quotd

important insights from influential ideologues

brownlu

1307 quotes • Quoter since Aug. 06th, 2008

Page 1 of 37: Next

Politics

Is America facing an economic policy vacuum ahead of Jan. 20? (8 quotes)

ADD A QUOTE

Quotes from this Quoter

David Boaz

No

...Economies run on their own, without central direction, and an incredible cluster of errors like we’re dealing with now almost always results from government distortion of the natural workings of the economy...Maybe a policy timeout is the next best thing. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Grover Norquist

No

No Czars. No turning recessions into Great Depressions by government bureaucrats and politicians determined to “do something... Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Michael Cohen

Yes

The policy vacuum we are seeing in Washington today is a sad yet hardly unexpected coda to the Bush years...It's indeed difficult to imagine a President demonstrating less leadership at a time when America needs such leadership the most. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Yes

There certainly is a power vacuum, and it is sucking up people’s savings. This lame duck administration ran out of tools a while ago. Only a big stimulus package with some creative new federal investments will start the turnaround, and that cannot come until after January 20. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Ross Baker

Yes

It is imperative that a Treasury and economic policy team shape up quickly. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Steve Steckler

Yes

Obama should move immediately to select his Treasury secretary and have him/her working with Paulson very publicly. Right now. It's that serious, and the lack of such continuity is shaking both the markets and the public's confidence. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

David Biespiel

Yes

Why can't we acknowledge and live with vigilant patience...Just because money is allocated, [it's] still going to take a lot of time to "fix" and "save."...What's needed is not an Obama administration's mythic team of rivals; what's needed is an Obama administration's miracle team of accomplishment. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Brad Blakeman

No

There does not have to be a vacuum of policy and leadership on January 20, 2009. The power to prevent such a vacuum rests solely with the President-elect...The more stable the incoming administration is the less likely a vacuum...will develop...Stability at times of challenge is the key to success. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 21st, 2008

Politics

Is TARP working? (12 quotes)

ADD A QUOTE

Quotes from this Quoter

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Yes, but TARP's effect will take time

[TARP is] not intended to be an economic stimulus or an economic recovery package; it was intended to shore up the foundation of our economy by stabilizing the financial system. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Washington Post

No, the credit markets are still tight

Some six weeks after its enactment, the Treasury Department's Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) is itself, well, troubled...Midcourse corrections were pragmatic and probably wise. But they put a crimp in Mr. Paulson's credibility. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Richard Shelby

TARP's impact is difficult to measure

We have no information on who's getting what or how the money is being spent, who's benefiting from it, and so forth. It's a big mystery to all of us and it shouldn't be. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Richard Shelby

TARP's impact is difficult to measure

I'm concerned that the Treasury's decisions continue to be made in an ad hoc manner with little direction. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Gary L. Ackerman

No, the TARP plan is misguided

[Mr. Paulson,] you seem to be flying a $700 billion plane by the seat of your pants. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Yes, but TARP's effect will take time

There is no playbook for responding to turmoil we have never faced. We adjusted our strategy to reflect the facts of a severe market crisis. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Barney Frank

No, the TARP plan is misguided

When the program was passed, very explicit language was included to provide for mortgage foreclosure. It is essential that we do something to use some of the TARP funds for the diminution of the rate of mortgage foreclosures. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Gary L. Ackerman

No, the TARP plan is misguided

[TARP] is the second-largest bait-and-switch scheme that history has ever seen, second only to the reasons given to us to vote for the invasion of Iraq. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

John Dunbar

General Comments

Thus far, Treasury has allocated $290 billion of the TARP funds - $250 billion to banks and another $40 billion to insurance giant American International Group Inc. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

General Comments

While I understand the interest in spending TARP resources on other approaches, the efforts already under way will do more to prevent foreclosures than might have been achieved through very large purchases of mortgage-related securities through the TARP. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Paul Miller

No, the credit markets are still tight

Debt or TARP capital is not true capital. Long-term debt financing is not the solution. Only injections of true tangible common equity will solve the current crisis. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Yes, but TARP's effect will take time

Illiquid assets looked like the way to go. I will never apologize for changing the approach and the strategy when the facts change. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Politics

Why did the auto bailout proposal fail? (7 quotes)

ADD A QUOTE

Quotes from this Quoter

George Voinovich

It didn't; there's still time to help

I think there is a genuine concern here of getting something done during this period of time so that we don't lose General Motors. I think most people realize that this country's in a deep recession. If we lose GM...it could put us over the cliff. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Harry Reid

Hank Paulson

Paulson knows he has authority to take the money. He just doesn't want to do it. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Dana Perino

