Just Saw the List of All of Obama's Economic & Domestic Advisors

from an article in the Chicago Tribune. http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/chi-obama_mon_nusep17,0,3844054.story?page=3

While he has dozens of foreign policy advisors, the following handful are the sum total of his economic and domestic policy advisors:

Michael Froman - Citigroup bank exec., pro-free trade & "business-friendly", former Pres. Clinton advisor
Austan Goolsbee - professor of business at U. of Chicago
David Cutler - Pres. Clinton health economist, opposes single-payer
David Blumenthal - Director, Institute for Health Policy, Harvard Medical School
Jeffrey Liebman - Economist, Harvard professor and member of Clinton White House Council of Economic Advisers. Research has focused on role of earned income tax credit in moving people from welfare to work
Dan Tarullo - International trade expert, Georgetown law professor and former Bill Clinton economic adviser i.e. GATT & NAFTA
proponent
Eric Holder - Clinton deputy attorney general
Cass Sunstein - University of Chicago law professor
Laurence Tribe - Harvard law professor
Cassandra Butts - Senior policy adviser to House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt

I'm a lifelong progressive, I've made around 300 online phone bank calls for Obama, and after reading this, I'm heartsick. Note the total dearth of labor economists, economic development experts, experts in "green" economics, environmental advisors, anyone to educate him on the opposition viewpoint to the current trade agreements. No wonder the economy/jobs section of his website is so minimal. JFK used to have experts from both sides of an important controversial issue verbally duke it out during cabinet meetings so he could be sure he got the whole picture before making a decision. He knew he was weak on practical economics so he met with John Kenneth Galbraith almost daily. HE took his responsibility seriously.

Thanks to Bush & Co. we're facing possible economic meltdown (and all the suffering that would accompany it) if the next administration doesn't implement creative means to grow the U.S. economy, and restore some manufacturing (preferably green) in order to boost the demand side (purchasing power). Why couldn't John Edwards have had more charisma, or one of the charasmatic Ohioan populists, Gov. Ted Strickland or Sen. Sherrod Brown be the newbie with the chutzpah to run as the "outsider". Foolish me for assuming that Obama, who made such a point of taking no PAC money, avoiding lobbyists on his campaign staff, and is clearly brilliant would use his independence to enact domestic and economic policies that restore balance by favoring the people over the power elite.

This post may not make it to the board, and I may get asked to leave, but, to be honest, I'm beginning to think the Pennsylvanians and W. Virginians might have got him right--a fellow so full of himself, so above everyone else, that he doesn't even know what it is he doesn't know.

But speaking as a pretty recent convert to Obana, I'm more pumped up (and full of HOPE!) over the movement he has ignited/inspired. That might not be squeezed back into the tube so easily after he gets elected. What comes to mind right now, is FDR and the movement that followed his presidency.

pnorman

So I doubt you'll end up tombstoned for this.

*sigh*

To know a thing in theory is not the same as knowing it in reality. I knew nothing would change in this election, but to see it play out is sickening, as you say.

While Obama talks a fine game, he's been a lackey for his entire senate term, so it follows that he'd be cozying up to the folks on the list.

it's only "fair" that they receive a good return on their investment.

....using the same BushCo rich get richer policies

with 'all-stars'. Did you bother to look for any other sources, or do you go with someone's opinion from the first source you read? Could be whoever is writing the story has a slant different than others. That's an opinion for you.


Obama's policy team loaded with all-stars
Criticized by some as lean on experience, the Democrat has drawn a huge circle of advisers with expertise honed in the circles of power

By Mike Dorning | Washington Bureau
September 17, 2007


WASHINGTON - Barack Obama's presidential bid may have a well-cultivated insurgent feel, as the candidate both benefits and suffers politically from a relatively thin record of experience in Washington.

But the swelling team of policy advisers who have joined his campaign shows a politician grounded in his party's intellectual mainstream and well-connected within the capital's Democratic establishment.

As Obama rapidly transitioned from a senator with less than three years in office to a presidential candidate who has delivered detailed policy speeches, he has assembled a personal think tank that easily outsizes any of the established Washington policy institutes that provide intellectual fodder for the political war of ideas.

On foreign policy alone, some 200 experts are providing the Obama campaign with assistance of some sort, arranged into 20 subgroups. On the domestic front, more than 500 policy experts are contributing ideas, campaign aides said. Veterans of previous election campaigns say the scale of the policy operation resembles the full-blown effort candidates typically undertake for a general election campaign rather than the more stripped-down versions common for the primary season.

lots more...

http://www.chicagotribune.com/services/newspaper/printedition/monday/chi-obama_mon_nusep17,0,3844054.story

That's what probably impressed them. Like I said in my post there are literally dozens of foreign policy advisors, lots ex-military, etc. You can follow the link.

