Thursday, September 25, 2008
Kabuki Political Theatre
"Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers." - from wikipedia.com
These last 36 hours or so has become a very strange, American version of a kabuki theatre performance. All with the backdrop of a complete financial-market meltdown.
I must now express my dislike for bailing out Wall Street, but given the alternative of doing nothing, I see no real choice. The credit markets are freezing up. It is impossible to avoid that fact.
If Warren Buffett says this is the way to go, I'm going to believe him. He hasn't been wrong yet, as far as I can tell.
During all of this yesterday, it appears that John McCain decided to hang Barack Obama out to dry when Barack tried to have them come together and make a statement about this issue.
Here's the basics of the timeline from yesterday, according to multiple press reports:
8:30am - Obama calls McCain saying that he thinks they have common ideas as to what is needed for this problem and maybe they should put out a joint statement on the subject. McCain was in a "meeting" and unable to take the call. His campaign says that Obama didn't say the reason for his call.
Yup, Obama was calling just to see how McCain was feeling that day. That makes sense.
2:30pm - McCain calls Obama and tells him that he thinks both should suspend their campaigns, postpone the debate on Friday, and go to Washington and work on this crisis. Obama, who was just finishing a campaign rally, tells McCain he needs to talk to his folks about it and would get back to him.
3:05pm - McCain goes before the press and states that he is "suspending" his campaign and will be going back to D.C. to get a bill together to save us all. By the way, he's not going to debate Barack Obama at Ole Miss unless there is an agreement by Friday.
Barack Obama walks into his hotel room to see this. No chance given to talk to his campaign staff and consider what would be best.
McCain, who's fitness for office George Will this week questioned, decided to offer a bi-partisan approach to this crisis. Then, before the person who was supposed to be his partner on this deal had a chance to decide (sorry, 30 minutes in a car does not really count as time to fairly consider the range of options), he goes off unilaterally to blaze a trail to almost nowhere.
Now you tell me, if you had a person who did this to you, would you trust him any further on any other issue. Of course not, because he cares not about your actual feelings or actions.
Given that Barack Obama has tried (and pretty much succeeded) to be a steady hand in this complete mess, this seems to be John McCain's attempt to make Obama look bad.
But what is it really doing. As of this moment, it seems to have completely gummed up the works of an agreement which seems to have been struck between the White House, the Democrats in both Houses, and the Republican Leadership in at least the Senate. Good move, Mr. McCain.
But it continues to be the abject cynicism which surrounds the McCain campaign that I think is silly and sad. His campaign is all make-up and movement, but no real substance. He has yet to make a coherent statement on economics or the economy.
Heck, the "suspension" of his campaign is not a suspension at all. All of his surrogates were out taking pot shots at Obama and Democrats, although they seem to be the only ones with actual proposals and ideas.
There is said to be a proposal coming from the intransigent House Republican's, but for all we know that could be increased prayer. We, the American public, have actually not been told anything about this other proposal, so we have no idea whether its a good idea or not.
For all I know, this is just one big show to help make John McCain look relevant. But the silence of what they are proposing is deafening.
Now, this is not to say that Barack Obama has been perfect throughout this crisis. I would have liked him to come out with a stronger plan for solving this problem, but then again, maybe he was listening to his friend, Warren Buffett. Like I said, Mr. Buffett says it, I consider it golden.
And Mr. Obama has played a role in this play also, although the make-up on him seems much thinner. Not that there's a ton of answers (who has all the answers to this complete screw-up), but at least he has tried to be a steady leader in the midst of this crisis. I'll take that over jumping about like a madman, moving quickly from one set of ideas to the next without any connection between them.
Tomorrow we shall continue to see the dance. There will be thrilling highs and mighty lows. Expect the stock market to fall around 500 points until there is some agreement, if there is one. All of it will signify little, as the plan which ends up being passed will probably be much like the one agreed upon earlier today. Everyone will pat themselves on the back, take deep bows, and say their candidate for president is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Will we, as a country, be any better off for their delays and dancing about? Only G_d knows.
But doesn't this stupidity speak greatly to the need to change the environment in Washington. This theatre, for all it's drama and comedy, is tiresome and gets in the way of our business, the people's business.
When are we, as a people, going to stop rewarding this kind of behavior? It insults us all.
