The War Party
The New York Times asks the question this afternoon–”why did the stock market crash today?”
Speculation focused on fears about the direction of the economy, though it remained unclear why anxieties that have been around for months would suddenly take hold.
I have another theory–Wall Street doesn’t like war, and last night as the chants of “USA, USA” rumbled through the RNC convention hall, while Sarah Palin assured the crowd that John McCain was willing to “fight for you” against all enemies, I think it occurred to the big investors that these martial warriors might actually capture the White House. For two days Lieberman, Thompson, Guiliani and Palin have made it clear that the Republican Party is the War Party. As any investor can tell you, eight years of war have helped few firms except Halliburton and Exxon. If you put all of your money in an S & P 500 index Fund on the day of George Bush’s Inauguration, you would be down about 12% after almost 8 years. This is why Obama and the Democrats have actually raised more money from the financial industry than the Republicans.
The market doesn’t like the War Party any more and they were scared silly by the pit bull with lipstick.
Okay, all this political excitement is getting in the way of actual work, but yes – there were disconcerting rumblings in St. Paul last night, and that bodes ill for just about everyone.
Here’s a great piece on the fundamentally un-American quality that was busy wrapping itself in stars and stripes last night, and why the Democrats are by no means assured of countering it (something the markets may sense by instinct).
http://www.truthout.org/article/george-lakoff-warns-dems-reality-based-arguments
In essence, the Dems are smart to avoid specific personalities, and focus on issues. That spares them inevitable backlash from the mass of people who identify with the archetype they see in Palin and McCain, all of whom will consider an attack on one an attack on the many. Going after Palin as Palin would be like trying to turn back the tide by aiming cannons at the boats sailing on the surface.
Unfortunately, an issues driven response isn’t much better. Now you’re aiming cannons away from the boats, and into the tide itself.
Instead, the entire strategy needs to be in line with the nature of the threat itself. Yes, the Democrats can make use of their issues, but they need to be supporting players in a larger narrative about Change that directs us away from the fundamental lack of integrity within the Conservative movement itself, and the terrible effect it’s already had (financial meltdown, torture debates, endless war, etc.)
Focus on issues keep the conversation focused on McCain and Palin. Focus on the state of the nation becomes a referendum on the GOP.
When Rudy Guiliani gets up on stage and talks about the ‘courage’ to bait Muslim extremists, by hurling direct insults and provocations, you know you’re listening to an absolute madman. But is this one guy (like any one guy) really the problem? Or should you really be taking aim at all the people who jumped to their feet and roared when he was done?
Obama needs to position himself as the guy who can save the country from the GOP.
Okay, all this political excitement is getting in the way of actual work, but yes – there were disconcerting rumblings in St. Paul last night, and that bodes ill for just about everyone.
Here’s a great piece on the fundamentally un-American quality that was busy wrapping itself in stars and stripes last night, and why the Democrats are by no means assured of countering it (something the markets may sense by instinct).
http://www.truthout.org/article/george-lakoff-warns-dems-reality-based-arguments
In essence, the Dems are smart to avoid specific personalities, and focus on issues. That spares them inevitable backlash from the mass of people who identify with the archetype they see in Palin and McCain, all of whom will consider an attack on one an attack on the many. Going after Palin as Palin would be like trying to turn back the tide by aiming cannons at the boats sailing on the surface.
Unfortunately, an issues driven response isn’t much better. Now you’re aiming cannons away from the boats, and into the tide itself.
Instead, the entire strategy needs to be in line with the nature of the threat itself. Yes, the Democrats can make use of their issues, but they need to be supporting players in a larger narrative about Change that directs us away from the fundamental lack of integrity within the Conservative movement itself, and the terrible effect it’s already had (financial meltdown, torture debates, endless war, etc.)
Focus on issues keep the conversation focused on McCain and Palin. Focus on the state of the nation becomes a referendum on the GOP.
When Rudy Guiliani gets up on stage and talks about the ‘courage’ to bait Muslim extremists, by hurling direct insults and provocations, you know you’re listening to an absolute madman. But is this one guy (like any one guy) really the problem? Or should you really be taking aim at all the people who jumped to their feet and roared when he was done?
