Sherrod Brown: Obama Focused On Main Street, But Not All His Advisers Are

Despite carving out a niche for himself as a leading progressive voice in Congress, Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) rarely goes in for headline-grabbing proclamations or sharp political rhetoric.

So on Sunday, when Brown stated his concern that some of the president's economic consultants were too focused on Wall Street at the cost of small business, it hardly seemed like some flippant remark.

"I think the president is [focused on Main Street]," Brown told CNN's "State of the Union." "I think the vice president is. I think the advisers are mixed."

The Ohio Democrat was responding to a handful of House members -- Democrats and Republicans alike -- who this past week had criticized Timothy Geithner for mishandling the bank bailout and failing to spur small business lending. Those members have called for the Treasury Secretary's resignation in light of these perceived failures.

Brown, by contrast, took the time on Sunday to offer encouragement to Geithner for finally turning his attention to these issues.

"I was with Secretary Geithner at the Treasury Department this week [for] a small business summit: Senator [Mark] Warner and I with a bunch of small business people, Karen Mills -- the administrator of SBA -- and Secretary Geithner. And I took him aside and said we need more focus on manufacturing, we need an industrial policy. Manufacturing creates middle class jobs and there has not been a manufacturing policy in this country for forever, really. Former presidents haven't had it. President Obama is moving in that direction. I think they've turned a corner. I think particularly next year, the focus is all about creating jobs. And I think we will begin to see changes."

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Comments

[Joker Jam]

11:47 AM on 11/24/2009

we need more outrage by the main-street media regarding squandered tax payer dollars for bank bailouts

good articles: http://financeopinionss.blogspot.com

more jobs needed too. Krugman is right in that we need a second stimulus.
The Obama cabinet needs to be overhauled by replacing Geithener, Hillary & Summers

[1088]

12:12 AM on 11/24/2009

If everybody were to received 1 million dollars, what do you think they would do with that money?

[Washington Kos]

10:09 PM on 11/23/2009

This is the fault of Bush policy

good articles: http://financeopinionss.blogspot.com

all this free market capitalism & globalism backfiring

[themodernleader]

09:48 PM on 11/23/2009

Schalaine. In our corrupt generation any person with an ounce of understanding of citizenship who proposes obvious remedies based upon the data, facts and the repeated lessons of history, is considered "brilliant", or ingenious or other such attribute possessed only by the gods.
Doris Kearns Goodwin "Team of Rivals" is a typical example of this phenomenon. In reading of the leadership of President Lincoln the inescapable conclusion is that Lincoln was a leader that will never be duplicated in human affairs. He was a man within nature that comes like the Mississipppi flood---once every 500 years. I am a student of and admirer of Ole Abe and I see a picture totally opposed to the heroic doctrine of leadership.
Lincoln prepared himself from early on to be a competent politican. He studied the Constitution and its originations. He emulated the repertoires of leadership of the great presidents and other Amerlican patriots. He studied ancient history. He understood the problems.
Most important, he understood his own glaring deficiencies in knowledge and education. Therefore, he selected the most qualified staff members for the cabinet members to lead the government. As he led, his subordinates grew in knowledge and skill and so did he. And they transformed the Nation. Americans now no longer trust or believe in themselves, thus only a great savior can get us through or travail and transgressions. We have forgotten how to lead ourselves.

[iridium53]

09:30 PM on 11/23/2009

Balderdash.

As Shakespeare wrote, "Action is eloquence."

You can say that Obama is focused on Main Street, but the Obama administration's utter lack of effective action and demonstrated unconcern belie any such assertion.

Obama's actions speak very loudly through his sponsored legislation and his results. Bankers, financial insurance executives, healthcare insurance executives and pharma executives are all benefitting from his administration. Middle-class Americans and small businesses are increasingly suffering.

As John Stuart Mill wrote, "A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.”

Somebody else in 2012.

[Washington Kos]

04:23 PM on 11/23/2009

Another big rally for stocks as the rich get richer. Great recovery, huh? Unless wall street recovers first there can be no recovery for anyone else . That seems to be the Geithner/Summer/Obammi mantra.

good articles: http://financeopinionss.blogspot.com

the economy & stock market is a joke. Obama let everyone down except the usual water carriers & top 1% of earners. Saying home 2010 & 2012

[lmatthe]

12:17 AM on 12/03/2009

Here Here!!

[Mikyung Lim]

12:47 PM on 11/23/2009

Concerning Senator Sherrod Brown's (D-Ohio) remark that "the president and vice president are focused on Main Street, but some of the president's economic consultants were too focused on Wall Street at the cost of small business."

It's good to hear that the blame of current negative or not-yet-visible outcomes of bailouts and recovery plan has not yet fallen onto President but onto his advisors/consultants.

But, if the outcome of financial sector overhaul, one of President's Pillar policies, goes bad while the other pillar policy, health care overhaul, is struggling to be passed with or without waterdowned contents, it may eventually, possibly cost the credibility, achievement of President great deal for not delivering his promises.

