not piss off the Clintons.
Then came the”surprising revelation” that the governor’s name kept turning up in a grand jury’s investigation of possible corruption at high levels of state government, even though the Albuquerque Journal has been carrying the story for months. And, in seeming proof that Governor Richardson is not immune to the effects of the Peter Principle, the Washington Post is reporting that Richardson did not reveal that he was under investigation to the FBI while undergoing the routine background required of all potential presidential appointees.
And, in what may be the final blow to Richardson’s well-documented ego, KRQE television announced that its Viewer Poll on the question “Can Bill Richardson still govern New Mexico effectively?” revealed that 65% of those responding answered “No.”
Hey, Governor Richardson, can you spell “Rod Blagojevich?”
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bill Richardson is Out as Commerce Secretary Nominee
For a Sunday in January, the day proved to be quite interesting.
First of all, and dearest to my Everett Dirksen-Republican heart, came the blessing from Heaven that arrived when it was announced that the governor of my adopted state, Bill Richardson, had withdrawn his name from nomination as the Secretary of Commerce in the upcoming Obama Administration.
It seems that there was a small matter involving an ongoing federal investigation into whether certain contracts with the State of New Mexico were awarded to CDR Financial Products after that company made 5-figure “donations” to political action committees established by Governor Richardson.
It is probably just a coincidence that CDR was awarded contracts worth just under $1.5 million although it had not previously done business with the state.
Ina statement released to the media, Richardson said "Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact… But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."
Given the veracity of some of Governor Richardson’s previous statements, I am not convinced. Amused, perhaps, but certainly not convinced.
As I have admitted in the past, I am not a fan of Bill Richardson. In my opinion, and as the public record has demonstrated, the man is nothing short of a habitual liar who has only two interests in life: Bill Richardson, and how Bill Richardson will benefit from any given situation. To me, he has always come across as eerily similar to the sleazy, opportunistic character of Willie Stark in one of the greatest movies of all time, “All the King’s Men” (the 1949 film and not that travesty released in 2006).
President-elect Barak Obama announced that he was accepting Richardson's request to withdraw the nomination with "deep regret."
“It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post… I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration.”
I think it is quite likely that the President-elects “deep regret” is being assuaged by the fact that Richardson’s nomination will not become the second political albatross, of the endangered Rob Blagojevich species, to be hung from his neck prior to his inauguration. In fact, compared to the ongoing controversy involving Blagojevich’s appointment of Obama’s successor, the Richardson story will be “old news” in just under 48 hours.
Defying the Illinois State Legislature, the Illinois Attorney General, the United States Senate, and practically everyone else except God Himself, Blagojevich appointed a career political hack named Roland Burris, whose major qualification appears to be his “ethnic background,” to fill President-elect Obama’s seat in the Senate. This prompted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to vow that the Senate would refuse to seat Burris, although there have been signs that Reid might be softening his opposition pending the outcome of the latest public opinion polls.
As of this writing (January 6, 2009) the situation is shaping up like this:
According to Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution, the Senate is the only judge of the qualifications of its own members. If they don't want to seat Burris, all they have to say is that he's not qualified. Since the Illinois State Attorney General will not certify Burris’ appointment, as required by law, the Senate is well within its right to refuse to seat him. This would also represent the easiest way around the dreaded “race card” issue. Should they be required to seat Burris, or should Harry Reid change his mind a few more times, the Senate still has the option to expel him with a 2/3 majority vote.
(As a historical note, the last time the Senate refused to recognize a member was in 1947 when the newly-elected Republican majority rejected Mississippi Democrat Theodore Bilbo, who had been previously accused (but never indicted or formally charged) of corruption, bribery, and violence directed against black voters, was denied his seat).
In Classical Greek theater, the situation facing the President-elect and the Senate would be an example of irony: no matter what course of action they take, they will suffer at least some loss.
Since both the President-elect and the Senate Majority leader have announced their disapproval of Burris, should they now change their positions they would appear hypocritical and any reasons given for that change would appear less than honest. But, if they maintain their position and refuse to recognize Burris, they (or at least Sen. Reid) would be open to the inevitable charges of racism on the grounds that Burris would become the only African-American in the Senate. And, regardless of the outcome, the President-elect will have to explain his refusal to come to Burris’ assistance.
