"Austan Goolsbee, CEA chair under Obama, tried to lay out a four-part test: “Everyone kind of knows they need to ask what conditions was the person handed, what did they do, what was happening elsewhere, and what would have happened if he wasn’t there?”
But those questions, Goolsbee admitted, are tough to answer. Whatever the answer is, however, it needs to take into account that the president’s control of the economy is at best incomplete. “Despite continued scrounging around in the basement,” Goolsbee said of his time in the White House, “I was never able to find the lever you flip that lets the economy grow and create jobs.”" Ezra Klein
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There are a number of false ideas around that are widely accepted in the public mind. These ideas are present because the largely uneducated media people put them there. Examples:
- Politics in a democracy is a form of marketing.
- The "surge" defeated the Sunni insurgency in Iraq.
- Petraeus is a great general.
- The president of the US is commander in chief of the US.
- Government is like business and therefore a businessman is well suited to bring good government.
- The president of the US has virtually unlimited power and should be punished or rewarded for everything that happens during his/her term of office.
- The president can create jobs in the private sector, as opposed to creating them by providing money for salaries.
- Ron Paul is a racist loser who should be ignored,
pl
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/2012/01/13/gIQAvsjQxP_story.html
Media people aren't by and large uneducated, though. They are either willing co-opted or intentional saboteurs.
As an aside, I haven't finished reading it yet, but Michael Hastings "The Operators" is a fascinating read by a journalist who is willing to do what a journalist should actually do.
Posted by: SteveB | 14 January 2012 at 07:43 PM
Steve B
TV journalists are generally "communications arts" people who don't know their a-s from a hot rock. If you are talking about print journalists I would agree. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 14 January 2012 at 11:15 PM
Most MSM voices and views are shaped by who pays them!
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 15 January 2012 at 12:11 AM
WRC
That is too kind. I have too many experiences of producers and interviewers being totally blank at anything but parroting whatthey have been told is acceptedd wisdom. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 15 January 2012 at 12:35 AM
Thankful discussion indeed! I think media should more concern about what exposing news to people. Anyway its very good read all over. Keep it up.
Posted by: Kelly Ana | 15 January 2012 at 05:04 AM
Well, those UN-educated media people can now get busy covering the Occupy AIPAC movement!!!!
Will You Occupy AIPAC? March 2-6 in Washington DC.
http://alethonews.wordpress.com/2012/01/14/will-you-occupy-aipac/
Posted by: Rd. | 15 January 2012 at 11:10 AM
I had a TV interview a couple of days ago regarding Iran (I won't name the network). The interviewer was so ignorant and poorly informed that he sat down with me beforehand and asked me to provide him with the questions to ask. At least he was acknowledging that the didn't know what the hell he was doing.
Posted by: Phil Giraldi | 15 January 2012 at 11:55 AM
For those who constantly pine for a CEO President, please take note.
The last two businessmen to hold the office of President were George W. Bush and Herbert Hoover.
Posted by: GregB | 15 January 2012 at 11:44 PM
O.o
I'm speechless, Mr. Giraldi. You essentially conducted both sides of the interview.
Posted by: Medicine Man | 16 January 2012 at 12:56 AM
It is somewhat interesting to note that notwithstanding the hype of the power of the President of USA the Prime Minister of English Imperial derived Governememtal systems is far more powerful than the President,as long as the said PM has a majority in their respective Parliament, e.g:
The Neocon PM of Canada, having achived majority in the House of Parliament with a 40% plurality of voters, can do anything within the Constitution [and respecting the slowness of Judiciary, quite a bit contrary to the Constitution]. The source of this power is that the PM sets the budget as he wishes and his party will vote it in, while the President is dependent on Congress - which might be working to make the President fail, as it is in this Congresws!
Posted by: Norbert Salamon | 16 January 2012 at 09:07 AM
Many of these on air babbling pundits would do well to read Neustadt's "Presidential Power" (probably long out of print but here's the wiki link:
http://wikisum.com/w/Neustadt:_Presidential_power
Posted by: howler | 16 January 2012 at 10:55 AM
I believe the president of the U.S. could be an eggplant, and I wish it was. The outcome would be the same. Plus, I have a fondness for eggplant...especially Baba Ghanouj.
Posted by: Morocco Bama | 18 January 2012 at 02:09 PM