I wish President and Vice President to be more careful and discerning on whom to listen and whom not to listen, who are in the side of helping them to achieve their policy agendas and who are costing their agendas for the goal of helping their Wall Street buddies. I wish public fire on President's advisors' decisions not to fall onto President himself, and him to rely on people who will deliver the right mind sets and policy recommendations to him and public.

[Raster]

11:37 AM on 11/23/2009

Senator Brown, on what planet do you dwell, sir?

[sc300nc]

10:23 AM on 11/23/2009

He meant to say, Obama focused on a street in maine. Things are rosy there!

[Sundialsvc4]

10:07 AM on 11/23/2009

S-E-N-A-T-O-R Brown, you have a power that Barak Obama (now...) does not.

YOU have the power to Vote in the United States Congress. You have the power to introduce legislation.

The Constitution of the United States lays almost all of the powers of the United States Government into the hands of the Congress alone. To the Presidency it affords almost none. (When push comes to shove, it is the VICE-President who can "cast a deciding vote...")

So... waste no time criticizing the CEO when --you-- are the one who sits on the Board of Directors.

[veracity]

08:05 AM on 11/23/2009

wow. Is Barack Obama and his "Golddamn-Sachs uber alles" White House going to be THE DEATH of the Democratic Party?!

I'm a huge fan of Sherrod Brown, but if he thinks he can go back to the Wall street created and Fed encouraged "boom & BUSTS R us" recession smashed OHIO, with a message, "giving BILLIONS upon TRILLIONS of no oversight dollars in BAILOUTS to BANKERS was REALLY designed to get the economy going"
(instead of "DESIGNED from the start as a PURE THEFT kickbacks, graft, embezzlement, & blatant put-the-money-in-our-pockets corruption" by Obama's exclusively Wall Street & GoddamnSachs banksters-only-need-apply wrecking crew) he's got another thing coming!

[ntmessage]

07:56 AM on 11/23/2009

So tired of all these attacks against some of Obama’s team when in fact there was a One Trillion Dollar Stimulus passed specifically in order to help Main Street. Add to that the 180 Billion added on to the TARP, throw in Billions more that helped non bank institutions, you find that the Obama administration has SPENT more than 4 TIMES the amount of money to help main street as opposed to wall street. Plus much of the bank money will be paid back. There is no issue with helping main street, of course However, please stop the slight of hand and false rhetoric disgusting greedy and lazy politicians that simply want to spend the TARP money for their own special interests. Pass a separate bill to do that and use proceeds from TARP to pay down the Debt. Hammering TARP, the Fed and the Treasury so that some of the cowards in congress want to hide the fact that they are already misspending the money, already allocated to help Main Street.

[katieandtom]

08:48 AM on 11/23/2009

but it hasnt trickled down to main street. that is the problem. obama is doing a great job equalizing everyone. i guess thats his idea of "spread the wealth". if everyone loses everything then we are all equal.

[ntmessage]

08:59 AM on 11/23/2009

Yeah. Blaming the Fed or Treasury is unproductive,

[Waltb31]

10:12 AM on 11/23/2009

Reagan's trickle down sure helped main street...NOT

[mattyd123]

12:16 AM on 11/23/2009

Thank goodness the administration is helping these poor folks.

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/most-recent-recipient-obamas-middle-class-funded-generosity-key-largos-ocean-reef-club-mega-

[ncmom54]

12:11 AM on 11/23/2009

Having been a community organizer, I think Obama does understand Main Street, but we will never truly know what Bush handed him as he exited the stage... laughing.

Geithner seems to have re-directed the Wall Street train wreck because that's the world he knows... Main Street is obviously off his radar and beyond his comprehension completely.

Who knows what Larry Summers' relevance in the equation is... but his quote:
"The Banks are unintended beneficiaries of the bailout" ... set my hair on fire.

watch unemployment continue to climb as Wall Street rebounds: bit.ly/6MA1lo

It would be a great move if the President put Elizabeth Warren (not Karen Mills) in an equal position as Geithner, overseeing the restoration of Main Street.

Send Larry back to wherever he came from ... he's an insult everytime his mouth opens.

If ever a 3rd party emerges.. it should be called 'the Main Street Party'

because we ARE the Majority.

[ncmom54]

01:00 AM on 11/23/2009

sorry about the incomplete link above...
http://bit.ly/6MA1lo

[themodernleader]

11:18 PM on 11/22/2009

It is commendable of Senator Sherrod Brown to confront the President on his dangerous incompetent subordinates. With Brown I am in complete agreement that the Administration will concentrate on job creation next year. If not, the Democrat-Republican leadership will see big replacements. Just imagine where we could have been if the President had not sold out to the Wall Street traders and bankers. We would already be putting tens of thousands into meaningful employment.
The tragedy is that next year we will be that much weaker from a rapidly atrophying country. We are confronted with unprecedented problems and barriers. Yet, our leaders are as sleep walkers on the edge of a precipice.

[Schalaine]

02:00 PM on 11/23/2009

Well modern leader I expect you will be running for office soon. You have the answers we have all been waiting for. Brilliant. I'm sure President Obama has a spot just waiting for you.