Question of the Day | 10/16/2008 1:00 am

What does it say about America's international leadership that Britain's Gordon Brown bested the Paulson Plan?

Liz Smith | 10/17/2008 4:20 pm

Liz Smith on Gordon Brown: Unfit to Be Dogcatcher?

The moment Gordon Brown replaced Tony Blair as Prime Minister, I have never read such painful verdicts on a leader. The British press piled on this guy. They indicated from the beginning that he wasn’t fit to be dogcatcher. Some people even wanted Tony back and he hadn’t exactly gone out in a blaze of glory. So it has been fabulous to see Mr. Brown reincarnated as Jesus jumping off the cross for his adroit handling of the world financial crisis. He was even saluted in France as being the savior of all Europe for his perspicacity. There is nothing like a comeback from nowhere, vindication must be sweet for Gordon Brown and his backers. I wonder how long this love fest will last? Never mind, I am content that somebody knows what to do. We surely didn’t know what to do here in the U.S.

Click here on this text to read my New York Post column.

2 Comments

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Thanks, It’s good to rant once in a while ! I saw Susan Jacoby on Moyers and have her book on my list, but I fear she is preaching to the choir, you and me ;-) You know, I’m not a total snob here, heck I even watch American Idol, but the celebration of the adolescent just drives me crazy. I guess we’re all going to do a bit of growin’ up soon, poverty tends to focus the mind !

By EKA on 10/16/2008 9:15 pm

et tu, Brute????? sigh. such company should be forbidden. you’re a breeze from the ocean. Yes, I highly respect Jacoby, but you’re a stronger sort than I - I cannot cope with much of “Idol” after the first season. That’s the problem - they run us to death with those shows, and the really good ones merely fade into a slowly deteriorating mess of bad writers, and mediocre acting. See, we can change the world. hee hee

By Cjay on 10/17/2008 12:26 am

Would I redeem my reputation if I said I have never seen Survivor or The Biggest Loser ?? Or that I watch Idol because of the music, or because I have a secret crush on Simon Cowell ?? Actually, I have 2 sons who are professional musicians and they heap me with scorn when I tell them I watch it ;-) I am curious to know your background, you seem to understand this financial mess better than most of us, or at least can explain it better . Lehman Bros. Alum. EH !

By EKA on 10/17/2008 10:43 am

Yes, you are redeemed! I’m a music-person myself. As far as understanding this mess, I’m just old but keep in touch with the experts I’ve known throughout my career, and learned a great deal from them the past 3 years - they kept warning this was going to happen…Bush has merely delegated it, from September to today - he should be tried for crimes against America, right now - no, let’s deal with this first. Just for fun and an excuse to scream, again, check this out: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/321164…

By Cjay on 10/17/2008 2:19 pm

Possibly that Bernanke and Paulson don’t have the brains to do the job properly??? We need Paul Volcker instead of those two losers. In this current fiscal crisis party politics needs to be flushed and the best people not vested interests need to be in harge—obviously we don’t have that currently.

By fp1 on 10/16/2008 11:07 am

Once again Americans were speaking out against the bail out and our elected officials ignored our voice. Politicians are so much smarter, they followed the direction of a President, who they followed right into Iraq.(being sarcastic) Don’t people learn from their mistakes! What we need in this country is politicians with common sense and integrity. Anyone in Northern California in Pelosi district, please vote her out.

By BarbaraTaylor on 10/16/2008 11:34 am

Unfortunately, I’m in the 12th and hers is the 8th. She won’t even read my correspondence… I sure as hell wouldn’t have voted for her. Every time she’s on the tube, fake smile, licking teeth, posturing… I get ill. Glad my TiVo has fast-forward!

By JohnG on 10/16/2008 12:33 pm

Here in S. CA I’m in the 47th district with one of the Sanchez sisters as a Rep. She voted no on the bail out, wonder if that was for political reasons. I receive pre-written e-mails from Boxer and Sanchez. Probably don’t even read what anyone is saying.

By BarbaraTaylor on 10/16/2008 1:12 pm

Barbara: Anyone in Northern California in Pelosi district, please vote her out. Hear ! Hear !

By MarjorieC on 10/16/2008 3:15 pm

Maybe we should start a campaign to vote her out.

By BarbaraTaylor on 10/16/2008 3:24 pm

You may be tired of seeing my plea to support NRA: Never Re-elect Anyone ~ That is the only way to dump the old, and bring in the new, ala the Brits. Newbies cannot do worse than those in there now have done.

By Cjay on 10/16/2008 7:17 pm

I’ve said that for years. It’s the only way the politicians will learn to quit making promies they don’t plan to keep.

By BarbaraTaylor on 10/16/2008 8:24 pm

Once we have term limits of 2 years, and no golden parachutes, at all - things will change. We should fill congress by raffle, with every citizen in the mix…we all can contribute 2 years service - no one would expect the golden parachutes then; and we would not do worse than those have done who spent fortunes to be elected. This has to stop now.

By Cjay on 10/16/2008 9:10 pm

Carol: We should fill congress by raffle, with every citizen in the mix…we all can contribute 2 years service… I don’t know if I’d go quite that far, but two terms as senator, which is 12 years, is long enough. Give them healthcare, but skip the pensions. A turnover would keep the lobbyists scrambling and making new friends. In the mix, there might be a few honest congressmen.

By MarjorieC on 10/17/2008 8:18 am

Marjorie, 2 year limits is just right. No vested interests, no conflicts, no perpetuation of “side incomes”, no government-sector service afterward, no nutin’ just serve our nation.

By Cjay on 10/17/2008 2:14 pm