Daily Clips: April 28th, 2016
President Obama weighs his economic legacy: We’re now at that self-aggrandizing stage in a president’s term where they start to “cement” their legacy. Barack Obama certainly used this feature article in the New York Times to do just that. He speaks at length about the state of the US economy and how it’s not actually as bad as many Americans seem to think. The president does an admirable job of selling his economic policies.
However, at times, the president sounds like he doesn’t respect the economic anxiety of many Americans (or their economic acumen):
Asked if he was frustrated by all the criticism, Obama insisted that he wasn’t, at least not personally. ‘It has frustrated me only insofar as it has shaped the political debate,’ he said. ‘We were moving so fast early on that we couldn’t take victory laps. We couldn’t explain everything we were doing. I mean, one day we’re saving the banks; the next day we’re saving the auto industry; the next day we’re trying to see whether we can have some impact on the housing market.’
I understand that he got thrust into a terrible economic situation, but this comment clearly shows his disdain for public opinion. It reminds me of ObamaCare’s architect Jonathan Gruber’s comments about “the stupidity of the American voter.” Too often, this administration passes the blame onto the American people, and I find that to be the sign of weak/ineffective leadership.
A conversation with Joseph Stiglitz: Gillian White at the Atlantic sits down with Stiglitz to discuss inequality in American society.
Trump’s new campaign slogan? “America First”: Jingoism 101.
Tweet of the day:
Today, #Vermont became 4th in nation to pass automatic voter registration. Read more: https://t.co/jTiCZwwPA0 pic.twitter.com/xqonqTQVGH
— Brennan Center (@BrennanCenter) April 28, 2016
