The Jason Furman Chronicles: Another Sign That Obama Is a Closet Centrist?

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...is smart, and he is right on Social Security. He was one of the strongest voices against the Bush Plan. Appointing him is brilliant on Obama's part.

Jim Z. of CO 8:04PM June 13, 2008

IT IS TIME FOR EXPANSION OF OUR RESOURCE BASES , The Limited supply of Resources we use to manufacture our ways and means with that sustain Humanity are needed or we will see conflict in epic levels , Bio Algae can lead the way forward , with a Multiple of Uses , spread the word and demand this Change !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: We should have been doing this years ago ; http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/11/20080611biz-algae0612-ON.html

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/11/20080611biz-algae0612-ON.html

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/11/20080611biz-algae0612-ON.html pass this around , and speak out demand change from the grip of Greedy fascist Corporations that buy Government Policy too favor their ability to control the Free Competitive markets !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

----- Original Message -----

Subject: http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveonaCar/CheapGasInMissouri.aspx

We should have been doing this years ago , and we would not at war over Oil today , where was our Government all these years , that are suppose to be doing whats best for America ??? Its time we the people start SCREAMING at our GOVERNMENT TO DO THE RIGHT THINGS WITH OUR WAYS AND MEANS , ENOUGH OF THE CONSOLIDATION OF BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT FASCISM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Algae's bright future

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2008/06/11/20080611biz-algae0612-ON.html

by Ryan Randazzo - Jun. 11, 2008 06:14 PM

The Arizona Republic

Many farmers keep a scarecrow handy, but Michael Bellefeuille has more to worry about than crows feeding on his unique crop.

The Casa Grande researcher and farmer begins his days scanning algae samples under a microscope to ensure his slimy harvest is safe from euglenoids, the microscopic invertebrates that kick around with a whiplike flagellum to eat whatever is in sight.

With record fuel prices, everyone from Chevron to British energy company BP is studying how to make fuel from quick-growing algae. Bellefeuille works for Phoenix-based XL Renewables Inc, which is taking a slightly different strategy by growing algae that can be sold to make animal feed, biodiesel and food oils, rather than strictly focus on biofuel.

Our focus is to just economically produce this as a crop," President Ben Cloud said. "We see this as an emerging crop to co

Rick Bodie of AZ 7:58PM June 13, 2008

If Furman can pull Obama from the ignorant leftist economics abyss, then there might be hope for him (Obama, that is). I'm willing to bet he will not.

"Obama is not a "secret" anything. He is an open book and he's more left than not."

You're right, Daniel, he is more left than not, but we still don't know enough about Obama. So far, his judgment has been less than stellar, at least when it comes to positions and the company he keeps.

Chris of AZ 2:38PM June 13, 2008

James:

Does the record below strike you as one that's center-left? It's interesting when someone can push for privatizing Social SecuriIty and get that label.

On Wal-Mart

1. “The collateral damage from these efforts to get Wal-Mart to raise its wages and benefits is way too enormous and damaging to working people and the economy more broadly for me to sit idly by and sing “Kum-Ba-Ya” in the interests of progressive harmony.” Slate, 6/26/06

2. “Unfortunately, what happened in Maryland probably is something of a watershed and will create a strong example. But the legislation will not help Wal-Mart workers in Maryland, and my hope is that other states will see that punitive efforts like this won’t be successful.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/16/06

3. “Wall Mart is a progressive success story.” Washington Post, 11/28/05

On Social Security

1. When asked about private accounts and a higher retirement age, Furman replied “You know, some of this accounts debate is a little bit misplaced. We had a great discussion at the American Enterprise Institute last week of a bipartisan plan. This plan had accounts in it. It’s a good plan because the plan recognized that we needed to bring more revenue into Social Security to maintain the type of replacement rates and retirements that people are expecting. It brought benefits down, but it brought new money in through accounts. Thought it was a good start on the plan.” CNBC, 6/27/06

On Infrastructure as Part of a Stimulus Package

1. “I do think…you should apply a very high degree of skepticism to infrastructure proposals. Proposals that don’t spend out until, for example, 2009, are not going to help the economy when it’s needed, might destabilize it when it’s not needed, and will be offset by the Federal Reserve.” Senate Finance Hearing, 1/24/08

On Trade

1. “I hope the lesson that Democratic candidates take from this is not to bash trade and call for protectionism, but instead to call for a robust safety net. Those are all the best answers.” NPR Morning Edition, 10/9/07

2. “The best thing we can do for free trade is focus on strengthening domestic policies that strengthen social insurance.” International Herald Tribune, 1/31/07

On Labor Policy

1. “I support raising the minimum wage and giving the bottom 10% of wage earners a pay hike. But when we’re talking about workers at the 30th or 40th percentile, spreading the cost of higher wages across consumers more broadly becomes a less attractive proposition.” Slate, 6/26/06

2. “The idea that people are worse off than 20 or 30 years ago is so ludicrous. And I’ve come to appreciate how damaging that is.” New York Times, 8/2/06

3. After the Circuit City mass firings, Furman noted “the flexibility of the U.S. labor force seems to be one reason that recessions have become less frequent and unemployment is less of a problem than in Europe.” International Herald Tribune, 4/5/07

Phil Berman of VA 1:20PM June 13, 2008

Obama is not a "secret" anything. He is an open book and he's more left than not.

Daniel David of NM 1:02PM June 13, 2008

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Capital Commerce

Capital Commerce

U.S. News business reporter Matthew Bandyk examines the issues, people, and debates that shape the nexus of political and economic life in the nation's capital.

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