For a Sunday in January, the day proved to be quite interesting. As they say in the television news business, "Stay tuned for future developments."
First of all, and dearest to my Everett Dirksen-Republican heart, came the blessing from Heaven that arrived when it was announced that the governor of my adopted state, Bill Richardson, had withdrawn his name from nomination as the Secretary of Commerce in the upcoming Obama Administration.
It seems that there was a small matter involving an ongoing federal investigation into whether certain contracts with the State of New Mexico were awarded to CDR Financial Products after that company made 5-figure “donations” to political action committees established by Governor Richardson.
It is probably just a coincidence that CDR was awarded contracts worth just under $1.5 million although it had not previously done business with the state.
Ina statement released to the media, Richardson said "Let me say unequivocally that I and my administration have acted properly in all matters and that this investigation will bear out that fact… But I have concluded that the ongoing investigation also would have forced an untenable delay in the confirmation process."
Given the veracity of some of Governor Richardson’s previous statements, I am not convinced. Amused, perhaps, but certainly not convinced.
As I have admitted in the past, I am not a fan of Bill Richardson. In my opinion, and as the public record has demonstrated, the man is nothing short of a habitual liar who has only two interests in life: Bill Richardson, and how Bill Richardson will benefit from any given situation. To me, he has always come across as eerily similar to the sleazy, opportunistic character of Willie Stark in one of the greatest movies of all time, “All the King’s Men” (the 1949 film and not that travesty released in 2006).
President-elect Barak Obama announced that he was accepting Richardson's request to withdraw the nomination with "deep regret."
“It is a measure of his willingness to put the nation first that he has removed himself as a candidate for the Cabinet in order to avoid any delay in filling this important economic post… I look forward to his future service to our country and in my administration.”
I think it is quite likely that the President-elects “deep regret” is being assuaged by the fact that Richardson’s nomination will not become the second political albatross, of the endangered Rob Blagojevich species, to be hung from his neck prior to his inauguration. In fact, compared to the ongoing controversy involving Blagojevich’s appointment of Obama’s successor, the Richardson story will be “old news” in just under 48 hours.
Defying the Illinois State Legislature, the Illinois Attorney General, the United States Senate, and practically everyone else except God Himself, Blagojevich appointed a career political hack named Roland Burris, whose major qualification appears to be his “ethnic background,” to fill President-elect Obama’s seat in the Senate. This prompted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to vow that the Senate would refuse to seat Burris, although there have been signs that Reid might be softening his opposition pending the outcome of the latest public opinion polls.
As of this writing (January 6, 2009) the situation is shaping up like this:
According to Article 1, Section 5 of the Constitution, the Senate is the only judge of the qualifications of its own members. If they don't want to seat Burris, all they have to say is that he's not qualified. Since the Illinois State Attorney General will not certify Burris’ appointment, as required by law, the Senate is well within its right to refuse to seat him. This would also represent the easiest way around the dreaded “race card” issue. Should they be required to seat Burris, or should Harry Reid change his mind a few more times, the Senate still has the option to expel him with a 2/3 majority vote.
(As a historical note, the last time the Senate refused to recognize a member was in 1947 when the newly-elected Republican majority rejected Mississippi Democrat Theodore Bilbo, who had been previously accused (but never indicted or formally charged) of corruption, bribery, and violence directed against black voters, was denied his seat).
In Classical Greek theater, the situation facing the President-elect and the Senate would be an example of irony: no matter what course of action they take, they will suffer at least some loss.
Since both the President-elect and the Senate Majority leader have announced their disapproval of Burris, should they now change their positions they would appear hypocritical and any reasons given for that change would appear less than honest. But, if they maintain their position and refuse to recognize Burris, they (or at least Sen. Reid) would be open to the inevitable charges of racism on the grounds that Burris would become the only African-American in the Senate. And, regardless of the outcome, the President-elect will have to explain his refusal to come to Burris’ assistance.
For a Sunday in January, the day proved to be quite interesting. As they say in the television news business, "Stay tuned for future developments."
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