Obama needs to position himself as the guy who can save the country from the GOP.
Obama raised $10,000,000 last night during the speech of the governor from Alaska.
Volunteers are coming out from everywhere in great numbers.
She mobilized the base alright. The Democratic base. She did them a HUGE favor.
After last night’s deceitful, ideological display of sarcasm, belligerence, and bad will McQueeg is going to talk tonight about bi-partisanship.
The last eight years have led the Republicanists to believe Americans are idiots.
Obama raised $10,000,000 last night during the speech of the governor from Alaska.
Volunteers are coming out from everywhere in great numbers.
She mobilized the base alright. The Democratic base. She did them a HUGE favor.
After last night’s deceitful, ideological display of sarcasm, belligerence, and bad will McQueeg is going to talk tonight about bi-partisanship.
The last eight years have led the Republicanists to believe Americans are idiots.
“Obama needs to position himself as the guy who can save the country from the GOP.”
He might even save the GOP from the GOP.
“Obama needs to position himself as the guy who can save the country from the GOP.”
He might even save the GOP from the GOP.
McCain’s top word of the night: ‘Fight’.
McCain’s top word of the night: ‘Fight’.
geez, jon. the market probably “crashed” because a hedge fund blew up, not because of the republican party.
geez, jon. the market probably “crashed” because a hedge fund blew up, not because of the republican party.
John- From the Wall Street Journal at 1 PM ET. This did not stop the market from continuing to fall
Speculation sweeping the market that large hedge fund Atticus Capital is liquidating its positions and closing down is not accurate, according to executives of the firm.
John- From the Wall Street Journal at 1 PM ET. This did not stop the market from continuing to fall
Speculation sweeping the market that large hedge fund Atticus Capital is liquidating its positions and closing down is not accurate, according to executives of the firm.
The question I think this raises, is WHY, does Jon’s blog basically operate as an subsidiary RSS comments section for the NYT, a paper who is failing, day after day, week after week, month after month.
Jon stop being an old man. When your record of choice is failing, and you keep trumpeting it, you are are failing.
Please STOP acting like mentioning NYT is a POSITIVE. Go find your own data, and NOT your silly ML investor notes.
Seriously, within the pages of Reason magazine you will find articles that support some of your goals. Ditto Foreign Affairs. Ditto The New Republic. Ditto Atlantic Monthly. Hell, ditto slashdot. Ditto Digg.
I’ve come to believe you are slightly dis-advantaged by your reading habits – your data intake is too limited. Quite frankly you should read more, read deeper. Cancel that NYT subscription – like everyone else has. This isn’t the 90′s.
The question I think this raises, is WHY, does Jon’s blog basically operate as an subsidiary RSS comments section for the NYT, a paper who is failing, day after day, week after week, month after month.
Jon stop being an old man. When your record of choice is failing, and you keep trumpeting it, you are are failing.
Please STOP acting like mentioning NYT is a POSITIVE. Go find your own data, and NOT your silly ML investor notes.
Seriously, within the pages of Reason magazine you will find articles that support some of your goals. Ditto Foreign Affairs. Ditto The New Republic. Ditto Atlantic Monthly. Hell, ditto slashdot. Ditto Digg.
I’ve come to believe you are slightly dis-advantaged by your reading habits – your data intake is too limited. Quite frankly you should read more, read deeper. Cancel that NYT subscription – like everyone else has. This isn’t the 90′s.
Morgan- I still consider the New York Times the daily newspaper of record in the US. The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal are the only other credible sources on a daily basis.
You can consider me old fashioned but the other sources you cite are not published comprehensively on a daily basis.
Morgan- I still consider the New York Times the daily newspaper of record in the US. The Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal are the only other credible sources on a daily basis.
You can consider me old fashioned but the other sources you cite are not published comprehensively on a daily basis.
“A Tale of Two Economies” from Forbes. Hardly a liberal publication.
“A Tale of Two Economies” from Forbes. Hardly a liberal publication.
John, said hedge fund manager was probably a Republican!
John, said hedge fund manager was probably a Republican!