Remember?

He had so many stellar people in the supporting cast!

Remember?

And he was also unseasoned.

I posted a couple of replies to other things before I read the article. I guess I just have some crazy idea that people might react to this and it'll eventually get to the Obama camp, and he'll feel the need to bring in a token progressive or two. Nah.

Feel free, though, to accuse Hillary Clinton of everything from double-parking to killing and eating babies.

LOTS of people joined DU just to do that very thing.

--p!

And the rest of us are Marie of Roumania.

Goodness gracious. That's horrible!

No doubt IMHO that there were better alternatives for the Dem nomination than either of the two candidates that remain standing.

I will vote for whoever gets the Dem nomination come November. But it will be a half hearted nose holding vote. Neither represent my interests and priorities.

I sincerely hope that the Dem nominee is elected. But I do not expect the next President to being significant changes. That's my financial assessment of candidate loyalties, priorities and character.

you are very concerned. That's great!

FSogol's shoveling fast!

Obama '08

I just joined a couple days ago and have been painting my toes everyday since!
Today they are tropical paradise pink!

edit: oh wait FSogol's playing nice...bummer...false smackdown...
*spits out popcorn* Drats.

To you, maybe.

I heard one of Obama's economical advisors speak on tv the other day and he was very knowledgeable and liberal. He was a university professor, and he said everything the way I wanted him too. I doubt if those listed above are all of his advisors, but even if they were, which I doubt, you can't expect someone who is running for president to have all the advisors on his staff that a sitting president would have. It ain't gonna happen, because no one could raise enough money to afford that.

Did you read the article or just read the names. Because I found some interesting things you must have missed.

1. "The campaign policy team gathered around Obama is hardly a shadow Cabinet. If he wins the nomination, other Democratic policy experts who now are neutral or allied with a different candidate will gravitate toward him. If he's elected, still more will join his circle."

2. While talking about his advisory staff as a freshman senator, they discribe it as unusual for freshman statesman. "His staff quickly began bringing in outside experts for wide-ranging discussions on policy: trade over Thai takeout in his Senate office, energy over dinner at a trendy Capitol Hill restaurant. Obama brings the Socratic style of a law professor to policy discussions and enjoys the give-and-take of opposing views, advisers said."

"It's very spirited," said one longtime aide. "He tests out ideas and challenges people. Nobody is allowed to be quiet."

I think you are making much to do over nothing. The articles lists those they consider all-stars, they do not say this is all his advisors. at least that is how I read it.

""He tests out ideas and challenges people. Nobody is allowed to be quiet."

Remember?

Obama is intelligent.

The minute I saw bush on tv I got sick at my stomach. I knew there was evil there and I told everyone that I could not to vote for him or Nader, because if he got elected our country was in trouble. Eight years later, I have been proven right. On the other hand, I had the privilege of meeting and speaking with Barack (in 2004) and I have to say there was no such feeling. In fact I found him to be one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, and unlike other politicians he listened to you when you spoke to him. After listening he would give his own opinion, whether he agreed with you or not. And trust me, he did sometimes disagree with us, but he was thoughtful and explained in full the reasons for his disagreement. When he finished, we understood his position. (whether we agreed or not.;) )

A thread of concern and disappointment
a call for improvement and...could it be? progress?

This will be buried in about 10 minutes.

Thanks for the insight though. To keep moving forward we have to ask these questions of our leaders.
But DONT give up on him!
You should write him an email of your concern.

Obama '08

after I read this ............


Transworld News reports the search for Obama's VP is being headed by:

"Former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson has been asked by Senator Barack Obama on Thursday to start the search for a viable Vice Presidential candidate.
As of 2006, Johnson is a vice chairman of the private banking firm Perseus LLC, a position he has held since 2001. He is also a member of the American Friends of Bilderberg, the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Trilateral Commission."

His name is James A. Johnson,
.and he chose Edwards for VP in 2004.
and Mondale in '84...

Bilderberg group influence details in the Transnews story :
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=47760&c...

and most importantly see the inter-related map of who's who on Muckety:
http://www.muckety.com/Perseus-LLC/5001487.muckety
by clicking on names, you can see who they are connected to.

Same ole, same ole....I am soooo depressed by this.

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Obama is sure as hell not as progressive as I'd like (I went Gore, Kucinich, Edwards then Obama). What I'm hoping is that this movement he's built (which very much IS progressive) will hold his feet to the fire.