The make-up must come off, the dance must stop.
These last 36 hours or so has become a very strange, American version of a kabuki theatre performance. All with the backdrop of a complete financial-market meltdown.
I must now express my dislike for bailing out Wall Street, but given the alternative of doing nothing, I see no real choice. The credit markets are freezing up. It is impossible to avoid that fact.
If Warren Buffett says this is the way to go, I'm going to believe him. He hasn't been wrong yet, as far as I can tell.
During all of this yesterday, it appears that John McCain decided to hang Barack Obama out to dry when Barack tried to have them come together and make a statement about this issue.
Here's the basics of the timeline from yesterday, according to multiple press reports:
8:30am - Obama calls McCain saying that he thinks they have common ideas as to what is needed for this problem and maybe they should put out a joint statement on the subject. McCain was in a "meeting" and unable to take the call. His campaign says that Obama didn't say the reason for his call.
Yup, Obama was calling just to see how McCain was feeling that day. That makes sense.
2:30pm - McCain calls Obama and tells him that he thinks both should suspend their campaigns, postpone the debate on Friday, and go to Washington and work on this crisis. Obama, who was just finishing a campaign rally, tells McCain he needs to talk to his folks about it and would get back to him.
3:05pm - McCain goes before the press and states that he is "suspending" his campaign and will be going back to D.C. to get a bill together to save us all. By the way, he's not going to debate Barack Obama at Ole Miss unless there is an agreement by Friday.
Barack Obama walks into his hotel room to see this. No chance given to talk to his campaign staff and consider what would be best.
McCain, who's fitness for office George Will this week questioned, decided to offer a bi-partisan approach to this crisis. Then, before the person who was supposed to be his partner on this deal had a chance to decide (sorry, 30 minutes in a car does not really count as time to fairly consider the range of options), he goes off unilaterally to blaze a trail to almost nowhere.
Now you tell me, if you had a person who did this to you, would you trust him any further on any other issue. Of course not, because he cares not about your actual feelings or actions.
Given that Barack Obama has tried (and pretty much succeeded) to be a steady hand in this complete mess, this seems to be John McCain's attempt to make Obama look bad.
But what is it really doing. As of this moment, it seems to have completely gummed up the works of an agreement which seems to have been struck between the White House, the Democrats in both Houses, and the Republican Leadership in at least the Senate. Good move, Mr. McCain.
But it continues to be the abject cynicism which surrounds the McCain campaign that I think is silly and sad. His campaign is all make-up and movement, but no real substance. He has yet to make a coherent statement on economics or the economy.
Heck, the "suspension" of his campaign is not a suspension at all. All of his surrogates were out taking pot shots at Obama and Democrats, although they seem to be the only ones with actual proposals and ideas.
There is said to be a proposal coming from the intransigent House Republican's, but for all we know that could be increased prayer. We, the American public, have actually not been told anything about this other proposal, so we have no idea whether its a good idea or not.
For all I know, this is just one big show to help make John McCain look relevant. But the silence of what they are proposing is deafening.
Now, this is not to say that Barack Obama has been perfect throughout this crisis. I would have liked him to come out with a stronger plan for solving this problem, but then again, maybe he was listening to his friend, Warren Buffett. Like I said, Mr. Buffett says it, I consider it golden.
And Mr. Obama has played a role in this play also, although the make-up on him seems much thinner. Not that there's a ton of answers (who has all the answers to this complete screw-up), but at least he has tried to be a steady leader in the midst of this crisis. I'll take that over jumping about like a madman, moving quickly from one set of ideas to the next without any connection between them.
Tomorrow we shall continue to see the dance. There will be thrilling highs and mighty lows. Expect the stock market to fall around 500 points until there is some agreement, if there is one. All of it will signify little, as the plan which ends up being passed will probably be much like the one agreed upon earlier today. Everyone will pat themselves on the back, take deep bows, and say their candidate for president is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Will we, as a country, be any better off for their delays and dancing about? Only G_d knows.
But doesn't this stupidity speak greatly to the need to change the environment in Washington. This theatre, for all it's drama and comedy, is tiresome and gets in the way of our business, the people's business.
When are we, as a people, going to stop rewarding this kind of behavior? It insults us all.
The make-up must come off, the dance must stop.
# posted by Kevin @ 4:45 PM 
