Obama team denies report Summers is Fed pick (But continue your trashing, anyway)

[KittyWampus]

Obama team denies report Summers is Fed pick
Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY 8:15 a.m. EDT September 13, 2013


The White House is disputing a Japanese newspaper's report that former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers will be named the next chairman of the Federal Reserve by President Obama.

The Nikkei newspaper, which did not publicly name its sourcing for its story, said Obama was "set to" name Summers to the position, possibly as early as next week.

White House spokeswoman Amy Brundage said in a tweet Friday that "the latest rumors this morning in the Japanese press aren't true" and that Obama "has not yet made a decision on Fed Chair."

On Tuesday, more than 350 economists signed a letter to Obama calling on him to nominate Federal Reserve Vice Chair Janet Yellen to be the Fed's next chairman.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/13/summers-yellen-federal-reserve/2808511/

[leftynyc]

1. I'm sorry, you're wasting your time

The ODSers are off to the races on this one already.

[The Magistrate]

2. i Hope This Is The Case, Ma'am

Summers is a wretched creature who under no circumstances should be given another shot at ruining our economic life.

[daleanime]

5. You, sir, are correct.

[hlthe2b]

3. We've seen countless trial balloons re: Summers

--all which have been met with tremendous pushback.

My guess is that this is an attempt to bolster Summers with some international support....

Of course they've not made a final decision--until a nomination is announced, I have no problem with believing that. That doesn't mean they aren't continuing to push Summers in hopes of diminishing his opposition.

[KittyWampus]

6. how do you know where these balloons come from?

[hlthe2b]

7. Never said I did, nor even implied so. Stop your ugly flame-baiting

[tridim]

4. Obama should nominate "Chained CPI" for Fed Chair just to fuck with the haters. nt

[hlthe2b]

8. How nice that you support destroying SS, just to counter Obama critics.

Incredibly ugly. You call yourself a progressive?

[tridim]

19. LOL

[FSogol]

14. +1. Major LOLs.

[BlueStreak]

9. You don't understand activism, apparently

Clearly Obama was seriously considering Summers. If he is backing off that position, that means the activism is working. And that is a good thing.

Just as it is a good thing that activism stopped, or at least slowed down, Obama's plans to get us recklessly into another war.

If you are not comfortable with progressive activism, perhaps you have stumbled upon the wrong site. I suggest you build a new site called ObamaUnderground.org. That domain is available and I will pay the first year's fees if you decide that want to create a place that has the mission of cheer-leading for everything Obama says and does.

[truebrit71]

12. I thought..

Pro$ense already had dibs on that domain.... ...

[BlueStreak]

15. Apparently not. And these choice domain names are also available

ImReallyGettingAroundToThatChangeThing.com

NotALameDuck.com

[truebrit71]

10. Uh-huh...

...Sure he isn't picking Summers....far too many trial balloons for this not to have some merit...

Of course this could be the Far Left trying a double-fake on the 9th-level ninja-chess master that Obama is, and by forcing the WH to deny that they really do want to pick Summers, they are forced to pick someone else...

Yeah...maybe that's it

If Obama DOES pick Summers it will be only the most recent 'fuck you' in a long list of 'fuck you's ' from President (don't) Hope (for much) Change...

[BlueStreak]

16. They never said he ISN"T picking Summers

They just said that reports that Obama has "made a choice" are false. This is about as convincing as saying that Egypt didn't actually have a military coup.

Obama will Pick Summers if he thinks he can get away with it. And considering he doesn't stand for any more elections, he can.

[truebrit71]

17. I think he picks Summers and okays Keystone XL...

...what has he got to lose at this point? No-one takes that "Hope" and "Change" crap seriously anymore...especially when you look at his appointments and his record..

[BlueStreak]

20. I agree. But I don't see where he owes anything to the energy people

The Wall Streeters bankrolled him, so he will undoubtedly give them what they want. If not Summers it would be some other lackey.

But I don't see the same argument for the pipeline. ALl of the energy payers worked AGAINST him in the last election, so he doesn't own any favors. But perhaps one of his inner circle stands to profit from the pipeline.

Or maybe he sees that as a 9-dimensional chess move to take the issue away for the 2014 and 2016 cycles. You know, like "If we kill Medicare, that will really screw the Republicans because that will take their favorite issue off the table."

Or "If we expand the drone program, that will really screw the Republicans because they will never again be able to call a Democrat 'soft on defense'"

And so on.

[durablend]

11. And if/when he does

Will you apologize or as usual just say Obama is smarter than the rest of you in the room?

[truebrit71]

13. I was just about to ask the same question...

...but I'll wait to hear an answer from yours first..

[rusty fender]

18. It would be futile for him to do so

because at least 16 Dem senators have said that they will vote against Summers. We know that a vast majority of the Repukes will also vote against him. Obama doesn't have the numbers to get Summers approved, Period. End of story.