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IMF Conditionality that ignored people in developing countries and exacerbated crises and the new G20 focus on social help and stimulus spending.
03/31/2009
The new G20 mandate for social help and stimulus spending makes official the new policy direction for the IMF. It and marks the end of old style conditions that worsened the living conditions of people in countries that accepted IMF help, and exacerbated crises. Which is why the very word IMF scares people in S.Korea and in Pakistan and in so many other places.
Linked Articles
Steven Pearlstein - A Rare Triumph of Substance at the Summit
Washington Post 04/03/2009
An Empowered IMF Faces Pivotal TestWall Street Journal 03/31/2009
Geithner's Plan for Toxic Assets
03/23/2009
Experts are doubtful Geithner's plan of March 23, 2009 for toxic assets will work. Its similiar to plans previously announced by Paulson in the Bush administration. Views of Krugman, Eavis and Reinhart. If lack of confidence and lack of liquidity were the only problems they say, government money as incentives might work, but the problem is more basic and structural. These mortgage securities are from a time of easy money, now investors are shy of risks and would discount them even more as a safety factor, and banks would not want to sell them at that price. Are stress tests and nationalization of failed banks around the corner?
Linked Articles
Why Congress Will Kill the Bank Rescue
Wall Street Journal 03/24/2009
Geithner's Gamble Needs SpeculatorsWall Street Journal 03/23/2009
The financial crisis poses a challenge to the idea of a single European Community, the EU itself.
02/26/2009
The countries of Eastern Europe and the banks of western European countries are enmeshed in a growing financial crisis that threatens the unity of Euope, and the idea of the European Community. What kind of help will Germany and other nations of western Europe provide. Will this be differentiated by different groups of countries like the Baltics different from Hungary, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic, and how will leaders like Angela Merkel of Germany negotiate the political winds, as she faces an upcoming election.
Linked Articles
The bill that could break up Europe
Economist 02/26/2009
Sweden Aids Bailout of Baltic NationsNew York Times 03/13/2009
Gates new perspective on the US role in foreign affairs.
01/05/2009
How Gates sees the US role in foreign affairs and its relaions with Russia, the war with extremist Islamic militants, and the ways in which US policies should be reshaped in the new administration.
Linked Articles
Pentagon Chief Sees Opportunities In Russia and the War on Terrorism
Washington Post 01/05/2009
A Balanced StrategyForeign Affairs 01/05/2009
An Alternate View of U.S., and EU relations with Russia from Gates and German public opinion
01/05/2009
A look back at former Defense Secretary Gates views about Russia in the larger context of the postwar years and what it is today, including Georgia (and Crimea) and other issues. A similiar perspective fom the German side as seen by former chancellor Kohl, Merkel, Schroeder, and Ischinger, going back to the days of Wily Brandt. Brandt was Mayor of West Berlin in the period of enormous tensions between the Soviets and the Federal Republic during the sixties and later initiated the policy of constructive engagement.
Linked Articles
Pentagon Chief Sees Opportunities In Russia and the War on Terrorism
Washington Post 01/05/2009
Germany's Angela Merkel Treads Softly With Russia's Putin On UkraineWall Street Journal 04/08/2014
The untold story of civilians caught in the crossfire in the wars in places like Gaza and Afganistan that have lasted decades.
12/25/2008
A physiotherapist from Turin, Italy, who runs the Red Cross Rehabilitation Center in Afghanistan, and a wounded surgeon who loses his wife and child in the cross fire between militants and Israelis in Gaza City, both have an untold story of civilians in both places.
Linked Articles
A Foreign Face Beloved by Afghans of All Stripes
New York Times 12/25/2008
Despair and a Defiant Smile in a Gaza HospitalNew York Times 01/09/2009
A rescue plan would involve dbtholders, unions, and management all taking a haircut.
11/21/2008
How the automakers failed to convince Congress and end up in a three way battle in Congress between the Democrats, Republicans and the midwestern Congressmen with things like automakers private jets drawing scrutiny over how this industry was diffeerent in the way it did things including the higher medical benefits of union workers that burdened the companies.
Linked Articles
Detroit’s Bid for Aid Fails For Now
New York Times 11/21/2008
Terms of a Rescue PlanBusinessWeek 12/11/2008
GM and Ford spent $175 million lobbying in the last 10 years with focus on fighting fuel efficiency standards.
11/15/2008
A misstep that leads to falling behind the Europeans and the Japanese in innovating and investing early in the area of fuel efficiency.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 11/15/2008
Clout Has Plunged for Automakers and Union, TooNew York Times 11/18/2008
The Martin Feldstein plan to address foreclosures and the plan of Glenn Hubbard.
