Larry Summers: not exactly what we've been told?

[Bread and Circus]

Look, I don't know much about Larry Summers, but right now I'd trust Obama with my life. He's given me ZERO reason not to trust him to up to this point. I've been puzzled about the Larry Summers pick, but I have to say I've read a couple very flattering articles on Huffpo about him.

I'm not sure how much stock to put in them but they are worth a read:

=====================================================================================

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wendy-kopp/larry-summers----my-exper_b_142474.html

Larry Summers -- My Experience

My own experience with Larry Summers squares exactly with Sheryl Sandberg's. In contrast with some of the criticism leveled at Larry, I have seen him exert rare commitment both in supporting women and in addressing the issues facing economically disadvantaged communities. When Larry was president of Harvard, he reached out to initiate a meeting with me to discuss what more Harvard could do to improve education in low-income communities; I don't remember any other college president doing this in the eighteen years I've been at this. He joined our board of directors two years ago and I have thought more times than I can count about how much his engagement has done for our broader cause.....

and

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sheryl-sandberg/what-larry-summers-has-do_b_142126.html

Larry Summers' True Record on Women

Larry has been a true advocate for women throughout his career. In 1992, as Chief Economist of the World Bank, Larry argued in front of the world's Finance Ministers that the highest return investment they could make in their economies was to educate their girls. Through his work, girls' education became a focus for development experts and a topic not just in education ministries, but in financial ministries worldwide.

I first met Larry when I was a junior at Harvard. A friend and I were forming a new student organization, Women in Economics and Government, to encourage women to major in these subjects. We told all of our professors of our efforts and of all of them, the one who helped us the most was Larry. He served as our champion and helped rally the support of his fellow professors behind our efforts. The following year, when I wanted to write my senior thesis on the economics of spousal abuse, Larry volunteered to be my adviser because he recognized the importance of the issue....

========================================================

I'm not saying any of this is conclusive. But it is intriguing.

[DJ13]

1. Sounds like the DLC are pulling out all the stops trying to force Obama's hand

I always get suspicious when people start promoting someone this heavily.

[wyldwolf]

10. yes, the DLC MUST have something bad on Obama for him to consider this! LOL!

[sandnsea]

2. I've repeatedly heard the same

even immediately after his unfortunate remarks. He's supposed to be one of the most brilliant minds in the country so if he's what we need, I'm fine with it. People also need to get a clue that the Treasury Secy is in charge of monetary policy and that's it's only one part of the overall economy. What the President does with fiscal, trade, labor and energy policy will also make immediate impacts on our economy.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

3. I'm actually less concerned about the sexism than I am about all the Free Market Koolaid he's drunk.

AFAIK, he may be interested in expanding opportunities for girls and women only to the extent that they are available to toil in sweatshops in service of Almighty Globalization.

[autorank]

4. Free market failures

We don't need them. But we don't really know who gets what yet.

[RepublicanElephant]

5. ask summers if he's still singing the deregulation song.

i'd rather have someone who maybe was a little less intelligent, but more deeply compassionate about this world, than larry the brilliant deregulation economist.

milton friedman was a brilliant economist, too.

[Antennas]

6. Summers is a douche.

Controversy follows him and he's a free market asshole.

Tim Geithner should get the job. Not Summers.

[cali]

9. Fortunately, I didn't elect you as president.

I elected Obama and I elected him to exercise his own judgment on who he chooses to serve in his administration. I may not like all his picks- in fact, I'm almost certain not to- but I do believe he's earned the right to choose who he wants.

[LatteLibertine]

7. Agreed

I'm more concerned about the "free market" nonsense. Free market capitalism has largely been a myth in the United States. We've been all about corporatism and corporate globalism.

Those espousing unfettered "free markets" are making money off of said corporatism, either directly or indirectly. Most aren't in the most wealthy 10% of the United States. Their advocates are usually well paid flunkies. Or "god" forbid ignorant rednecks who worship these sorts.

[No Elephants]

8. Isn't everything at least a little different from what we have been told? I remember

Pubs protesting the attacks on Summers, but I am pretty sure they did it for the wrong reasons. As in "So what if what he said sounded like being able to grow a baby inside you somehow limits your career paths? Statistics show he was right." However, we should always question what both--make that all--sides say. Do your own research and think for yourself.

Maybe he said it, much in the same way that Obama called himself a mutt. Obama did not literally mean that he is a dog, only that his ancestry was a mixture. Maybe Summers did not mean what he said literally, either, only that the statistics seem one sided.

We cannot keep destroying people because every thing they say and do is not absolutely the most perfect. People are human. They are and so are you. Get over it.

[wyldwolf]

11. this is so much fun!

Watching Obama make these decisions without consulting everyone...