Political posturing from both parties

If Congress leaves for...vacation without having addressed this important issue, and especially if the Senate leaves without Senator Reid even allowing a vote on this [Republican] amendment, then the Congress will bear responsibility for anything that happens in the next couple of months... Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Ron Gettelfinger

It didn't; there's still time to help

Inaction is simply not an option. Without immediate action, we could see -- and I stress 'could see' -- the collapse of one or more of the domestic automakers by the end of the year. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Gary L. Ackerman

Congress mistrusts the Auto CEOs

There's a delicious irony in seeing private luxury jets flying into D.C. and people coming off of them with tin cups in their hands. It's almost like seeing guys show up in the soup kitchen in high hat and tuxedo. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Harry Reid

The Big 3 have no turnaround plan

No one has come up with a plan that can pass the House and Senate and be signed by President Bush. The auto companies have not been able to convince Congress or the American people that this bailout will be their last. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

The Big 3 have no turnaround plan

Until they show us the plan, we cannot show them the money. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Politics

Will the CA Supreme Court uphold or repeal Prop 8? (6 quotes)

ADD A QUOTE

Quotes from this Quoter

Dennis Herrera

Prop. 8 will be ruled unconstitutional

I have confidence that this court is going to make this decision on the facts and on the law. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Andrew Pugno

The Court will uphold Prop. 8

This is a great day for the rule of law and the voters of California. This order means that voters will get their day in court. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Brad Sears

General Comments

If the justices were really leaning towards upholding Prop. 8, and that was clear, they would have wanted to do it as quickly as possible and put the issue to rest. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Maura Dolan and Jessica Garrison

General Comments

In a move [puzzling] some legal analysts, Justice Joyce L. Kennard... a reliable supporter of gay rights, voted to deny review of the Proposition 8 challenges. The court gave no indication of her reasons but said she was willing to hear a separate case on the validity of existing gay marriages. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Andrew Pugno

The Court will uphold Prop. 8

We see today as a grand slam. Everything we asked for was granted. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Jerry Brown

General Comments

The matter of Proposition 8 should be resolved thoughtfully and without delay. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 20th, 2008

Politics

Can Hillary + Obama put aside their foreign policy differences? (16 quotes)

ADD A QUOTE

Quotes from this Quoter

David Broder

No, this role does not fit Mrs. Clinton

Even if Hillary Clinton were ready to play such a subordinate role...the presence of Bill Clinton makes that a doubly difficult assignment... Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

David Broder

No, this role does not fit Mrs. Clinton

If Clinton can be of service to Obama in Foggy Bottom, she can be of even greater value as an ally on Capitol Hill. I hope that is where she will be when January rolls around. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

David Corn

General Comments

...There's another issue to consider...if she runs the State Department in a fashion similar to how she managed her campaign, then the country will be in trouble. Her spinners went beyond the boundaries of...reasonable spinning...She signed off on strategic blunders. Hers was not a steady hand. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Allan J. Lichtman

General Comments

The Clintons love to do everything in the spotlight. This is their M.O. The question is, are there policy differences, personality clashes that could lead to problems. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Steve Clemons

Yes, they'll make a good policy team

Clinton has a lot of reasons to pull cooperatively with Obama and may want to help America achieve a new strategic direction and establish a new global equilibrium -- securing Obama's place in history, and her own. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Lanny Davis

General Comments

Would she be willing to give up her independent stature in the U.S. Senate, Robert F. Kennedy's seat, to be in the Cabinet? It will be a considerable decision for her. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Lanny Davis

General Comments

It's a completely different life than you lead in the Senate, where you are your own spokesperson, your own advocate. When you join the Cabinet of the president of the United States, that is no longer the case. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Beth Fouhy

No, this role does not fit Mrs. Clinton

Some at the State Department see her as a foreign policy lightweight, although there is grudging acknowledgment of her star power. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Thomas Friedman

General Comments

The important question, the answer of which is not at all clear to me, is about..the kind of relationship...she would have with the new president. My question: Is Obama considering Mrs. Clinton for this job in order to get her off his back or as a prelude to protecting her back? Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Thomas Friedman

General Comments

It takes America’s friends and adversaries about five minutes to figure out who really speaks for the White House and who doesn’t. If a secretary of state falls into the latter category, he or she will have little chance of doing effective diplomacy on a big issue. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Thomas Friedman

General Comments

When it comes to appointing a secretary of state, you do not want a team of rivals. Read the Article

Quoted by brownlu on Nov. 19th, 2008

Copyright © 2008 Quotd, Inc. All rights reserved.

About • Privacy Policy • Terms of Service • Contact Us