10/02/2008
Feldstein headed Reagan's economic policy team, and Hubbard headed the elder Bush's economic policy team. Its interesting that both lamented the lack of addressing the foreclosures as root of the problem. Feldstein and Hubbard gave their own proposals on the pages of the WSJ on the eve of the $700 billion bailout. The bailout plan had this gaping hole in it- with little for serious foreclosure prevention.
Linked Articles
The Problem Is Still Falling House Prices
Wall Street Journal 10/04/2008
First, Let's Stabilize Home PricesWall Street Journal 10/02/2008
Did Putin overreact in Georgia 2008 and Ukraine 2014? Russia and the dangers to the Russian economy of not maintaining good relations with the West
08/13/2008
Russia tones down its overreaction as 66% of Russians polled in June say Russian forces should not enter Ukrainian terrritory. Putin and Russians in the administration policy making may have underestimated the reaction in the U.S. as reflected in this WSH editorial saying Americans should remember the words of Gen. Lucius Clay during the Berlin Blockade and the subsequent airlift. This could be why analysts in Russia now maintain that good relations with the West must be maintained, and entry of Russian forces into Ukraine would have disastrous consequences for Russia in terms of western sentiment and foreign investor sentiment. In such a situation Germany would be likely to support the stronger U.S. position seeing this in terms of the language used in theBerlin Airlift of 1948. For Germany and Russia this would be reversing the hard won gains of building relations from the time of Brandtand Kohl till today, fifty years of effort to build better relations and economic relationships- just too much for sober heads in Moscow Paris, and Berlin to accept, and closing another chapter in Russia's interactions with the West.
Linked Articles
Wall Street Journal 08/13/2008
Seeing Cost of Saber Rattling in Ukraine, Putin Alters CourseNew York Times 07/11/2014
US energy policy in cars showed the Detroit automakers falling way behind the Europeans and the Japanese in this chart.
07/06/2008
Detroit automakers sticking with the status quo let a wide gap build up in fuel efficiency and smaller cars with the Europeans and the Japanese. Upto the point that it became difficult for them to make a profitable small car because they had less expertise in that area.
Linked Articles
American Energy Policy, Asleep at the Spigot
New York Times 07/06/2008
GM plans $500M for 45-mpg small carDetroit News 08/22/2008
China's oil demand to grow at 2-3% over the next 15 years by one estimate.
06/20/2008
A much slower growth in oil demand as fuel efficient engines make a strong impact. Government policy raising oil prices, giving tax breaks for smaller engines to promote smaller cars on Chinese roads, and promotion of new hybrid and electric car technologies with significant subsidies, all push in this direction.
Linked Articles
China's Thirst for Oil Could Come Up Short
Wall Street Journal 06/01/2010
China Sharply Raises Energy PricesNew York Times 06/20/2008
Karen Elliott House, expert on Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, on the U.S., the EU, and Saudi Arabia- demographics, aspirations and the princes 2007-2014
05/14/2008
Pulitzer prize winning journalist for reporting from the Middle East and expert on Saudi Arabia, Karen Elliott House, describes the changes in Saudi Arabia with the huge young demographic, and what it means for Saudi society, U.S.-Saudi relations, meeting the aspirations of young people.
Linked Articles
As the Middle East Burns, the Saudis Ease Up at Home
Wall Street Journal 06/25/2014
Our Friends in RiyadhWall Street Journal 05/14/2008
The crisis in Eastern Europe and other developing countries and the G20 policy mandate to the IMF to support social help and stimulus spending
03/28/2009
The G-20 mandate that the IMF be the conduit for funds to help emerging countries, with the policy direction that an additional $850 billion be used not only to fix finances, but also emphasize social goals, and help people in these countries cope with the crisis. This is of great help to countries in difficulty, and assurance that the social fabric in these countries will not be torn apart as has happened before, and that people will get the necessary assistance.
Linked Articles
Steven Pearlstein - A Rare Triumph of Substance at the Summit
Washington Post 04/03/2009
Eastern Europe and the Financial CrisisWall Street Journal 03/28/2009
"So am I", the President responds to special interests gearing up to thwart his plans to revamp the economy.
03/01/2009
My message to them, is this: "So am I", with that remark in his radio address Obama says he knows special interests are gearing up for a fight to prevent needed change in education oppportunities that otherwise would close the door on the middle class, on health care coverage that otherwise will leave in addition to the 46 million not covered an additional number of that magnitude uncovered as unemployment rises and insurance premiums become unaffordable, and on energy that leaves energy policy to oil and gas companies that have done little to promote conservation or new technologies to reduce demand amid mushrooming global demand.
Linked Articles
Obama Calls His Budget Needed Change
New York Times 03/01/2009
Liberal Groups Are Flexing New Muscle in Lobby WarsNew York Times 03/01/2009
Politicians who deride "mere spending programs" may have not got it right.
02/15/2009
Republicans in the House, with every single one voting against the Stimulus bill, have derided government spending as wasteful and unnecessary. The impact on the deficit makes it look sensible. However on closer examination Robert Frank, a Cornell economist, points out that in some situtations like this government spending can be not wasteful but productive and efficient, and necessary.
Linked Articles
Go Ahead and Save. Let the Government Spend.
New York Times 02/15/2009
In Gingrich Mold, a New Voice for Solid Resistance in G.O.P.New York Times 02/15/2009
Obama looks for a stimulus spending plan that packs the greatest punch for the middle class and unemployment.
01/05/2009
About $300 billion of an estimated $800 billion stimulus spending plan by the Obama administration will be for tax cuts to individuals and businesses. There will be incentives for businesses to make net new hires and make new investments. The idea is to avoid wasteful spending if there is only spending on infrastructure and other spending.
Linked Articles
Obama Eyes $300 Billion Tax Cut
Wall Street Journal 01/05/2009
Government Spending Is No Free LunchWall Street Journal 01/22/2009
The West and policies towards Russia- (1) Kennan, Gates, Nurick and Allison on American policy in 2015-2016
01/05/2009
Linked Articles
In Cold War Echo, Obama Strategy Writes Off Putin
New York Times 04/19/2014
Pentagon Chief Sees Opportunities In Russia and the War on TerrorismWashington Post 01/05/2009
The Obama Stimulus: Looking for ways to get the most punch for the middle class and unemployment.
12/24/2008
Avoiding wasteful spending, including tax cuts, evaluating projects carefully are ways the Obama stimulus is trying to calibrate the plan for ways to help the middle class an unemployment without risks of overborrowing and overspending in wasteful ways.
Linked Articles
Government Spending Is No Free Lunch
Wall Street Journal 01/22/2009
For Stimulus Plan, Obama Team Weighing 'Green' Jobs vs. Traditional ProjectsWashington Post 12/24/2008
Gas tax that would be used for public transportation and bringing US policy in line with Europe on gas prices.
11/16/2008
How lower gas prices would not lead to a backshifting from necessary energy conservation and fuel efficency goals that are beneficial to the USA economy and to the global economy.
Linked Articles
How High Gas Prices Can Save the Car Industry
New York Times 11/16/2008
Clout Has Plunged for Automakers and Union, TooNew York Times 11/18/2008
New York Times editorial asks Congress to "Show us Hope" as 12 million households or 1 in 6 mortgages go under water.
10/02/2008
NYT laments the lack of anything to give hope to homeowners in the $700 billion bailout plan. So do Feldstein and Hubbard both Republican Presidential advisors of reagan and Bush.
Linked Articles
New York Times 10/02/2008
Housing Pain Gauge: Nearly 1 in 6 Owners 'Under Water'Wall Street Journal 10/08/2008
Polish and Czech views of Russia and their experience with Russia.
08/21/2008
The experience of Soviet occupation of Poland and the Czech Republic and the memories in Warsaw and Prague. In Prague memories of the soviet invasion of 1968.
Linked Articles
Amid Conflict in Georgia, Somber Memories for Czechs
New York Times 08/22/2008
Georgian Crisis Brings Attitude Change to a Flush PolandNew York Times 08/21/2008
McCain and the Republican's views of Putin and their background which affects their views of Russia.
08/12/2008
McCain's remarks that when he looks into the Russian President's eyes he sees the letters K,G, B. Shows the differeing perceptions among the Republicans, as Bush's remark was that he could see the soul of Putin in his eyes.
Linked Articles
War Puts Focus on McCain’s Hard Line on Russia
New York Times 08/12/2008
Putin Calls Shots to Salve Old WoundsNew York Times 08/12/2008
China makes a major shift to higher value added and technology products.
06/30/2008
The cheap products made at high costs to labor, the environment are out and the remaining textile products and similar product companies will have to be more sophisticated and make more value added products. Chinese government policy will discourage the older polluting factories in the south and encourage high tech leadership products for world markets.
Linked Articles
China’s Ambition Soars to High-Tech Industry
New York Times 08/01/2008
China's Export Machine Threatened by Rising CostsWall Street Journal 06/30/2008
Huge shift in car mix in favor of smaller cars as USA buyers finally make the shift and fast.
06/19/2008
Small cars sales move up quickly from 12.5% to 20% of vehicles sold. Market is running at 12.5 million vehicles in May 2008. The small car share will rise much higher as supplies increase, currently small cars sell quickly and are in short supply especially for Hona Fit and Civic cars and the Ford Focus.
Linked Articles
The Smaller the Better, Automakers Are Finding
New York Times 06/20/2008
GM Puts Off Truck, SUV Redesigns In New FocusWall Street Journal 06/19/2008
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